Nantwich Town and Avro played out a 1-1 draw in a feisty fixture at the Swansway Stadium.
Scott Moloney was back in goal for the first time in over two months after recovering from a broken wrist and also competing with Danny Roberts for the number 1 shirt.
Joel Connolly was deployed in midfield in the absence of Stevie Hewitt and Ahmed Ali.
Just six minutes were on the clock when Ethan Kershaw broke into the box and managed to find the corner from a narrow angle.
It was an excellent finish to give Avro the lead but for the third game on the bounce the Dabbers had started sluggishly and conceded inside the first 10 minutes.
Deane Smalley was subbed early after taking a blow to the face and picking up a black eye in the process.
Troy Bourne headed wide with what was only a half chance, Paddy Kay had put the ball in as the Dabbers looked to build into the game.
Just before half time their first real move of quality resulted in the equaliser.
Kai Evans set up Kay to finish tidily for his second goal in four games.
The Dabbers were buoyed by this and finished the half well, Kay again firing wide right before the whistle.
They also started the second half stronger.
Joe Piggott was leading the line strongly, putting himself about and causing the Avro backline trouble.
He turned his man on the edge of the box and fired not too far over. Max Harrop fired straight at Moloney shortly after as Avro responded.
Piggott was in there again but Grant Shelton got down bravely to claim a cross from Callum Saunders ahead of him.
Bourne battled well in the right corner and dug out a cross for Piggott who headed over.
That was as good as it got for Bourne as he once again saw red on 70 minutes.
He’d picked up a yellow for dissent 12 minutes earlier, then he made a needless foul in the middle of the park which was pulled back by the referee after an advantage didn’t come to anything.
It is his third red card of the season in all competitions, and will be his fourth ban if you include the game missed for picking up five yellows.
Dabbers manager Paul Carden afterwards didn’t dispute Bourne’s red but bemoaned a lack of consistency after Avro’s Harrop had a period after a first yellow card where he was in danger of losing his head and could have seen a second yellow.
There were other examples of dissent, including numerous instances of kicking or throwing the ball away, which went unpunished.
Carden reacted to the red by sacrificing Saunders for Amir Tavakoli and had to shut up shop and hold for the final 20 minutes plus stoppages.
As Avro tried to make their man advantage count, Moloney was called into spectacular action late on.
He somehow clawed away an effort that looked destined for the corner on 85 minutes.
Into stoppage time he was at it again, diving low this time to deny Matty Crothers at his near post.
Moloney’s late heroics earned him the Dabbers’ man of the match and helped secure an encouraging point ahead of two must-win games against the current bottom two in the division.
(Images courtesy of Jonathan White and Peter Robinson)
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