The Pitmen won their first League game of the season with two first half goals from Louie Briscoe and Ross Dyer. Briscoe who scored at Ossett last Saturday was soon on the mark when he slotted home in the 6th minute.

Tyrone Barnett was clattered to the floor as he headed on a long ball. The Referee showed good judgement by waiving the play on as Ross Dyer made an attacking run down the left wing. After then breaking into the box Dyer looked as if he was going to shoot but instead he passed the ball to the right for Briscoe who had found space for himself and from 15 yards coolly placed the ball past Lee Jones to open the scoring.

Nantwich could have scored earlier in the game when a free header from a Peter Heler corner kick was headed off the line by Danny Harvey.

Dyer who was finding space on the right put a firm cross across the box, Tyrone Barnett made a late run towards the back post and managed to get a boot onto the ball but his effort went just wide.

In the 11th minute Sean Platt was harshly adjudged to have fouled Heler on the half way line.Tickle's free kick was headed clear but only to Parkinson who hit a first time volley from 30 yards which Brock saved just under his left hand side of the crossbar.

Draper was cautioned in the 22nd minute for a crude challenge on Andy Taylor which injured both players.

Having had three goals disallowed on Saturday the Pitmen had another goal chalked off in the 25th minute after Dyer tapped the ball into the net when the ball ran loose after he leaped for a left wing cross with Jones but the Referee blew for a foul on the keeper.

Tom Marshall got caught playing the ball out of defence and put his team into trouble.A scramble for the ball ensued with the ball going out left for Robin Gibson. The visiting centre forward hit a firm low shot which Brock managed to hold onto at the second atttempt.

Briscoe became provider in the 34th minute when he made an attacking run inside from the right, after looking up he sent a forward pass, splitting the Nantwich backline in the process. Dyer let the pass run across in front of him before hitting a well placed shot past Jones into the left hand side of the net.

Tyrone Barnett's luck in front of goal continued to desert him when in the 38th minute he raced onto Dyer's cross from the right. His shot hit the left hand upright then rolled off the crossbar before being cleared out to Anthony Maguire whose low shot from the edge of the box was deflected out of play for the Pitmen's first corner of the game

During the second half the Pitmen continued to create scoring chances, Maguire was unlucky with a shot from the edge of the box after good approach work by Barnett. In the 78th minute Dyer was brought down on the edge of the ‘D'. The free kick routine saw the ball passed square for Briscoe whose low hit strike was easily saved by Jones.

The front two were linking up well; Barnett from inside his own half played a cross field ball for Dyer to make an attacking run. The covering defender forced the striker to go towards the bye-line but from an acute angle he still managed to get a shot on target. Jones who had covered his right hand post deflected Dyer's firm shot off his chest and away for a corner kick.

The resulting corner kick caused a scramble in the box where three goal scoring chances were cleared. Centre back Danny Harvey sent a header towards goal but his effort was headed off the line by Dave Tickle, another effort was quickly hit towards goal which again was cleared then for the third time in as many seconds Ross Draper was denied a goal when his shot hit the legs of the Nantwich keeper who was racing back to get back onto his goal line. He certainly did not know at the time that he made the save but he would have taken the glory.

Nantwich continued to battle to get back into the game but with Gomes, Harvey and Marshall in good form they were always going to find it tough going in their first ever UniBond Premier Division fixture. The League newcomers will however cause teams a problem or two if their performance on the night was something to go by. A good advert for the game which hopefully will start to bring the crowds back to Keys Park starting next Saturday when Bradford PA the current League leaders are the visitors

RodH