Chorley 2 Nuneaton Town 3

Saturday 8th August, 2015;

Match report courtesy of Nuneaton News;

Whisper it quietly, but Nuneaton Town have got a more than a decent team this year.
The buzz word at the Boro this summer has been patience as manager Kevin Wilson tries to build a new squad with a new philosophy at the A1 Gas Force Arena.

If they keep playing like they did away at Chorley then staying patient might be not be that easy to do as Nuneaton showed all the characteristics a side need to be successful.
They were good on the ball in the first half and full of character to withstand a Chorley onslaught in the second, everything Wilson would have wanted, and more, from a tough opening day clash.

The game was just five minutes old when Nuneaton first started to show what they could do, as new captain Joe Maguire made it a competitive debut to remember, rising highest to head the Boro into an early lead.
It was a lead that they soon justified as they did not take long to impose their new football philosophy upon one of the favourites for the title this season.

It was fitting that, after 33 minutes, the next goal of the game, Nuneaton’s second, came from such flowing football, as Callum Chettle and Aaron Williams combined to score what can only be described as a wonderful goal to watch.
Chettle dropped his shoulder in the middle of the pitch before hitting the accelerator and carving a path for himself through the thirds that Boro boss Kevin Wilson likes to play through.
If the run was good then the through ball was even better as Chettle perfectly weighted a pass that Aaron Williams took full advantage of, collecting it well and side footing it past Sam Ashton with aplomb.

Chorley were not two down for long, though, as they deployed a more direct approach to half the deficit minutes later.
Chris Almond made space for himself on the wing before cutting back a cross that Marcus Carver did superbly well to divert past Jordan Smith.

If the first half was all about Nuneaton, and their impressive football, than the second was all about Chorley trying to force an equaliser, a feat they came close to achieving on more than occasion in the opening 20 minutes after the restart.

The new-look Boro defence was being tested from every angle, with Maguire in particular involved in a physical battle with James Dean that saw the home fans calling for a red card every time the Boro skipper made a challenge.

It looked as if it would be a matter of when, and not if, the home side would get back into the match, but Nuneaton had other ideas, as with 16 minutes to go they went up the other end and stretched their lead again.
David Morgan was the scorer this time, as he found the bottom corner of the net with a thunderous effort from the edge of the box.
The ball, never leaving the ground, had passed Ashton before he could even think about saving it.

Chorley were well worth a goal for the way they bossed the second half proceedings, and they got one with time ticking away as Josh Hine tapped home the easiest effort he will score all season, side footing it into an empty net from a matter of two yards out.

It was nothing more than a consolation in the end, though, as both Maguire and Jack Lane put in some fantastic last-gasp blocks to stop the home side taking a point.
Those blocks ensured Nuneaton took home three points in a game they were predicted little from, maybe the Boro fans will not have to be patient for long after all.

NUNEATON: J.Smith, Clifton (R.Smith 90), Maguire, J.Keane, Lane, Reid (C.Keane 90), Morgan, Chettle, Byrne, Harewood, Williams.
Subs not used: Duffy, Dyer, Canavan.

CHORLEY: Ashton, Ross, Dodd, Teague, Flynn, Sheridan (Roscoe 57), Hine, Whitham, Dean (Guy 79), Carver, Almond (Stephenson 65)
Subs not used:, Charnock, Jarvis.

ATTENDANCE 1,011.