Nantwich Town and Wythenshawe Town shared the points after a chaotic final 10 minutes ended in a 1-1 draw, writes Liam Price.
The Dabbers had to do without top scorer Kai Evans who was ill, so Kofi Moore made his first start since coming back to the club on loan.
It was the in-form visitors who made the much stronger start, a quick free-kick played in Chinedu Uche who miscued his shot.
Ben Garratt made two key saves to deny Alex Panter and then visitors’ top scorer George Boyd.
Moore got onto the ball in an attacking area for the first time and drew a good block with his shot.
Boyd slashed another one wide, but Moore was getting more joy for the Dabbers as he drove towards the goal line and looked to pick out Byron Harrison but a fine interception stopped a near certain goal.
It was Moore again who forced former Dabber Greg Hall into his first save as Nantwich survived the early scares.
Tom Pratt shot wide but the biggest chance of the half was to fall to the away team.
Their captain Luke Nock, also a former Dabber, saw the ball break to him in the box but he only managed to hit the post.
In the second half, Matty Tweedley had the ball taken off him in a dangerous area but Garratt was there to sweep up.
The game was fizzling out to a goalless draw when two mistakes in the last few minutes brought it to life.
A Dabbers corner was played in and touched away. Troy Bourne picked up the second ball, swivelled and fired back in.
Paddy Kennedy stuck out a leg and deflected it goalwards where Hall let it through his hands and over the line.
Just after the kick-off came the next twist. Thornton had been booked on 74 minutes for a tactical foul.
He was penalised again on 81 minutes for a trip and shown a second yellow.
The Dabbers’ stretched squad meant manager Jon Moran was going to sub himself on for the first time since becoming boss to see out the game for the 10 men.
But those plans were scuppered four minutes later.
Wythenshawe’s equaliser came from a knock in at a corner. The first header was won in dominant style, it was then flicked in by Christie Grogan for 1-1.
The breathless action continued in the dying minutes.
Pratt fired well wide for Nantwich before Domaine Rouse got a cross wrong and Garratt caught.
Garratt was on hand again to make a vital save from sub Jean-Louis Akpa-Akpro.
There was still time for Moore to pull off a great bit of skill but his shot was held by Hall.
The next home game for Nantwich is against Kidsgrove Athletic this Saturday January 11 at 3pm.
(Images courtesy of Jonathan White)
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