Williams and Bache heroics help Town crumble Gingerbreads in topsy-turvy thriller - Match report: NTFC 3 - Grantham Town 3 (7-6 after pens)

By Matt Jones

Sports Ground Development KnockoutLeague Cup Quarter-Final
Nuneaton Town 3-3 Grantham Town
(Nuneaton Town win 7-6 on penalties)
(Jardine 24, 67, Williams 90+6 : Roberts 20, McGrath (og) 75, Shaw 90+3)
Attendance: 417

Nuneaton Town won a thrilling cup quarter final on penalties with two saves from Brandon Bache, after Aaron Williams equaliser in the last seconds of the game saved them from defeat.

Four changes were made to the line up as a combination of players returning from injury and rotation. Michael McGrath returned from injury replacing Aaron Brown, Corey Currithers returned to the starting 11 replacing the suspended Declan Somel, whilst Dante Hesson and CJ Nyakuhwa were given starts ahead of Stuart Hendrie and James Harrison who were benched. Tali Jallow returned to the bench after injury.

Grantham had the best of the early minutes, and with less than 3 gone a cross from the right found Langford who's free header was clawed away by Bache, who also had to tip over the following corner. Langford was once again denied by Bache with 12 gone, as his shot from the edge of the box was saved.

Nuneaton had their chances with a quarter of an hour gone, as Callum Carsley whipped one of his usual vicious crosses into Jardine, but the forward was blocked by the defender and could only toe-poke it over the bar. Jardine did have it in the net a minute later, but the pass came from an offside Eesa Sawyers.

With 20 minutes gone however Grantham took the lead, as Roberts found space on the right to take on Corey Currithers, cut inside him and let fly towards the near post, the ball squirmed under Bache and into the net (0-1).

It took just 4 minutes for Nuneaton to respond however, as the ball was played across the Grantham back 4, the defender had no idea of Jardine bearing down on him, and turned straight into his path, Jardine hit the ball first time into the corner for the equaliser to score his 30th goal of a productive season (1-1).

With the momentum back with the home side, the Carsley-Jardine combination tried again to create a goal, this time Jardine was free, but mistimed his header and it went over.

Roberts got the first yellow card of the game as he bundled over Dante Hesson with 7 to go of the half, whilst a further chance came for each side as another cross from the left saw Jardine just beat the keeper to the aerial ball but it dropped just wide off his gloves. At the other end Bache kept the scores level as he denied Langford's one on one in the last action of the half.

Half time: Nuneaton Town 1-1 Grantham Town

The early minutes of the second half were tight as both sides tried to shore up their defences after a frantic half.

The first 20 minutes or so saw no real goal threats, and Nuneaton made a double change to try to create them, Kamol Campbell and James Harrison replaced Nyakuhwa and Sawyers with Carsley changing to a more forward role. But it was Carsley's set piece threat that created Nuneaton's 2nd goal, as his corner went in towards the near post, and Jardine flicked the ball in via the Grantham defender Edgington's foot (2-1).

Two more Nuneaton subs followed as Stuart Hendrie and Aaron Williams replaced Hesson and Charlie Jones, whilst Josh Duran picked up a yellow card for denying Jardine a shot from the edge of the box illegally.

And two minutes later that denial would prove crucial as a Grantham cross into the box from the right was headed by Michael McGrath but, under pressure from the attacker, the ball looped over Bache and into the net for an own goal (2-2).

Tali Jallow returned to the field for Corey Currithers with 11 to go, and Grantham had a great chance to lead as striker Atem broke the defensive line but could only fire his shot horribly wide to the despair of the travelling away fans.

However the same away fans were joyful in the 3rd minute of stoppage time as Lee Shaw was found unmarked from the ball squared across the box and he lifted it over the diving Bache to send them into delirium (2-3).

However, Nuneaton Town have become a side well known for not giving up until the final whistle, and after a free kick was won on half way, they saw an opportunity to push everyone forward including Bache. He won the header but the ball was half cleared to Hendrie, whos header was also half cleared straight to Williams, who took a touch and found the net to incredibly equalise the game with just seconds to go (3-3).

Full time: Nuneaton Town 3-3 Grantham Town

And so it came to penalties. Nuneaton took first, and Jardine scored, while Bache saved Grantham's first from Andrew Wright. The next 2 for each side were scored - Loyiso Recci and James Harrison for Nuneaton, Atem and Troke for Grantham.

Nuneaton's 4th penalty from Jallow was saved, whilst Langford and Shaw scored either side of Carsley, to make it 4-4 and take it to sudden death. Williams, Campbell and Hendrie scored for Nuneaton, while Edgington and Stainfield scored for Grantham, but Bache saved from Jacklin to win the game for Nuneaton 7-6 on penalties.

Nuneaton will now play at home to Coalville Tow on Tuesday 17th March, knowing only they stand between them and the cup final.

Attention turns back to the league on Tuesday as Nuneaton look to make it 15 unbeaten and go 20 points clear at the top of the table.

Next up:

Tuesday 24th February

UCL Premier South

Northampton ON Chenecks (h)

Team:

Bache, Thomas, Recci, McGrath, Carsley, Currithers (Jallow 79), Jones (Williams 71), Hesson (Hendrie 70), Nyakuhwa (Campbell 63), Sawyers (Harrison 63), Jardine

Subs:

Hendrie, Williams, Harrison, Jallow, Campbell

MOTM: Brandon Bache