Outside of the Boot, Top of the Table: Hendrie’s Worldie Seals Another Three Points
Eesa Sawyers opens the scoring for Nuneaton Town after 7 minutes.
There’s a unique atmosphere that comes with a Tuesday night under the lights at The Oval. Following the late drama of the cup at the weekend, Nuneaton Town showed a different side of their character last night. Clinical, composed, and now a massive 20 points clear at the top of the table.
Quick Out of the Blocks
Unlike the slow start on Saturday, Town were on it from the first whistle. Eesa Sawyers provided the early breakthrough just seven minutes in, showing great composure to slot home after Kyle Jardine hunted down a loose ball to create the opening.
From my spot on the touchline, the intent was clear. But Northampton weren’t here to play the role of spectators. Their pace on the break asked some serious questions of a reshuffled Nuneaton backline, and they got their reward in the 33rd minute when Lewis Irwin headed home an equaliser.
Right Time, Right Place
The response was exactly what you’d expect from a team on a 15-game unbeaten streak. Just before the break, we witnessed a moment of pure quality in the box. Kyle Jardine, bagging his 20th league goal of the campaign, showed incredible footwork to twist his marker and the keeper into knots before restoring the lead.
The second half was capped off by a genuine ‘worldie'.’ Stuart Hendrie received a short corner from Campbell, carved out an inch of space, and unleashed a spectacular strike with the outside of his boot that curled right into the top corner. It was one of those shots where you just know it’s in the second it leaves his boot.
The Photographer’s Perspective
Capturing a midweek game is always a test of timing. At 1-1, I was already looking for those gritty, battling for points shots. By the time the third went in, the focus shifted entirely to the team's dominance.
During the match, I made sure to move along the sideline, which changed the perspective and opened up a much wider variety of shots compared to staying in one fixed spot. This shift allowed me to capture the intensity of the midfield battles and the speed of the wingers from different angles, adding more depth to the final gallery.
There’s a certain right time, right place feel about this team right now. Whether it’s Jardine’s clinical turns or Hendrie’s spectacular finish, everyone’s playing their part in this legacy.
