Nantwich Town are in to the First Round Proper of the FA Trophy after a dramatic win on penalties following a goalless draw with Bradford (Park Avenue), writes Liam Price.
In the first 10 minutes, a quick Avenue corner caught the Dabbers napping, Scott Moloney was forced into a save with his feet.
Brad Dockerty almost split the Dabbers backline but his run through was ultimately stopped by Moloney who was alert off his line to claim.
It was a very stop/start first half, the referee happy to blow for a foul for a lot of minor things.
The plentiful free kicks provided most of the action; one from Hewitt was curled across the defensive line but the flag went up for offside as the returning Dylan Thompson tried to force it in.
The best chances for both sides came in bursts of a couple. The Dabbers had opportunities first through Connor Heath shooting at George Sykes-Kenworthy from a narrow angle, Kai Evans saw his rebound blocked and Ahmed Ali could only shoot straight at the keeper.
Byron Harrison shot over after receiving the ball with his back to goal in the box, then it was Bradford PA’s turn to have chances in quick succession.
A deflected cross from the left looped over Moloney but was cleared by the Dabbers, not fully though as a shot came in and was blocked.
A PA FK was nearly OK for the lead but Ahmed Ali was sharp to slice a clearance away just before the end of a largely forgettable first half.
The second half was much the same. A Lewis Hey cross hit substitute Harry Colville in good space and bounced to Moloney rather than him taking a shot.
A couple of half chances also came for Bradford via a cross that was not turned in and some good skill from Brad Dockerty which was wasted as he fired a shot over the bar.
Paul Carden said afterwards that he felt with 20 minutes go the game was destined for penalties, but there were a couple of times where that might not have happened.
A Nantwich counter attack started by Perry Bircumshaw, moved on to Connor Heath and Kai Evans who went round Sykes-Kenworthy but shot wide as he was slightly off balance.
Evans later spotted the keeper off his line and went for the long range try, not getting under the ball and drilling it straight at the keeper.
Myles La Bastide came off the bench and strengthened the Avenue attack, forcing a good header behind by Joel Connolly, La Bastide heading over from the subsequent corner.
Evans came the closest to scoring for the Dabbers, shooting once again from a narrow angle but this time it looked like it was sneaking in the near post were it not for a good save from Sykes-Kenworthy; Stevie Hewitt hit the side netting at the following corner.
That was that for the action so it went straight to penalties, a recent innovation in the FA Trophy to cut down on extra playing time.
It took 8 rounds of spot kicks to split the sides.
Bradford took first and scored, then Sykes-Kenworthy saved from Kai Evans to give them the early advantage.
In the third round, Moloney dived to his right to save Will Lancaster’s effort, then Hewitt scored to level the shootout.
Moloney was on hand again with an even better save, from Colville’s attempt, as Paddy Kay then scored to put the Dabbers ahead.
Troy Bourne had the chance to win it but a fingertip touch from the keeper onto the post and an agonising bounce past the other post meant we went into sudden death.
The next four penalties were scored, until Lucas Odunston blazed over to give the Dabbers match point again.
Ahmed Ali stepped up and sent the keeper the wrong way to win it by 6 pens to 5 for Nantwich and seal a place in the next round on the weekend of the 28th October.
(pics courtesy of Jonathan White)
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