Town take the Michael as they make it 10 on the bounce - Match report: NTFC 4 Bugbrooke 0
By Matt Jones
Nuneaton Town 4-0 Bugbrooke St Michael's
(Carsley 2(p), 51, Malkin (og) 63, Harrison 70)
Att 494
Three second half goals coupled with an early penalty, saw Nuneaton Town win their 10th league game in a row and move them 13 points clear at the top with just 11 games left.
With much of the league programme postponed once again due to the incessant rain that had fallen in recent days, scheduling had been kind to Nuneaton as they were given a home game against the league's bottom side which they took full advantage of.
Tali Jallow and CJ Nyakuhwa were given full debuts after their impressive substitute performances on Tuesday, as Nuneaton made a switch around due to Michael McGrath being unavailable.
It took just 45 seconds for Kyle Jardine to win a penalty, which after some discussion was left to Callum Carsley, who placed it out of the keeper's reach in the top right corner (1-0).
Stuart Hendrie's pass across the back line shortly after the game kicked off again was intercepted and goalkeeper Brandon Bache was on hand to close down the shot and spare his blushes, whilst at the other end Eesa Sawyers nearly doubled the lead as he dribbled along the edge of the box before lashing a shot that hit the post.
Lobbed passes over the top for Nuneaton were causing Bugbrooke problems, and as the keeper came out to clear one of them just outside the box, it fell straight to Hendrie, but his lobbed effort was off target and defended. Declan Somel replaced Jallow on 19 minutes as a precaution following an injury, whilst Sawyers, playing on the left of the front 3, set up Carsley for an attempt at his 2nd goal of the game but it deflected just wide of the post.
Somel's curling effort on 33 minutes was the last real chance of the half, as Nuneaton stuttered against a resilient Bugbrooke defence for the remainder of the half as the rain fell hard in the closing minutes.
Half time:
Nuneaton Town 1-0 Bugbrooke St Michael's
Nuneaton restarted their attacking impetus as the 2nd half started, and after a dangerous free kick for Bugbrooke was gathered by Bache at the 2nd attempt, Nuneaton won a corner at the other end. Hendrie's ball into the box was headed by Loyiso Recci down to Kyle Jardine, who found Carsley on the edge of box and he side footed exquisitely through the crowd to double his contribution and the lead (2-0).
Hendrie tried another move with Carsley off his next corner, playing a 1-2 before shooting into the side netting. But with just over an hour gone, the impressive and pacey Nyakuhwa, beat his man on the right wing before attempting to square to Jardine for a simple finish, but Bugbrooke captain Joe Malkin blocked it, and unfortunately for him it diverted into his own net (3-0).
The lead allowed for 3 further subs, James Harrison, Dante Hesson and Kamol Campbell, replaced Currithers, Hendrie and Jardine. And the substitution was inspired as Nyakuhwa found Harrison down the right hand side, and after cutting inside and back outside his defender unleashed a shot towards goal that took enough of a deflection to beat the keeper at his near post (4-0).
Harrison nearly added another as he headed a difficult free header just over from a cross, while Nyakuhwa was replaced by Aaron Williams in the final minutes after picking up a knock, but Nuneaton saw the game out with comfort, and their march towards a 2nd successive league title and promotion continued with pace, as they poured water on Bugbrooke's hopes of three valuable points.
Full time:
Nuneaton Town 4-0 Bugbrooke St Michael's
Team: Bache, Thomas, Currithers (Campbell 67), Recci, Carsley, Jones, Jallow (Somel 19), Hendrie (Hesson 67) , Nyakuhwa (Williams 86), Sawyers, Jardine (Harrison 67)
Subs: Somel, Williams, Harrison, Hesson, Campbell
Next up: Lutterworth Town (a) UCL South, Tues 10th Feb 7:45pm
