Yeltz in Setback as Dabbers Take Max Advantage !

And so to Kingsley Fields and the Weaver Stadium, and two Evostik Northern Premier teams with obscure nicknames of unknown derivation - The Dabbers of Nantwich Town, and The Yeltz of Halesowen Town.

The Dabbers started life back in 1884 as Nantwich FC, playing in the Shropshire, North Staffordshire, Crewe, Manchester and Lancashire leagues before finally moving to the Cheshire League. This led to them becoming founder members of the North West Counties League in 1982, with promotion to the Northern Premier League Division 1 South 25 years later.

That promotion was on the back of winning the FA Vase in 2006, and ahead of a move from their old Jackson Avenue headquarters to the new purpose built Weaver Stadium for the 2007/08 season. A highly successful first campaign at the new ground saw the Dabbers elevated to the Northern Premier League Premier Division, where they still ply their trade.

The Dabbers can also lay claim to the fastest ever FA Cup hat trick - 2 minutes and 20 seconds. And that nickname ? The best guess is it relates to the wattle and daub buildings in Nantwich, with daubers being corrupted to dabbers.

Halesowen Town have played at their Grove ground ever since their formation in 1873. After playing in the Birmingham Combination and Birmingham & District League, there came an FA Vase final defeat in 1983 and then they twice won the trophy in 1985 and 1986. Promotion to the Southern League followed their successful retention of the Vase, before being moved to the Northern Premier League South in 2012 - a league they won last season.

And the Yeltz ? Rumour has it that the nickname could have come from local button maker James Grove and their Yelts Brand. More romantically, Halesowen were pioneers of their time with Hungarian centre forward and international Pungus Catfich playing for the club after the end of the Second World War. His oft heard plaintive cry on the field of 'Yeltz, Albert, Yeltz' roughly translates from the Magyar to 'Over here, son, on my head'..........

The morning snow has given way to sunshine interspersed with hail and a bitterly cold wind. Another fun journey ensues with road surfacing on Chester Road and shambolic traffic signals which ensure only traffic leaving Altrincham actually moves - gridlock in the opposite direction.

Then the M6; only one junction but time enough for a MegaBus to take a mega long time to overtake, thereby clogging up two lanes. Signs warning that the M6 is closed between Junctions 13 and 12 start to appear - (un)happy days ! It's off at Junction 18 and past the impressive Wimboldsley Hall, Old Hough Coarse Fishery and into the village of Walley's Green before entering the pretty floral market town of Nantwich.

The town is a wonderful mix of black and white Elizabethan mansion houses and listed buildings, supporting local artisan companies and brand names. There's also the Jubilee Almshouses and their camel windvane, and then it's over the Sir Thomas Fairfax Bridge to the Weaver.

The Weaver Stadium now forms part of a burgeoning Kingsley Village with housing estates springing up on the opposite side of the road. The stadium itself is still surrounded by hedging, fields, sports pitches and the River Weaver.
Ten pounds to get in seems a little steep for this level of football, but inside the stadium remains in pristine condition despite 7 years' use, and the pitch is in tip top nick. The two ends are flat and undeveloped, whilst the main entrance houses the Baker Wynne & Wilson Stand. This is the main seated stand to the south of the pitch, and also includes a bar and snack bar - Dabbers' Diner. On the far side is the Whitby Morrison Ice Cream Vans Stand (I kid you not !!) - a low terrace to the north of the pitch. Yeltz fans take one end, the Dabbers' faithful, including little drummer boy, the other. Curiously the dug out area is sponsored by Piste Wine Bar (of Tarporley).....

Nantwich, having flirted for most of the season with the relegation zone, are in green and white for new manager Phil Parkinson's first home game. Halesowen, surprise play off contenders, are in all blue.

Yeltz start the stronger with veteran forward Iyseden Christie pulling the strings, and Jake Jones' cross catches on the wind and strikes the top of the bar. Thereafter, though, it's all Dabbers - Max Harrop's rasping left foot drive on 13 minutes opens the scoring, although it rather went through Yeltz keeper Sargeant.

Wonderful slick one touch football from the Dabbers for the rest of the half, albeit it has to be said they are given the time and the space to play. Harrop is brought down when through on goal for a certain red card offence, but the ball breaks to Dabbers' centre forward Harry Clayton whose shot is saved. Several chances are spurned, and it's just that final ball that prevents Nantwich from opening a greater half time lead. Nonetheless 'Best half I've seen in a season and a half' is the general opinion.

Half time sees a double substitution for the Yeltz, and it almost pays immediate dividends with Christie playing in sub Ben Haseley but Dabbers' keeper Terry Smith saves with his legs. Halesowen are noticeably quicker to the ball, pressing and trying to prevent Nantwich playing their free flowing football, but it doesn't stop the home side from creating further chances.

Sargeant makes an absolute mess of an up and under, eventually kneeing the ball up into the air; Harrop's deft lob falls inches wide. The keeper then seeks to blame the sun for his error, and borrows a cap from a home supporter for the rest of the match !! Dabbers' right winger, Matty Kosylo, comes more and more into the game and, after one sumptuous back heel and drag back, has his venomous strike well parried.

Nantwich are content to have what they hold, and carve out opportunities on the counter attack but there's still time for a frantic finale. Terry Smith makes two fine saves in injury time and a goalmouth melee comes to nought, as Dabbers hang on for a richly deserved and entertaining 1-0 win.

Ammies Deadly Duo Prove Dab Hands...

And so to Moor Lane, and some more of that FA Cup magic. Today, Salford City - who progress with a thrilling 6-4 extra time replay win over the Bears of Congleton Town - against Nantwich Town.

NantwichTown was formed in 1884 and became a founder member of the North West Counties Football League in 1982. Having won the FA Vase in 2006, the following season brought promotion and a move to their new Weaver Stadium at Kingsley Fields in the town. Their inaugural season there brought another promotion to the current level, Evostik Premier, one step above Salford. Nicknamed 'The Dabbers' but no one is too sure why - the best guess being after the wattle and daub buildings in Nantwich, with daubers being corrupted to dabbers.

Past the AJ Bell, indoor skydiving (and how does that work, exactly?) and invisible workmen on the Smart Motorway it's an exit at Prestwich. Onto the A56, passing the renowned Railway and Naturalist pub and then St Marys Flower Park before reaching Kersal and Moor Lane.

Inside the ground it's a steep descent down the stairs to the pitch - indeed a cluster of people choose to spectate from the high vantage point by the turnstiles. Philip, Gary and Neville Neville are in attendance today, which explains the 3 TV gantries around the ground as filming of the Class of 92 takeover of the Ammies continues.

The ground is set in a residential estate but heavily screened by trees. Behind the near goal is a large grassed area, with several young children playing football and others bouncing on the giant inflatable giraffe - oh the magic of the cup !!
Next to a burger van, the main concrete stand is sat well back from the pitch; there is a small area of seats in one corner, but the rest is red and white concrete tiers - reminiscent of lower league European teams, but with a roof ! By the corner is a bar, refreshment area, shop and changing rooms - we are warned that since it is the cup, alcohol can only be drunk in the bar (definitely not magic !). The other entrance, appropriately on Nevile Road, is tucked in too.

At the top end is car parking including a cherry picker, behind which is a school, but the view is dominated by the church rising magnificently above the treetops. There's a wry smile or two at the BMW that has sunk into the turf..... Opposite the main stand is a small covered terrace displaying SCFC 1940 2014, steep grass banking and discarded advertising hoardings. The terrace is quickly monopolised by 20 or so singing Dabbers fans and their drummer, with SCFC covered by a 'Where there's Frank there's hope' flag....

Nantwich are in green shirts, proudly displaying 130 years of football, black shorts and red and black hooped socks. Salford in red and white start hesitantly, almost nervously, whilst the Dabbers display more confidence, but there are too many misplaced passes.

A ball breaks loose and Salford's Nicky Platt (no longer in Coronation Street !) has the first real chance but it hits the legs of Nantwich keeper, Aaron Ashley. For the Dabbers, Aaron Burns' header is tipped away by Jay Lynch and then Max Harrop hits the crossbar with a free kick. Ammies' Sam Madeley's powderpuff shot, when played in by Gareth Seddon, trickles through to the keeper.

At half time the Nantwich choir belt out 'Shoes off if you're wunderbar', with their trainers duly removed, and then both sides are kept waiting for a good few minutes before the officials arrive for the second half - prompting a rendition of 'It's nice to know you're here' from the Salford faithful.....

The second period is nip and tuck, with Nantwich just shading it, before the match changes in the final quarter. Salford take the game by the scruff of the neck, Seddon is denied twice and Danny Webber refused a clear penalty. Then with a quarter of an hour to go, Seddon gets free at a corner and nods home unchallenged.

The Dabbers, who have lost their shape, rally but their best effort, sub Vinny Mukendi's shot is straight down Lynch's throat. In injury time Salford break and Webber, instead of squaring, toys with the Nantwich defence before slamming in an unstoppable shot - pure class !

2-0 at the end and, on paper, a shock - but probably not too much of a surprise ☺