Nantwich Town notched a fine 3-2 victory over higher league opponents Chester in front of a good crowd at the Optimum Pay Stadium, writes Adam Bateman.
Fans turned up to see new star signing in Shaun Miller as well as the addition of Cameron Terry as goalkeeper, and were treated to action at both ends.
It didn’t start off as planned with Chester taking control, passing the ball around very well.
They had the first shot of the game, Johnson shooting over the bar.
Chester continued to probe away, just without that final killer last ball.
Declan Weeks had the next attempt but failed to hit the target.
Then Nantwich’s Sean Cooke tried to score from a long way out which went just wide of of Louis Gray’s goal.
This seemed to spark the Dabbers into life and soon after Casper Hughes was unlucky to see his first time shot go agonisingly wide.
Nantwich took the lead in the 26th minute, via a wonderful bit of play.
Callum Saunders raced down the left before putting in a wonderful cross for new signing Miller to poke home at the back post.
Chester levelled almost instantly, when James Hardy found space down the right and crossed for Anthony Dudley to fire home an equaliser.
The tables had been well and truly turned with the away side on top.
Minutes later Dudley nearly doubled Chester’s tally, as he hit the base of the post.
Nantwich were very happy to hear the half-time whistle, but not before a couple of half chances for the home side from Miller and a Cooke free-kick.
In the second half, the chances kept on coming for both sides.
New signing Terry pulled off a wonder save from a George Waring header, then Troy Bourne found Saunders in acres of space, only to have his volley creep just wide.
Nantwich regained the lead when Joel Stair hit a fantastic 30-yard shot that came off of the inside of the Chester post. Miller was quickest to rebound to double his tally.
Chester levelled the scores once again through Weeks who was found by Hardy to calmly roll it passed Terry.
The chances were not done just yet for both sides though, as the home side thought that they had retaken the lead once again, but Miller playing the assister this time for Stair to just head the ball wide.
In the 81st minute, Nantwich went ahead once more as a Cooke free kick was headed in by Stair to the delight of the home crowd.
Chester pushed for a leveller when Dan Stevenson cut in from the right hand side and shot, but Terry was there to tip it round the post for a corner.
Then the visitors were awarded a penalty due to some really good dribbling in the Nantwich box by substitute Tude Oyibo, before he was brought down.
The referee no option but to point towards the spot two minutes before the 90th minute.
But Anthony Dudley’s effort was well saved by Terry down to his left.
Nantwich managed to see out the game, and pick up a really good win on the day.
The Dabbers kick off their Northern Premier League Premier Division campaign next Saturday (August 14) as they host Stalybridge Celtic at the Optimum Pay Stadium at 3pm.
Tickets for the game can be purchased from the club’s website.
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