Town battle through to the next round following tricky test in Leicestershire - Match Report: Birstall United 1 - NTFC 2, MFL Cup 2nd Rnd
Match report by George Kirk
Birstall United 1-2 Nuneaton Town
(Parkin 79: Baker 52, Harrison 61)
Att 201
On a freezing Tuesday night, Nuneaton Town made the trip to Meadow Lane to take on Birstall United, travelling full of confidence after going top at the weekend. In the previous round, the blue and white army earned a convincing 3-1 win against Chelmsley Town.
With the opportunity to go fifteen games unbeaten for the Town, Birstall gave the visitors an early scare 5 minutes in, when a deflected shot from Birstall was palmed onto the post by Matthew Hill.
Nuneaton replied with two chances in the 15th and 17th with a Louis Baker effort easily gathered and a Justin Marsden header going just wide.
On the 24th minute, Town received their first yellow card of the night, as captain Loyiso Recci was booked for throwing the ball away.
Louis Baker had another golden chance to snatch an early lead in the 30th minute, as he skimmed a header just wide after pinball in the box.
United had the last big chance of the half in the 32nd minute, when Dominic Perkins slipped in the box, giving the home side a great opportunity, with the resulting effort sent just wide.
Half Time:
Birstall United 0-0 Nuneaton Town
The second half began with Justin Marsden, in the 49th minute, sending an effort from the edge of the box, which was held by the keeper. Only three minutes later Louis Baker capitalised on Town’s pressure, pouncing on a through ball and firing low and hard past the keeper. A goal he certainly enjoyed, celebrating in a Jude Bellingham style in front of the small stand of Birstall ‘ultras’. (0-1)
Nuneaton used this momentum, as only four minutes after replacing Harry Jackson, James Harrison completed a defence busting one two through United’s backline and fired across the keeper into the corner. (0-2)
In the 63rd minute Stuart Hendrie and Declan Somel were brought on for Justin Marsden and Aaron Williams, who were greeted with a warm welcome by a small section of young Birstall fans. Singing classics such as “Top of the league, you’re having a laugh” despite being 2-0 down, which only seemed to fire up the travelling side.
Stuart Hendrie almost added his name to the scoresheet in the 70th minute, running onto a through ball on the right-hand side, which the keeper just managed to claw away.
In the 71st minute Callum Thorpe was replaced by Josh Whitehouse, to put the game to bed. Five minutes later, Town had a barrage of shots at goal all blocked.
Nuneaton were made to pay for their missed chances in the 79th minute, when Jackson Parkin met a cleared header sweetly on the volley following a corner, looping over Matthew Hill and into the net. (1-2)
A nervy end to the game saw the visitors defend valiantly, with cross after cross cleared and even a chance to grab a third on the counterattack following a corner which the home keeper had come up for. Unfortunately for the Town, Josh Whitehouse was stopped due to a cynical foul from the Birstall keeper, receiving a yellow card.
A tough test for the Town, as they earn their place in the third round of the competition. Next up Nuneaton Town make the trip to Thringstone to take on Ingles.
