Shropshire Star

FA Cup: AFC Telford 0 Nantwich Town 3 - Report and pictures

The nature of knockout football makes it unforgiving at times, and the Bucks were shown no mercy in a dispiriting home defeat to lower league neighbours from over the Cheshire border.

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Nantwich, of the BetVictor Northern Premier division, returned home probably surprised at the relative ease with which they progressed to the next round. For Bucks boss Gavin Cowan, who took responsibility for this defeat, his side’s brittle confidence appears to be a major concern in a stop-start season to date.

The visitors, whose nickname ‘The Dabbers’ is purported to relate to the town’s tanning industry, claimed the Bucks scalp with a display that was more workmanlike than inspired; however, it proved comfortably enough against a Telford team whose conviction seemed to desert them once the Dabbers took an early 2-0 lead.

The Bucks started the game reasonably enough, although neither side had really taken the initiative in the opening quarter of an hour. That changed on 18 minutes; Dabbers centre-forward Joe Malkin, son of former Bucks striker Chris, dropped off and was allowed to turn, 25 yards from goal, before releasing a shot that looked to take a deflection as it looped over the clutches of Andy Wycherley and into the net.

It may have been slightly fortuitous, but with the Bucks and their fans perhaps overly conscious of other recent displays where they had capitulated, what followed had a weary inevitability about it. Bucks debutant Billy Sass-Davies, who arrived on loan from Crewe Alexandra, looked relatively assured and could hardly be blamed for what followed just five minutes later. A low ball across the penalty area was sliced at by a Nantwich player before right-back Joseph Davis, joining the attack, struck a shot that lacked real power but, aided by another deflection, drifted in past Wycherley’s right hand.

In the same position a few weeks ago, against Gloucester City, the Bucks were revived by a Brendon Daniels free-kick, and a repeat of that looked possible when Daniels was fouled 25 yards from goal. Daniels’ angle was tight, but his fierce shot beat the defensive wall, only to rebound to safety off keeper Greg Hall’s crossbar.

That was the Bucks most meaningful response before half-time, and Cowan acted at the interval, with Adam Walker making way for the additional guile of James McQuilkin. Marcus Dinanga also came on, for Darryl Knights, and both players looked to enliven their team. Dinanga especially looked positive, although too often the Bucks were restricted to shooting from distance rather than really hurting the Dabbers.

On 64 minutes, Cowan really went for broke, with defender Ross White replaced by forward Andre Brown. The need for a goal was obvious, and it almost arrived minutes later, when Dinanga found Ellis Deeney on the edge of the box and his shot just beat the far post, wedging under the advertising boards.

The forward change had left the Bucks a little top heavy, and as they committed to attack it was almost predictable that the Dabbers third goal came from the position vacated by White. Luke Walsh, a handful down the left, cut inside to find Dabbers captain Caspar Hughes striding through the centre, and the impressive skipper unerringly struck the ball past Wycherley’s left hand, the keeper barely moving. That goal, on 77 minutes, really brought the Bucks roof crashing, and as a metaphor for the afternoon’s display, Walsh lashed the rebound home in delight, breaking the goal stanchion.

A couple of bookings, for Daniels and Deeney, followed in the closing minutes, as frustration set in, but the fight had long since disappeared, along with the Bucks hopes of a Cup run.

Teams

AFC Telford United: Wycherley, White (Brown 64), Morley, Deeney, Sutton (c), Sass-Davies, Daniels, Walker (McQuilkin 45), Reilly, Williams, Knights (Dinanga 45).

Unused Substitutes: Streete, Martinez, Lilly, Royle.

Cautions: Sutton, Daniels, Deeney.

Nantwich Town: Hall, Davis, Devine, Harrison, Langley (Stair 76), Hughes, Lawrie, Bell, Malkin, Walsh (Mwasile), Webb.

Unused Substitutes: Bourne, Reid, McDonald, Schousboe, Saxon.

Scorers: Malkin (18), Davis (23), Hughes (77).

Referee: Michael Barlow.

Assistants: Richard Watson, Daniel Clenton.

Attendance: 718.