DABBERS ARE DEALT HARSH BORO LESSON
NANTWICH Town manager Dave Cooke admitted his side’s continuing inability to deal with set-pieces cost them dear, as they were heavily dispatched by Stevenage.
In what was only the Dabbers’ second-ever game in the first round, the first three goals all came from Joe Martin deliveries, which eventually allowed League 2 Boro to run riot, with striker Matty Godden claiming a hat-trick.
Cooke said: “They did us on three set-pieces, where they were very strong and it just wasn’t to be.
“We haven’t been the best at set-pieces all season, but when you see four or five or their man-mountains then you know, obviously, that you’ve got to defend better.”
Nantwich conceded from Stevenage’s first real chance, as Godden flicked in Martin’s free-kick in the 16th minute.
But Harry Clayton came very close to equalising for the Dabbers, when he forced Stevenage keeper Joe Fryer into a smart save at his near post. Still very much in the game after an hour, the impressive Sean Cook then put a great chance over from close range following a superb cross by Nathan Cotterell. He was made to rue this miss, as the Boro doubled their lead after 68 minutes when Jonathan Smith blasted in from close range after Martin’s corner wasn’t cleared. Another Martin corner led to Smith claiming his second off the underside of the bar before Godden neatly bagged the fourth. The former Ebbsfleet man then completed his hat-trick by diverting in Dale Gorman’s volley. Stevenage boss Darren Sarll said: “When Matty hits veins of form, it’s hard to stop him.”