DABBERS boss Steve Davis has urged his team to spread the goals around to ease the pressure on his free-scoring strikers.

Nantwich have moved up to second in Division One after a midweek 2-2 draw with a much-improved Atherton Collieries side, and a 3-0 drubbing of Abbey Hey on Saturday.

The manager is relatively pleased with the form of his side, but concerned at the weight of expectation now shouldered by forwards Andy Bott, Andy Kinsey and Danny Griggs.

Between them, the trio have bagged 34 of the 44 goals Town have managed so far this season. Davis said: 'While I'm obviously delighted with the three of them, it does make me concerned about the impact injuries to them might have on us.

'We could do with the likes of Matt Platt, Adam Beasley and Stuart Scheuber, who can all score goals, to start chipping in.'

He added: 'Atherton were decent but I'm still disappointed we didn't win. But we did give the right response at Abbey Hey. October is a big month for us and we need to get near our top form.'

Griggs and Kinsey gave their side the lead twice at Atherton, but Nantwich let it slip on both occasions.

Captain Phil Parkinson (ankle) and Beasley (Achilles) were unavailable at Abbey, but the Dabbers got off to a flyer. They were ahead inside two minutes, when Bott fed Griggs, who hammered home from 15 yards - his 11th of the season.

The game turned scrappy as neither side could impose themselves. The hosts had penalty appeals turned down on the half-hour mark, while Platt should have done better with a tame shot from 12 yards just before the interval.

The visitors re-emerged in better form, and forced pressure on Abbey's defence. It paid off in the 67th minute when a Griggs free kick was deflected into the goal by a home defender.

Keeper Rob Hackney was called upon to turn a vicious James Greenhalgh shot past the post, while Kinsey was denied by Hey's keeper at the other end.

But the burly frontman was not to be denied his 13th of the season, and he got it in the 88th minute, when he evaded four challenges before planting a perfect finish from 12 yards.

The Jackson Avenue outfit have been boosted by the return of strikers Matt Blake and James Marrow to full training, while midfielder Beasley is expected to be in contention for Saturday's visit to Bacup Borough. Nantwich travel to Newcastle Town on Tuesday.