It wasn’t the start Paul Carden hoped for as he saw his Nantwich Town side beaten 1-0 away at Avro in the Northern Premier League West.
The Dabbers would have been hoping for a fast start after last season’s relegation.
But they could not find a way through the defence of their Oldham-based opponents.
Carden and Nantwich had been busy in the run up tot he match, signing no fewer than six players, including a return to the club for AJ Leitch-Smith.
Other players signed were Kai Evans, midfielder from Stoke City, the re-signing of Byron Harrison, last season’s top scorer, loan signing Lewis Sinnott, from Warrington Town, and Somalian internationals and brothers, defender Mohamud Ali and midfielder Ahmed Ali.
But they could not help earn the win, and Carden criticised his players for the second half showing, saying “we went so far away from doing the basics well”.
Avro started on front foot, hitting the bar in the opening two minutes.
Sean Cooke had Nantwich’s first chance on nine minutes, firing over.
On 26 minutes, Callum Saunders headed Cooke’s cross against the post and watched it roll along the goal-line.
Cooke and Harrison had chances for Dabbers before half-time, but Avro also went close with Crothers’ shot.
Avro started the second half strongly with a number of chances.
And their pressure told on 58 minutes with the winning goal when Joe Rathbone fired a fierce low shot from the edge of the box past Maloney in the Dabbers goal.
Nantwich huffed and puffed but could not create chances and if anything Avro should have extended their lead before the final whistle.
Nantwich open their home campaign when they welcome Vauxhall Motors on Tuesday (August 15)
The match will be played at Leek Town’s ground while work continues on installing the new pitch at the Swansway Stadium in Nantwich.
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