Marine earn hard fought away point at Nantwich

Danny Mitchley caps fine performance with first goal of season

Marine earn hard fought away point at Nantwich

The Mariners claimed a valuable point in the driving rain at the Weaver Stadium but will be disappointed not to have grabbed all three.

With no wins in their previous four games, Marine made four changes to the side that lost 1-0 against Coalville on Saturday.

The Dabbers, sitting in tenth, have had an uneven start to the season and will be thankful Marine didn’t take all their chances.

It’s been a busy schedule for Marine with this being their tenth game in 32 days. And just as the game got underway Storm Aileen gave the players and fans a good soaking.

It was a lively first half with Billy Smart making some great tackles in the middle of the park and captain Danny Mitchley bossing the forward line.

Marine had much the better chances and were looking to put last seasons’ 4-1 defeat to Nantwich firmly behind them.

After 11 minutes there was a game of pinball in the Nantwich box which eventually fell to Smart but his effort went over the bar.

At the other end Hughes and Grogan were halting any attacks from the Dabbers with Hughes making a great tackle on Morgan as he ran through after 18 minutes.

Fans were on their feet as Mitchley narrowly missed the best chance of the game. On 22 minutes a brilliant cross looped in from the left wing and Mitchley planted his header just wide of the goal. It should have been 1-0.

On the half hour Mitchley crossed into the box and Hassall flung himself in but his chance went over. Shortly after Kenny Strickland’s long range effort was spilt by the Nantwich keeper but the ball didn’t cross the line.

Then very much against the run of play Nantwich went ahead after 40 minutes. Jordan Davies slotted home after a deep cross from the right. It felt like an unlikely ending to the second half.

Marine started on the front foot as the second half kicked off. Hughes slammed a good effort that was held by the Nantwich keeper, followed shortly after by a solid effort from James Edgar.

But Mitchley was a man on a mission. His tireless running and efforts on goal – finally resulted in his first goal of the season in the 66 minute. The Nantwich keeper blundered a clearance and Mitchley was on hand to snatch the ball off him, round the keeper and coolly finish from a tight angle. It was the least Marine deserved.

There came periods in the second half when Nantwich couldn’t get out of their own half, such was Marine’s dominance.

With twenty minutes on the clock Vinny Bailey came on for George Hassall in a straight swap up front but Marine couldn’t find the winning goal.

As the final whistle blew attention turned to Saturday’s game away to Matlock Town who currently sit 15th in the league.

Hear manager Tommy Lawson's verdict on the game.

Marine: Ben Barnes, Kisimba Kisimba, James Short, Adam Hughes, Michael Grogan, Will Smart, Kenny Strickland, Michael Brewster, Danny Mitchley, George Hassall (Vinny Bailey, 71), James Edgar

Subs not used: Peter Wylie, Tom Field, Scott Bakkor, John Shaw