Staveley Miners Welfare 3-4 Cheadle Town

If anybody else would like to put themselves forward as stand-in website editor then please raise your hand now. After the antics in the 5-5 draw at Bacup and now this incredible fightback I'm not sure my cardiac system will last the season.

Just as in Bacup, the match looked lost and just as in Bacup, we didn't know when we were beaten, dug in, and came away with a result.

The win is made that little more remarkable considering how we were operating with a makeshift pairing in the centre of defence: Mssrs Dunn and Kennedy given the task of coping with whatever Staveley could throw at us.

For the first 15 minutes both sides prodded and poked at each other without threatening much with Cheadle growing steadily into the match thereafter. Darrhyl Mason looked to be through with a chance but the ball just wouldn't sit for him.

Ben Brooks - making his return in a green shirt - then had a valid penalty claim turned down as he was given a full-on body check in the box before we took the lead after 24 minutes, Luke Hincks finally finishing off a bit of pinball in the box following a corner.

Chris Sherrington almost gave us an instant extension to the lead but the keeper was equal to his drive with an excellent save around the post.

Staveley then almost got themselves onto a cross from the left that zipped across the goalmouth before we then went and had a few more chances of our own.

Ben Brooks was put through on the left on 34 minutes but rolled his shot wide, a Luke Pearson piledriver was excellently saved a few minutes later before the keeper was on hand to deny Ben Brooks yet again, palming away his shot after Ben had set himself up to score in the box.

We were left to rue the missed chances shortly before half-time. Staveley's Hastings managed to lose his markers and head home from very close range from a corner.

Despite starting the second half well a mad five minutes looked to be our undoing as the game appeared to run away from us.

The half was only a couple of minutes old when Anthony Trucca flicked a Pearson corner goalbound but saw his effort cleared off the line before Rick Whyatt's turn and volley in the box was tipped over the bar.

On 56 minutes the hosts took the lead when we lost possession in midfield and Hastings headed home the resulting cross for his second of the match before Jamie Brown latched onto a through ball in the box and crashed home just after the hour mark to give Staveley a 3-1 advantage.

Steve Piggott then went and made two consecutive saves in as many minutes to prevent the home side extending their lead any further, the second of which was the pick as he got down low to turn a volley around the post.

Perhaps that proved to be the turning point.

Luke Hincks then gave Staveley a reminder that we were still there by cracking a shot off the foot of the post on 65 minutes before the match started to turn on its head.

On 71 minutes Darryhl Mason went on a surging run down the right and was upended in the box - Luke Pearson slotting away the resulting spot kick - with matters rendered all-square just two minutes later when a well-worked move saw Rick Whyatt tuck home from close range after Ben Brooks had unselfishly squared the ball to him.

Ben then was through on goal yet again a few minutes later but was to be denied yet again by the keeper and Anthony Trucca clipped an effort inches wide with seven minutes of the game remaining.

The next goal, if there was to be one, would be the winner.

Steve Piggott scrambled an awkward header around the post with five minutes remaining with the winning goal coming from us, to complete a quite remarkable turnaround, just a minute later: Rick Whyatt's lob from the edge of the box seemingly taking a day and an age to drop into the net to spark scenes of wild celebration.

And so we'll have to do it all again, with the "it" being the crossing of Woodhead or Snake Pass, as we travel to Handsworth Parramore in the next round on Saturday 3rd October.

Our heartfelt thanks to Staveley Miners Welfare for their wonderful hospitality, not to mention their excellent ground, clubhouse, club shop, pies etc. and giving the warm welcome they promised us on Twitter.

For us next is the visit of Eccleshall this Wednesday evening, 7.45pm KO.