FC United down Dabbers with a double to go 7th + Highlights

FC United down Dabbers with a double to go seventh

Strikers Tom Greaves and Mike Norton got a goal each as FC United beat Nantwich Town 2-1 at Gigg Lane on Tuesday night to move up to seventh place with games in hand in the Evo-Stik Premier Division.

Greaves got the Reds ahead on the half hour mark with a lovely finish but former FC United forward Aaron Burns equalised six minutes before the break. The Reds went back in front fewer than 10 minutes into the second half through a poacher’s finish by Norton and held on for a deserved victory in what was our first game in 17 days due to the bad weather.

It didn’t take United long to get back in the swing of things as they started well, with good possession of the ball but a testing pitch which didn’t have much bounce in it and made the passing game difficult meaning chances in the opening part of the game were few and far between.

The opening came just before the half hour mark with a good old fashioned route one goal, as Norton got to a goal kick and played Greaves through. United’s top-scorer showed great composure to slot the ball away, giving the Reds the lead with his 21st goal of the season.

United carried on with the pressure, but couldn’t get the second goal which their efforts seemingly deserved and before half time the visitors equalised through Burns, who capitalised on some slack defending from a deep ball from a free-kick and slotted home to level things up.

Things could have been much worse for the Reds before the break had it not been for a great reaction save by Dave Carnell as he denied Steve Foster. The Nantwich man got to a rebound first and looked to have put the visitors in front but Carnell showed great reactions to keep things level.

The second half started in the fashion that much of the first half had been played, with United having good possession of the ball and controlling the game, going close with efforts from Joe Fox and Callum Byrne just over the bar.

Norton put his usual hard working shift in up front and got his reward for this as he scored what would be the winning goal of the game just eight minutes into the second half. Captain Dean Stott lifted a ball back into the box where Norton beat the offside trap and put the ball away from six yards out.

Much like the first half, United again had the lion’s share of possession but again could not convert this into a two goal cushion, leaving the door open for a potential equaliser for the visitors. The Dabbers almost bagged this late on but Carnell once again showed great reactions as he raced off his line and nullified the attacking threat.

All in all, it was a solid performance from United to put themselves in a good position at the start of what could be (weather depending) five games in 14 days that could see United move back into a great position in the race for promotion.

Man of the match – Mike Norton: Put in another hard shift up front, making the opener and sealing the victory.

Report by Craig Phillips