Nantwich Town’s promotion bid suffered a setback in a home 1-0 defeat by FC United at the Weaver Stadium.
And a bad night was made worse on the final whistle when Dabbers keeper Greg Hall was red-carded, which could rule him out of the next three matches.
It was a tight affair between two evenly matched sides both bidding for promotion and to secure at least a play-off place in Bet Victor Northern Premier League.
But a 43rd minute strike by FC United’s Morris was enough to take all three points back up the M6, and move the visitors to third place.
Both sides had good chances before the opener, with Joe Mwasile going close for Nantwich on 26 minutes.
He side-stepped inside and hit one that narrowly wide of the top-right corner with the keeper beaten.
FC United also looked dangerous with Linney and Langley.
And on 43 minutes they took the lead when a corner floated over was met by Morris who powered in a header.
The Dabbers almost levelled on 48 minutes, when Ricardo Fuller flicked on to Cooke who found Mwasile, but the winger’s strike was straight at Belford.
Prince Haywood fired wide soon after before Joe Malkin directed a header straight at the keeper as the hosts ramped up the pressure.
On 73 minutes Fuller showed his class with a backheel to Cooke, whose curled effort was finger-tipped wide.
The game became a tense tetchy affair in the final 15 minutes with both sides committing niggly fouls and plenty of afters involving players.
And when the referee blew for full-time, there were some off the ball incidents which resulted in keeper Hall being sent off.
Nantwich remain in fifth place, in the final play-off spot, and still have one or two games in hand.
(Images courtesy of Jonathan White)
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