Nantwich Town 2, St Helens Town 2

TOWN went into this game lying in fourth place in the First North Western Trains top flight following an excellent mid-week success over old rivals Clitheroe by 3-2 at Hoghton Road.

It was, however, not without cost as injuries sustained stripped Jimmy McBride's squad to the bone for Saturday's trip to Nantwich.

On-loan keeper Terry O'Hanlon, already covering for the first choice Hollywood, sustained shoulder damage in a collision. It meant Grange Valley's Steve Adamson became the fourth keeper Town have used this season which becomes five, taking into account centre-back Paul Kirwan's two enforced stints!

With Kelsey, Dooner and Clarke also absent, Chris Walmesley was called out of semi-retirement to face a Nantwich side who started forcefully and Adamson settled any early nerves with two fine blocks from Scarlett. However, from the second of these which produced a corner kick, Nantwich took a 12th minute lead when Kirwan tripped Bothwick enabling Mick Williamson to drill home from the spot.

Nantwich struck again in spectacular fashion when John Scarlett's chest down and acrobatic bicycle kick dipped into the far corner and Town now had real problems.

They addressed them immediately, and a minute later only a super save by home keeper Heeps prevented Hill's volley from reducing the arrears and on 33 minutes O'Neill was denied in similar fashion as Town forced the pace.

On 38 minutes Jimmy McBride completely changed his system and withdrew Griffiths and Williams for Pennington and Dyson and two minutes later Town were back in the hunt. A long throw from the right by Walmesley eventually broke to Franny Hill whose low blast from 16 yards gave Heeps no chance.

So the interval was reached with the Dabbers ahead but with St Helens on the ascendancy.

The second half opened with Nantwich attacking their favoured Jackson Avenue end and Adamson took a knock in racing off his line before Scarlett headed wide from a free kick. Town eventually regained the initiative and Heeps stretched to clear out Pennington's angled chip but it was the linesmans flag which began to infuriate the St Helens camp as Bickerstaffe twice surged from deep only to be pulled back.

He then forced a fine flying save from Heeps as his glancing header arrowed towards the bottom corner but still the leveller wouldn't come. In between, Nantwich had sprung on the break with Bowyer screwing wide before Adamson blocked Bothwick but the pattern was of St Helens pressure which looked to have paid dividends in the 78th minute when Dyson was caught on the ankle by keeper Heeps but like O'Neill earlier, stayed up to pay the price of unfulfilled advantage when a wretched bobble delayed his execution and Smith whipped the ball off his toe two yards out.

Dyson, who started as a substitute was then replaced himself with an ankle problem and Town threw caution to the wind with Walker now on up the left.

The game was in stoppage time when Jones hoisted for Laird to flick on and who else but Steve Pennington darted on to poke past keeper Heeps but the ball began to drift outside the post. Pennington then gave pursuit and sliding on his back, turned the ball inside the post.

Town are hoping supporters old and new can back them in two crucial games this coming week. Firstly at Hoghton Road on Saturday Fleetwood are the visitors in a top six clash at 3pm, while on Tuesday, a place in the Liverpool Senior Cup semi-final is the prize for the derby clash between Prescot Cables and Town at Valerie Park, kick off 7.30pm.

Numbers drawn in Town's lottery were 3, 4, 6, 8, 9 and 12. There were no winners.

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