LATE LUTTERWORTH SHOW SEES TOWN SLIP TO DEFEAT IN OPENING FRIENDLY
Match report by Matt Jones
Lutterworth Athletic 2-1 Nuneaton Town
(Whiting 87, 89 : Spruce (p) 68)
Nuneaton Town returned from their summer break with a new league, new cups and new faces. But it was one of last season's opponents who would be the opening friendly on Saturday afternoon.
Of the new faces, starts were handed to former Heather St John's triplets Kai Thomas, Ben Whitehead-Thompson and Kyle Jardine, whilst Eesa Sawyers also made his debut after arriving from Bilston Town. A 5th new face, Dante Hesson, from Paget Rangers, made the bench, along with 3 trialists.
Prior to the game, a minute's silence was held for Liverpool player Diogo Jota, who was tragically killed in a car accident in Spain in the early hours of Thursday along with his brother.
Into the game, the first chance came on 6 minutes as Trevor Edwards, playing on the left in Callum Carsley's absence, whipped a good ball in to Aaron Williams who headed over. Lutterworth went down the other end just a minute later and under pressure their number 8 scuffed a shot wide.
The first shot on target came on 13 minutes as the dangerous Sawyers hit a tame effort into the keeper's gloves after good interplay on the edge of the box. Jardine won a free kick 4 minutes later which he then took himself with the same outcome.
With the defence playing a new shape and still finding their feet, Whitehead-Thompson got caught in possession on 23 minutes, but Brandon Bache was there to smother the Lutterworth effort.
Nuneaton's best chance of the half came on 31 minutes as the keeper denied Jardine's volley before Edwards hit a rebound that was also blocked. A third effort from Sawyers deflected wide.
At the other end 3 minutes before the break Lutterworth's number 10 managed to get free at the back post from a cross but somehow headed across goal rather than into the net.
Half time: Lutterworth Athletic 0-0 Nuneaton Town
Nuneaton rang the changes at half time as 6 were swapped and a different formation was trialled, and with Lutterworth also making some changes themselves the game became scrappy in the opening 10 minutes, before one of the substitutes, highly rated youngster Dante Hesson fired just over the bar on 56 minutes.
Hesson was involved again on 62 minutes as good play with the two trialists on the pitch lead to the number 19 shooting just wide.
On 68 minutes a speculative cross into the box was pounced on by James Spruce who was brought down by the Lutterworth keeper. Spruce dusted himself down to slot the penalty to the keepers left as he dived the other way (1-0).
Hesson had another effort which flashed inches wide just 2 minutes later, and on 77 minutes Cody Mullan brought a good save from the keeper with a curling effort.
A final trialist striker came on for Williams with 4 to play, but had been on the pitch for a matter of seconds as a pinpoint cross into the box from the left found Whiting who gave Jackson Acton no chance as his bullet header found the corner (1-1).
Lutterworth had renewed vigour and after a Nuneaton attack came to nothing, Whiting was played through and despite loud offside calls, the linesman kept his flag down and he slotted under Acton to steal the win for Lutterworth (1-2).
A good run out for Town although a little unlucky to be defeated, results don't matter too much at this stage. Lutterworth avenge the 7-1 thrashing they received in the same fixture last season.
Full time: Lutterworth Athletic 2-1 Nuneaton Town
Team: Bache (J Acton 45), Thomas, Whitehead-Thompson, Recci (trialist 45), Perkins, Edwards, Currithers (Mullan 45), Somel (Hesson 45), Williams (trialist 86), Sawyers (Spruce 45), Jardine (trialist 45)
Subs: Spruce, Mullan, J Acton, Hesson, trialist, trialist, trialist
