The Evo-Stik League Northern Premier

Nantwich Town manager Jimmy Quinn says his side need to take the positives from their dramatic late defeat to Ashton United, writes Ashley Houghton.

An 87th minute goal from Tom Baker gave The Robins a 2-1 smash and grab victory having been sent down to ten men just after hour mark.

Quinn said: "We have to look at positives, we played some great football today, scored a goal and considering we played one up front with two supporting we created a lot of chances. On another day we’d score them like we did against Matlock Town."

Sean Cooke had earlier equalised for Nantwich after Baker got the Greater Manchester side’s opener. The Dabbers boss was left frustrated at his side’s performance following the sending off of United centre-half Craig Robinson, as a failure to create chances proved to be their downfall.

Quinn said: "What was disappointing for me was the fact we dominated for long periods and when they had man sent off we should have carried on playing the same way. After Sean scored the lads thought they were going to win easy and we stopped doing the things that we had done well up to that point. We started to take risks and give ball away; you give the ball away to any team that’ll give them a lift."

But Quinn admitted that a tactical mistake on his part played a part in the move that saw Baker break through to snatch the winner in the closing stages.

"I take full responsibility, we changed the shape to just three at the back because they were playing one up front when the man got sent off," he said. "There seemed to be a bit of confusion at the back as to what we were doing as we didn’t seem to be able cope with their counter threat.

"You’ve got to give Baker credit at that stage of game to run from 30 yards inside their half to support the striker and take the goal."

After Monday’s loss, Nantwich lie seventh in the Evo-Stik NPL Premier Division and Quinn wants his team to move on from the reverse ahead of Saturday’s clash with Grantham Town at the Weaver Stadium.

He added: "I feel for the players because overall we dominated 70 per cent of that game and we ended up getting beat. I thought the lads were terrific, they played ever so well and we’ll just have to take the plus points into Saturday. Grantham will be a solid side but we know we can compete with the best and I feel we’ll have enough to beat them back at home on Saturday."