Nantwich Town made it four straight home wins with a 2-0 victory over City of Liverpool at the Swansway Stadium, writes Liam Price.
James Melhado was suspended for the Dabbers so Courtney Meppen-Walters came in, while Joel Connolly was back in the Dabbers squad for the first time since the win over Hanley in late August after coming back from injury.
Kelvin Mellor volleyed over the bar after being found with a header by Paddy Kennedy.
Nick Michalski made a great save from point blank range to deny Kai Evans on nine minutes after Byron Harrison found him with a square ball.
City of Liverpool’s first real attack ended with Danny Mitchley firing over the bar.
The Dabbers took the lead in the 19th minute.
Tom Pratt played the ball through to Nathan Sandison on the left hand side.
After a couple of feints and cuts inside, he let fly an excellent curling finish.
Michael Howard dragged a shot wide as the currently managerless Purps tried to get back into it.
There was a rare slip from Ben Garratt as he mishandled a corner but the visitors couldn’t force it towards goal.
Ali Hayder hit straight at Michalski as he tried to open his account in a Dabbers shirt.
It was Michael Howard again who came close for CoL before half time, dinking over the onrushing Garratt but seeing it drop past the post.
In the very first minute of the second half, CoL had half a chance in the box but blasted it over the bar.
Another blitz of attacking saw a number of blocks from Nantwich defenders.
But it was a bitty second half. Sandison lobbed wide from a very similar position to Howard.
That was his last action as he was subbed off for Connolly to make his long awaited return.
Meppen-Walters saw a header cleared off the line as Nantwich tried to double the lead.
It was a typically dominant Courtney moment but the defending was up to the task.
Mitchley hit easily at Garratt to sum up their struggles in front of goal.
Their top scorer Elliot Morris was quiet and that highlighted a lack of bite up top.
Eventually the Dabbers got the second goal they had been craving to seal the win.
Kelvin Mellor poked in a rebound in the box 2 minutes from time from a corner to continue a remarkable run in front of goal.
That’s now four in eight games for the defender playing in holding midfield.
It got better for Mellor after the game as he found out he’d won October’s Arena Sports Bar Player of the Month for the Dabbers, voted for by the members of the NTISA.
There was a scare late on as City of Liverpool struck the post but it was the Dabbers who saw it out with a clean sheet to return to winning ways.
(Pics by Jonathan White)
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