report Garry Clarke Pictures John Hopkins
WARRINGTON Rylands extended their unbeaten run to six games as they won for the first time in the Isuzu FA Trophy beating Nantwich Town 2-0 at their Weaver Stadium home.
Rylands got off to a flying start when James Neild intercepted a poor back pass from Levy Chiduka to tuck the ball past the onrushing Nantwich goalkeeper Louis Gray in the third minute.
A few minutes later Jak McCourt picked up another stray pass in midfield, advancing he unleashed a shot from distance deflected wide. From the resultant corner, played the short the ball was worked into the goalmouth where Kelly N’Mai struck the crossbar from close range with the goal at his mercy.
In an open game, the home side started to come more into the game with on-loan goalkeeper Joel Torrence marking his debut with good saves to keep out efforts from Chris Sang and A-Jay Leitch Smith.
Rylands quickly regained control with Niah Payne shooting just wide of the target and Gray saving from Kane Drummond before Callum Dolan doubled the Blues advantage in the 27th minute.
Registering his 12th goal of the season, bending his free kick, awarded after Drummond had been dragged down on the edge of the box, around the defensive wall, a slight deflection of the wall took the ball out of Gray’s reach.
Torrance came to Rylands rescue twice in the opening minutes of the second half saving an initial shot from Tom Scully and as Rylands struggled to clear the ball it fell again to Scully whose follow-up shot was also saved by Torrence.
Nantwich captain Troy Bourne cleared a Niah header off the line before picking up a booking in the 54th minute, and 13 minutes later a straight red card for a two-footed challenge on N’Mai which resulted in the home side was reduced to ten men for the remainder of the game.
Rylands went close to adding to their tally with Dolan hitting the crossbar, N’Mai had a shot cleared off the line and in the closing minutes Dolan blazed over the bar.
Searching for a way back into the game, Nantwich Town forced a series of corners but could not find a way past a resolute defence blocking close-range efforts from Curtis Morrison and Matt Bell as Rylands saw out the game to take their place in first round of the FA Trophy for the first time in their history.
NANTWICH – Gray, Bourne, Lawton, Bircumshaw, Moran, Menagh (Bell), Plant, Scully, Leitch-Smith (Urvantev), Chiduka (Morrison). Subs not used Sherratt, Williams, Miller, Edwards.
RYLANDS –Torrance, Neild, Hunt, Egerton, Mustoe, McCourt, Dolan, Furman (Irwin), Drummond, N’Mai, Payne (Pratt). Sub not used Hayde.
GOALS – Rylands Neild 3, Dolan 27
Referee – Elliot Bell Attendance 303
