Nantwich Town fell to a 2-1 defeat away Stafford Rangers as the hosts won their first home game under returning manager Neil Kitching, writes Liam Price.
Kai Evans was suspended but Paddy Kennedy was back from injury for Nantwich and Byron Harrison also came back into the starting XI.
The Dabbers should have led after the first attack of the match, Alex Panter hitting the post when through just 30 seconds in.
They were made to pay by the home side still within the first 10 minutes.
Callum King-Harmes beat his man and fired low past Ben Garratt to give Stafford the lead.
Jon Moran admitted afterwards a formation tweak for this game may have contributed to that goal.
There was too much space for King-Harmes as left wing back Kofi Moore and left centre back Joe Bunney tried to settle into their adjusted roles.
After that there was very little action to speak of in the first half.
A Tom Pratt header was deflected for a corner before a Stafford shot crashed into a crowd of bodies.
Moore attempted to find Pratt in the middle with an early ball but couldn’t quite pick him out.
Nantwich came out for the second half back with four at the back and an increased sense of determination.
Matty Tweedley got to the byline and pulled the ball back but no one in green could get to it.
But the Dabbers equaliser followed not long after.
A slick and patient move from the back progressed through the lines before a perfect cross reached Byron Harrison to tap in his ninth goal of the season.
A blow came when Kennedy, just back from injury, seemed to suffer a recurrence that forced him off with about 20 minutes to go.
It meant another rejig with Joe Robbins coming on and Kelvin Mellor going to centre back.
Moore sliced a shot wide but Nantwich did not kick on after the equaliser and were punished again heading towards the last 10 minutes.
A simple 1-2 down the Stafford right let in the Boro man and sub Perry Bircumshaw, on the wrong side of him, caught his man and gave Stafford the chance to win it from the penalty spot.
Former Dabber Dan Cockerline stepped up and saw his spot-kick saved by Garratt but tucked away the rebound to make it 2-1.
Stafford keeper Cameron Belford was rock solid with his handling all day apart from one moment in stoppage time when he couldn’t hold on to a cross which allowed Pratt a swing at the ball but it wasn’t directed towards goal.
A final chance for the equaliser fell to Panter in the last of the six added minutes, but he couldn’t control the shot and it flew over.
Another defeat sees Nantwich drop to eighth in the Northern Premier League West division.
(Images courtesy of Jonathan White)
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