Harrison makes the Purple Army blue as he completes comeback win - Match Report: Daventry Town 2 Nuneaton Town 3

By Matt Jones

Daventry Town 2-3 Nuneaton Town

(Burrows 7, 58 : Sawyers 15, Somel 60, Harrison 73)

Att 305

Nuneaton Town bounced back from their shock midweek defeat by battling to 3 points at Daventry Town on Saturday afternoon. Nuneaton twice came from behind through Sawyers and Somel, before Harrison fired home the winner.

Club captain Corey Currithers made a welcome return to the side after missing the last few games through injury, in Nuneaton's only change from Wednesday's 3-0 defeat at Easington Sports.

Although Nuneaton had the best of the opening few minutes, the best chance coming on 2 minutes as Eesa Sawyers' cross just missed the toes of Kyle Jardine, it was Daventry who took an early lead. A bullet throw from Lewis Burgess on 7 minutes caused danger in the box, and it dropped to Burrows who turned and found the bottom corner (0-1).

If any worries for a repeat of Wednesday had begun, they were eased with a quarter of an hour gone as a ball into the middle was passed from Jardine to Alex Lock who passed it forward to Sawyers, and he chested past the defender and slotted underneath the advancing keeper (1-1).

Despite the early goals the game lacked clear cut chances and only on the half hour did another chance come in the half, as a free kick into the box was turned towards goal by Sawyers, but with the keeper beaten the ball was cleared off the line.

Half time: Daventry Town 1-1 Nuneaton Town

Nuneaton Town started the second half with the sun, and the swirling chilly wind, behind them, and caused early issues for the Daventry defence that they'd struggled to break down. Within 5 minutes Harrison had a huge chance as he latched onto a through ball, rounded the keeper, but the extra touch he took was enough for the defender to get back and block on the line.

However the wind caught Nuneaton out on 58 minutes, as a cross into the box saw McGrath slice his clearance upwards rather than outwards, and Burrows was on hand to fire the ball past Graham to restore Daventry's lead (1-2).

Determined not to lose a 2nd game in a row, Nuneaton hit straight back, and after winning the ball back from a Daventry attack on half way, Declan Somel received a forward ball and did well to cut inside and curl a wonderful effort into the top corner to equalise the game once again (2-2).

On 72 minutes Cody Mullan and Danico Johnson replaced Eesa Sawyers and Alex Lock. And the impact was immediate from the former, as Nuneaton went on the attack once again and Mullan was able to find Somel who flicked the ball to an onrushing Harrison who with only the Daventry keeper to beat, fired low into the far corner to give Nuneaton the lead for the first time in the game (3-2).

But for a few yellow cards picked up as Nuneaton defended the lead, and Charlie Jones and Aaron Brown making appearances to freshen the energy of the 11, Nuneaton dealt with all the threats that Daventry could muster, and held on to the 3 points to bounce straight back, and with other sides winning around them, a crucial 3 points to continue Nuneaton's title charge.

Full time: Daventry Town 2-3 Nuneaton Town

Team: Graham, Thomas, Recci, McGrath, Carsley, Currithers (Jones 85), Somel (Brown 90+4), Lock (Mullan 72), Sawyers (Johnson 72), Harrison, Jardine

Subs: Hesson, Brown, Johnson, Mullan, Jones

Next up:

Tuesday 28th October, Northampton ON Chenecks (a), United Counties Premier South