Cheadle Town 3-0 Pacific Lutheran University
The final scoreline may read "three-nil" but were it not for an excellent ten-minute spell by goalkeeper Arran Dixon midway through the second half then we might have been in for a rather uncomfortable end to the match.
He was on-hand four times to make an excellent tip over the bar, parry a fierce free-kick and twice thwart an onrushing PLU striker who looked certain to score.
By this time we were already two goals to the good following two good finishes from Mssrs Horan and Hincks.
With minutes of the first half remaining James Horan got himself on the end of a low cross from the right by James Dunn and on 55 minutes Hincks Jnr coolly planted home from inside the box after Chris Sherrington had weaved his way through the PLU defence and cut the ball back.
As well as cursing the form of Arran Dixon, PLU also had Steve Piggott in the way in the first half and saw a couple of good chances go begging.
Steve got down well to turn a fierce drive around the post with only 6 minutes gone and he also made an excellent block on 20 minutes with a PLU striker on goal; he thankfully saw the same striker then nod the loose ball inches wide of the post.
As the match entered its final ten minutes a rather rash challenge by the PLU keeper resulted in a penalty that Luke Pearson put away to effectively wrap the game up.
There was still time for PLU to strike the post and then go inches wide following a corner with the last kick of an excellent game that was played in very good spirit.
And so that is now that. The rehearsals have finished. The real show begins this weekend....
STARTING XI: Piggott, Dunn, Pearson, Trucca, Tongue, McAuley, Rathburn, Hincks, Horan, Whyatt, Sherrington. SUBS: Dixon (gk), Rawlings, Birch.
Both sides get together for a post-match photo
