Cheadle Town 10-1 Atherton LR
Well, what a day, and what a way to return to winning ways after a run of six matches without one.
Our biggest ever victory in league history and all and certainly our largest lead ever recorded at half-time (8-1), a feat made more remarkable given that it was achieved on what wasn't the best playing surface in the world; at 2.00pm and with the rain still beating down on an already soft turf, there were a few nervous glances towards sky and pitch.
The lack of any surface water meant that the ball still rolled and the game went ahead. The rest is history.
After a nondescript opening eight minutes where both teams were literally finding their footing, a remarkable first half (from a green and black point of view) started to unfold.
Thabiso Magida sent in a first-time cross from the left that could have been headed home by any one of three queuing Cheadle players; first in line was Mike Sherrington who nodded home into the far corner with the keeper stood rooted.
11 minutes: Mike Sherrington again, latching onto a through ball before rounding the keeper and slotting home.
17 minutes: Luke Pearson blasts home a penalty.
22 minutes: Liam Tongue crashes a free-kick off the post but Rick Whyatt is there to mop up the rebound.
27 minutes: Rick Whyatt returns the favour, squaring for Liam Tongue to tap home from close range.
37 minutes: Mike Sherrington gets his hat-trick, deftly flicking home a Liam Tongue free-kick.
40 minutes: Mike Sherrington in for his fourth and Cheadle's seventh, bouncing home a Magida cross from the right.
43 minutes: Liam Tongue just fails to convert a cross from the right but the ball falls to Rick Whyatt who blasts home from close range.
On the stroke of half-time Kristian Evans got LR on the sheet by nodding home a free-kick with LR then continuing to give Steve Piggott something to do after the restart, forcing him to tip a looping header and then a free-kick over the bar.
On the hour mark James Horan came on for Luke Pearson and got straight into the action with our first decent effort of the second half, unfortunately shearing his shot wide after he looked in a good position to score.
Four minutes later and LR were reduced to ten men. Mike Sherrington was through on goal with his shot saved by the keeper. Unfortunately for him his handling of the ball was outside the area and he was, harshly, given his marching orders.
The after effects of this incident weren't over and done with, as the resulting free-kick just outside the area was rifled home by Liam Tongue for Cheadle's ninth.
With eleven minutes to go double figures were achieved as Rick Whyatt bagged his hat-trick by crashing a penalty off the underside of the bar. It could have been eleven if James Horan hadn't scooped his effort wide shortly afterwards.
So, not a bad week. A stirring comeback at promotion favourites Hanley Town in midweek to claim a deserved point and now this, a match where the paying public got ten Cheadle goals for their five pounds sterling.
Four of them from Mike Sherrington. In a week where we have been cursing the loss of his brother Chris to the other side of the Stockport viaduct, Mike has ensured that the surname Sherrington continues to be a feature on the score card.
The king is dead. Long live the king.
TEAM: Piggott, McLaughlin, Pearson (Horan), O'Donnell (Nsimbe), Moore (Halliwell), Dunn, Tongue, Stevenson, Magida, M Sherrington, Whyatt. SUBS: Halliwell, Horan, Nsimbe.
