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Nantwich match report

Posted by FC Halifax Town
Posted on Wed 28 Jun 2017
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FC Halifax Town set up a date at Wembley on the 22nd May in the FA Trophy final, after a Jordan Burrow brace sent his side to the home of football, following a 6-4 win on aggregate at the MBi Shay Stadium.

 

Burrow gave Town the lead early on, after netting home from close range following an excellent ball from Josh MacDonald.

 

But Nantwich refused to go down without a fight, and two goals from Liam Shotton and Matt Bailey meant the Cheshire side only needed one more to level the tie.

 

However with two minutes remaining Burrow popped up to slot home neatly, thus sending the Shaymen to Wembley.

 

Jim Harvey made two changes to his starting line up following the solid point achieved at Torquay on Tuesday night, with Josh MacDonald and Sam Walker replacing Richard Peniket and Waide Fairhurst for the vital second leg clash.

 

In the early exchanges Town looked the stronger side, with Nathwich getting frustrated, and after a strong tackle on Jordan Burrow Sam Hall was booked after two minutes.

 

Two minutes later Town captilised on a nervous Nantwich, Josh MacDonald took on Andy White on the left hand side and laid the ball perfectly off to an on rushing Jordan Burrow who neatly slotted home from 6 yards out.

 

Nantwich then leveled the match, and put the travelling side only two goals behind on aggregate after Liam Shotton pounced on an error from Nicky Wroe in the midfield, and calmed slotted home past Sam Johnson from the right edge of the area.

 

The game then started to settle down after a frantic first ten minutes, with Town happy to just slow the play down and pass it around themselves.

 

Mayhem then ensued after a Josh MacDonald corner caused the Nantwich defensive to panic, and Kingsley James after some great last ditch defending on the line saw a Shaymen goal chalked off following a foul on the goalkeeper.

 

Town started to attack more in search of the second goal to put the semi final to bed, and they very nearly did thanks to Sam Walker but his header from a perfect James cross was put just wide.

 

Sam Johnson was then called into action just after the half hour mark making a great diving save from the boot of Osborne, but from the resulting corner, centre half Matt Bailey rose highest to head the ball past a helpless Johnson to make it 2-1, and 5-4 on aggregate.

 

Scott McManus the came close for the Shaymen after powering his way forward from his own box to pull off a left footed shot, which was deflected wide of the far post.

 

Town then had Sam Johnson to thank after Nantwich made their way into the Town box, and Johnson made a great low save from Liam Shotton to keep Town infront on aggregate.

 

But then, as Town hit Nantwich on the counter Sam Walker was bundled over in the box, but from the resulting spot kick Jordan Burrow saw Terry Smith make a great save low to his left.

 

The referee then blew his whistle for half time, with the semi final evenly poised, with Nantwhich going in at the break only one goal behind on aggregate.

 

Half time: FC Halifax Town 1 โ€“ 2 Nantwich Town

 

The seond half started with Town needing a goal to send them to Wembley, and the Shaymen started the brighter of the two sides.

 

Town then had a great chance five minutes into the second half, with Burrow heading agonizingly wide from a great Kingsley James cross.

 

Nantwich then had to reshuffle at the back after Matt Bailey was taken off with what was suspected as a shoulder injury.

 

Nerves started to creep in with 60 minutes on the clock, and Town were defending well, mopping up everything Nantwich had to throw at them.

 

Town then had the on loan Johnson to thank once again, palming away an Matt Kosylo shot, Nantwich carried on looking strong going forward.

 

Nantwich then looked to go forward again, but Josh Gordonโ€™s audacious lob over Sam Johnson head went horribly wide on the goal.

 

Town then had chances through Kingsley James and Shaq McDonald, but both scuffed their shots wide of the goal.

 

Shaq McDonald had a chance to put the game to bed with ten minutes to go, but as the shot opened up him he hit it high and mighty into the Town fans behind the goal in the south stand.

 

With only seven minutes remaining Town hit Nantwich on the break, and Nicky Wroeโ€™s wonderful high ball into the box found the feet of Jordan Burrow, whoโ€™s shot was well saved by Smith in the Nantwich goal, agony for The Shaymen.

 

But then, with just minutes remaining Jordan Burrow fired his side level from close range, after Smith got a hand to the ball but just couldnโ€™t prevemt it from rolling into the back of the net, giving Town a date at Wembley on the 22nd May.

 

 

 

FC Halifax Town: 23. Johnson, 2. Bolton, 14. Brown, 6. Bencherif, 3. McManus, 15. Roberts, 35. Wroe (C), 17. MacDonald (Hibbs 72โ€™), 9. Burrow (Peniket 90+5โ€™), 11. Walker (McDonald 51โ€™), 4. James.

 

Subs: 1. Porter, 16. Hibbs, 12. Peniket, 19. Fairhurst, 40. McDonald.

 

Nantwich Town: 1. Smith, 2. White, 3. Short, 4. Harrison, 5. Bailey (Moran 55โ€™), 6. Osborne, 7. Kosylo, 8. Hall (Bell 72โ€™), 9. Shotton (Gordon 48โ€™), 10. Cooke, 11. Hancock.

 

Subs: 12. Bell, 13. Burzynski, 14. Moran, 15. Bourne, 16. Gordon.

 

Yellows: White, Burrow,

Reds:

 

Referee: Mr. P Banks

Assistant: Mr. N Greenhalgh

Assistant: Mr. D Middleton

4th Official: Mr. A Greenwood

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