Spruce-d up double helps Town over the hill to leave them on the brink of the title - Match Report & Reaction: NTFC 3 Stapenhill 0
Match report by Matt Jones
Nuneaton Town 3-0 Stapenhill
(Spruce 37, 90+2, Johnson 45+2(p))
Att 491
Match day and ball sponsor: Paul Addison
Nuneaton Town headed back to the Oval on Saturday afternoon looking for a 15th straight league win to close in on the title.
With Brandon Bache carrying a knock from last week, Bermuda international and former Nuneaton Town keeper Dale Eve was drafted in for the game. With captain Corey Currithers also unavailable for the day, Aaron Williams returned to the starting 11 with Louis Baker returning to the squad. Loyiso Recci donned the captain's armband for the day.
Nuneaton found joy in behind in the opening minutes, and the Stapenhill keeper Hollis did well to intercept a through ball inside 2 minutes ahead of James Spruce.
Stapenhill had their first big chance on 4 minutes as Simpkins turned Loyiso Recci on a through ball, but Recci did well to make up the ground for Eve to collect it.
Trevor Edwards drove down the right and crossed to Callum Carsley on 10 mins but his effort was over.
The match threatened to spill over somewhat with a period of ill discipline, Danico Johnson felt he was fouled, but nothing given by the referee, he then was booked himself for a late challenge on Josh Watson. Watson himself was booked for a retaliation challenge on Johnson shortly after, with a bit of handbags ensuing. Stuart Hendrie curled the free kick over.
33 minutes in, Carsley played a 1-2 on the left and whipped a lovely cross into Johnson on the back post, but his goalbound header was blocked brilliantly by the defender.
But four minutes later Johnson was involved again, threading a wonderful through ball to Carsley on the left wing and his low ball across the box was turned home by Spruce (1-0).
With the clock ticking down to half time, Johnson managed to get in front of the defender in the box and went down, the referee pointed to the spot, and he dusted himself off to slot the penalty into the keeper's bottom right corner, although he had dived the same way (2-0).
Half time: Nuneaton Town 2-0 Stapenhill
The second half nearly started with controversy as former Nuneaton player Louis Briscoe tried to score directly from the kick off having spotted Eve wasn't on his line. The ball sailed just wide and Eve made his point to the referee about not having checked he was ready before blowing the whistle.
51 minutes in, Loyiso Recci headed over from Carsley's free kick on the right, while at the other end, a ball into the box was knocked down by Henchcliffe to Steele who fired over on the half volley. Hendrie had a further chance on 58, shooting just wide from the edge of the box.
Nuneaton were not at their fluent best especially in the second half, perhaps missing the reliable Currithers in midfield, and rang the changes to see the game out, Louis Baker, James Harrison and Justin Marsden replacing Johnson, Hendrie and Cody Mullan.
And like the first half, Town added some gloss to the scoreline in stoppage time, as Stapenhill won a free kick on the half way line it was taken by the Stapenhill keeper in search for a consolation goal, but it was headed away straight to an open Spruce on the right, and with one touch to set himself lobbed it all the way from the half way line David Beckham-esque, over the retreating keeper and into the net (3-0).
The result left Nuneaton able to win the league at Kirby Muxloe next week if they win and Ingles repeated their surprise victory over the Town against Heather St John's at the same time. At the same time they set a new points record of 96 for any Nuneaton team, and kept themselves on track to break the goals record with just 14 needed from the final 4 games.
Full time: Nuneaton Town 3-0 Stapenhill
Team: Eve, Edwards, Recci, Perkins, Carsley, Williams, Somel, Mullan (Marsden 80), Spruce, Hendrie (Harrison 70), Johnson (Baker 70)
Subs: Marsden, Harrison, Baker, Lamb, Thorpe
Coach Dan Kembery reflected on the game:
