Nantwich Town’s four-game winning run came to an end with a 1-0 defeat against Mossley at Seel Park, writes Liam Price.
Ali Hayder made his first start for the club while Courtney Meppen-Walters was in a Nantwich squad for the first time since the win over Congleton after recovering from injury.
The game’s ultimately decisive moment arrived only five minutes in.
A long throw in from the Mossley left was flicked on and not dealt with by the Dabbers defence.
It allowed Mason Fawns to turn and fire in from close range.
That made it five consecutive league games in which he’s scored for Mossley.
Nantwich racked up corners like nobody’s business, but while they had been a rich source of goals and goalscoring chances in recent games, they weren’t quite clicking.
Paddy Kennedy nodded one wide near the half hour mark.
Kai Evans curled a free kick over the bar, then a better chance arrived after great work from Perry Bircumshaw on the left.
He turned inside his man and picked out Evans who lashed it wide via a deflection.
The Dabbers were growing into the half, Kelvin Mellor headed wide from the following corner.
Kennedy again won another header but planted it straight at keeper Finley Madigan.
Obua Mugalula slashed a shot wide for Mossley, then it was Mellor again with a header that Madigan had to watch sharply at his near post.
It was the Dabbers defenders creating the bulk of the chances once more as Kennedy had a shot blocked.
Hayder did join the party on half time, his fine strike was tipped over by Madigan.
In the second half, Nathan Sandison was unlucky to see a well hit effort strike his own player and bounce away.
Meppen-Walters came on for his Dabbers return just past the hour, and quickly made his presence felt.
He headed in from yet another corner but the referee’s whistle denied him, after a foul in the box.
Mossley sub Bailey Marsden squandered a big chance to double the lead when the ball was squared to him in the box and slipped as he hit it, firing it over.
Bircumshaw was at his best minutes later when intercepting another ball across the box and saving what would have been the simplest of finishes for Mossley.
Dabbers boss Jon Moran said afterwards that it was “potentially his (Bircumshaw’s) best game in a Dabbers shirt”.
Tom Pratt saw an effort in the box well blocked in the last 10 minutes.
Mossley just seemed to be able to block or tackle everything that was being thrown at them.
A free kick right on the edge of the box was lined up by Meppen-Walters, trying to repeat his heroics from Stalybridge last season, but it hit the wall and bounced away.
The Lillywhites could have killed the game late on but a pullback missed its target and Nantwich escaped.
Kennedy’s last header went the way as the ones before, as Madigan held on tight and ran down the clock, as is his right.
The last chance of the game fell to sub Callum Saunders.
He found space in the box but unfortunately couldn’t take advantage as his shot was driven straight at a grateful Madigan.
It was only the fourth time in 17 games the Dabbers have failed to score.
But with five of the next six games in all competitions at home, there are plenty of chances to get back on track at the Swansway Stadium.
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