Damage in the Box!: NANTWICH TOWN (Weaver Stadium)

A bonus game for me today as this fixture was changed on police advice to avoid a fixture clash with Crewe v Aldershot on the previous Saturday!?! Obviously Cheshire's finest couldn't handle the tens of people heading to the Weaver Stadium!

The Weaver Stadium has only been opened a couple of years, after almost 125 years at Jackson Avenue. As you would expect the ground is nice, tidy and has all the modern comforts expected at a 21st century stadium. We'll comment no further.

The Dabbers have had an indifferent start to the season, but nothing in comparison to Durham. The Football Conference have decreed that their 3G pitch would not be permitted in their competition, in the event of Durham being in a promotion position. This meant, especially as far a the main sponsors/backers of club were concerned, that the Northern Premier league is is far as they can go unless they revert to grass. The sponsors/backers subsequently pulled the plug on the money and all the players left the club. It was left more or less to the reserve and youth team to pick up the pieces. The Durham season record before today: Played 8, Lost 8, For 4, Against 35, Goal Difference -31.

Today, sadly for them, turned out to be more of the same and a very, very comfortable home win for Nantwich. However, this was only after a very early scare. Durham took the lead after 40 seconds when Rufus Ayre spotted the home 'keeper off his line and lobbed him from 40 yards. This was as good as it got for City. It did, however, take until the 40th minute for Nantwich to level through a Matthew Read header. Ashley Carter (who tormented Durham all game) then smashed home a shot on 44mins to give Nantwich a 2-1 interval lead.

The second half was one way traffic as Michael Lennon bagged a brace and Matthew Read completed his hat-trick. I must give a mention to the Durham 'keeper Max Stoker who did his best to keep the score down to single figures with some great saves. I subsequently found out later that the Durham 'keeper failed to show and Mr Stoker was in fact the centre half, this made his performance even more incredible.