7 up does the job as Town pop nearer to the top - Match Report & Reaction: Lutterworth Athletic 1 - NTFC 7
7 up does the job as Town pop nearer to the top
Lutterworth Athletic 1-7 Nuneaton Town
(Garner 74:Johnson 12, Currithers 28, Hendrie 34, Williams 43, Recci 67, 86(p), Jackson 82)
Att 332
It was a short trip down the A5 for Nuneaton Town on Saturday afternoon to face Lutterworth Athletic in another first meeting.
Darren Acton and Russell Dodd made one change to the starting XI, Stuart Hendrie coming in for James Spruce who dropped to the bench. Harry Jackson made a welcome return to the squad after his injury which had kept him out for several weeks.
Knowing that not winning for a third game in succession would be damaging to their title credentials, Nuneaton started the game on the front foot. And with barely 60 seconds gone Callum Carsley was away on the left, and let fly from a tight angle and it whizzed just over the bar. On 5 minutes Lutterworth had a strong penalty appeal, as Richardson got through on the left, but the referee booked him instead for diving.
On 7 minutes the dangerous Carsley pinged a ball across the box from the left but Stuart Hendrie couldn't quite get his toe to it at the back post.
On 12 minutes Nuneaton's pressure finally told as James Harrison's ball into the box from the left was only half cleared straight to Danico Johnson, who turned and unleashed a shot that cannoned off the keepers left post and along the line, but by the time it reached the other side of the goal the referee deemed it to have crossed the line and the goal was given (1-0).
Johnson nearly had a second just four minutes later but his turn and shot was saved by Carpenter. On 22 minutes Lutterworth centre back Okeneke sustained a bad injury and was replaced, this seemed to further unsettle a defence that was struggling to cope with Nuneaton's excellent interplay.
Dom Perkins let go from distance on 26, but on 28 Nuneaton got their second. In what looked like something off the training pitch, a corner was played to a late into the box Trevor Edwards, who passed back out to Johnson on the right, and he chipped a perfect cross to Corey Currithers on the back post who headed in (2-0).
On 31 Johnson tried again to set up a teammate, but Somel's touch allowed the keeper to smother his shot.
Three minutes later though it was three. Carsley chipped a through ball on the left to Hendrie, and he dinked it excellently over the advancing keeper and into the corner (3-0).
By now it was all Nuneaton against a Lutterworth side losing confidence with each concession. Loyiso Recci got a cheer on 37 minutes as he wrong footed Garner who slipped over. Lutterworth's captain Thompson went into the book on 40 for a late challenge.
Nuneaton still had time for another before half time. On 43 minutes the assist master Johnson got away down the right again through good interplay and chipped another perfect cross which this time Aaron Williams was on the end of to tap home (4-0).
Half time:
Lutterworth Athletic 0-4 Nuneaton Town
Lutterworth used half time to reset and try and get what they could out of the game and came out with renewed confidence. Nuneaton however continued to create chances at will. Somel getting a shot away in the box 2 minutes into the half, but saved. And James Harrison could have scored on 50 minutes as he got through one on one. With the keeper advancing quickly he only had time to get his toe to the ball but it hit the keepers foot and deflected away.
Lutterworth finally had their first good chance on 52 minutes, as they won their first corner, and with it managed to get a shot that cannoned off the post. On 56 minutes Harrison nearly scored at the other end from Hendrie's cross but he chose to hit with his foot rather than his head and it went into the side netting.
On the hour though Lutterworth's task was made more difficult as Thompson tripped and grabbed the ball, but instead of the free kick, the referee gave a second yellow for handball and he was sent off. Johnson was himself booked for the same thing just 2 minutes later.
This helped Nuneaton kick on, and on 67 minutes a corner was won, and having gone from one side to the other and back again, the ball was half cleared to Loyiso Recci on the penalty spot and he rifled it into the corner through a number of bodies (5-0).
Harry Jackson and Justin Marsden replaced Harrison and Williams for the final 20. On 74 minutes Lutterworth won a corner, which looked a goal kick from the main stand, Lutterworth got several efforts from it which were blocked, until one finally went in from Garner (5-1).
On 79 minutes Brandon Bache cleared a ball up the pitch and Hendrie got clattered in the face on the edge of the box with nothing given. Unseen by most, Bache had gone down in some pain on the edge of the box, and was unable to continue, which meant that young reserve keeper Jackson Acton, son of joint manager and former Nuneaton Borough keeper Darren Acton, made his debut for the club.
With 8 to go, Harry Jackson announced his return as he got onto a through ball from Johnson on the left and opened his body to slot home (6-1).
And 3 minutes later Somel got through on goal but as he rounded the keeper he was brought down for a penalty. Loyiso Recci stepped up to curl the ball to the keeper's left as the keeper dived right (7-1).
There was just time for Alfie Birta to come on for Edwards, Brown to be booked for a late challenge, and James Spruce to come on for one touch in the last few seconds replacing Hendrie.
A second 7 goal haul for Nuneaton Town this season, and job well done with the top 3 not in league action. Up to 2nd, just a point from the top.
Full time:
Lutterworth Athletic 1-7 Nuneaton Town
Team: Bache (J Acton 79), Edwards (Birta 87), Perkins, Recci, Carsley, Williams (Marsden 70), Currithers, Somel, Hendrie (Spruce 90+7), Harrison (Jackson 70), Johnson
Subs: Spruce, J Acton, Marsden, Birta, Jackson
REACTION:
Club captain Corey Currithers and joint manager Darren Acton remarked on today's game:
CC - 'I thought it was a good performance, thought we started well. Passed the ball around well, different game to Tuesday with a different surface. 6 different goalscorers with different goals too, and needed after 2 draws.'
DA - 'I think we dominated the game in all areas. The midfield and the front 3 with Neeks (Danico Johnson) played some fantastic football and I thought as a team we were fantastic.'
On Danico Johnson's assists:
CC - 'Yeah I said last week how important he is to the team, he set me up for my goal today. The ball sticks, he's creative, that's what you need from a number 9.'
DA - 'Yeah Danico is an unbelievable player. He's very frustrating! But what he does, what he brings to the team is unbelievable. Some of the things he does, you don't think he's going to do it but somehow he does. Danico's been brilliant for us.'
On Harry Jackson's return bringing options to the forward line:
CC - 'We need a squad, Sprucey got injured Tuesday and luckily Stu (Hendrie) came in. Its really important to have that strength in depth because it's going to be a long season. It's good to see him on the scoresheet and he's got that sharpness about him.'
DA - 'Yeah great news for the club Harry coming back. Scored a goal and his work rate was very good. He went out on loan, did very well there, and came back in. We were always going to bring Harry back in, but he's gone and got some games. He's done the right things, he looks sharp and hungry, he was brilliant again.'
On Brandon Bache's injury and Jackson Acton's debut in goal late in the game:
CC - 'Yeah happy for him (Jackson Acton) he's come away with us and doing the warm ups and stuff so it's obviously a nice moment for him when you get to make your debut, especially with the history with his dad and everything like that. So yeah buzzing for him, it's nice to be having him around.'
DA - 'Brandon went down, it's looking like he's ripped his calf, so that could be a few weeks. So we've just got to assess it see what it's like tomorrow. Jackson coming on was brilliant, it's unfortunate with what happened to Brandon, but as a manager seeing your son come on for a team you used to play for, it's overwhelming I'm really chuffed. You can tell because I've got a big smile on my face! I'm really happy for him he deserves it, and you can put in the record books that two Acton keepers have played now!'
On the Coventry Copsewood cup game Tuesday:
CC - 'Cup games are nice, gives us a break from the league, think I'm having a rest myself! But winning is a habit and we need to try and go into that game and win it and prepare for Saturday, so we won't take our foot off the gas.'
DA - 'Yeah got a cup game coming up, probably take a look at a few of the younger players, get them involved as well. Obviously we want to try to win the game, but it's also about getting minutes for players that haven't played, I'm sure they'll come in and do a job, and hopefully we can get a result.'
