Cheadle Town 0-0 Daisy Hill
How do you trudge away from a football ground twice with the same feeling of disappointment despite witnessing two different results?
Wednesday evening vs Alsager: a defeat that should have been a draw.
Saturday vs Daisy Hill: a draw that should have been a victory.
Only ourselves to blame. A host of more-than-decent chances were squandered in the first half that should have seen us retiring to our collective teas and sandwiches at the break in a comfortable position.
Just 40 seconds had passed before Chris Sherrington found himself with the loose ball at his feet on the left and with clear sight of goal, only for him to drill just wide.
He had another pop on 10 minutes, stinging the palms of the keeper before his brother Mike flashed a decent effort over the bar just five minutes later.
On 23 minutes we thought we had gone head. Rob Brocklehurst's free-kick from the right caused all manner of angst in the Daisy Hill defence with a close-range effort somehow being hacked off the line.
Two minutes later George Clarey went clean through on the right. A square and unmarked Mike Sherrington looked to be the best option but George went for the shot which unfortunately whistled wide of the mark.
Just before the half-hour mark Rob Brocklehurst went just wide with a free-kick before George Clarey went on a mazy run, cutting inside from the left to force a decent save from the keeper.
Mike Sherrington did the same a minute later but shot over with an exact reversal of the Sherrington-Clarey situation occuring on 40 minutes; this time Mike squared for George who looked set to score but the keeper was able to smother the danger.
To be fair Daisy Hill also had their chances in the first half; they just weren't as plentiful.
Ryan Allcock did well to palm away an awkwardly-bouncing long-range effort on the 8th minute, gathered a curling effort on the quarter-hour but then was motionless as a hooked shot from a corner beat him just before half time. Thankfully it bounced harmlessly off the post.
The second half saw a lot less in terms of decent chances from either side.
Ryan Allcock prevented the Daisy no10 with a decent block when he was through on goal. His opposite number then produced a good reflex save to beat away a deflection from a free-kick before George Clarey saw himself through on the right as stoppage time was upon us but was beaten by a last-ditch tackle.
There was time for a heart-in-mouth moment as Daisy could have snatched all three points but their substitute's air-shot from about two yards out ensured a share of the spoils.
Still early days yet and no grounds for any concern but the OPTA statistics bods would have had a field day with our chance-conversion percentage rate, or whatever it is they calculate.
At least we are creating the chances but there might just come the odd game here and there where those opportunities are going to be at a premium. It's never too early to develop a clinical streak.
Onwards to Oswestry this Saturday.
TEAM: Allcock, Dunn, Harrison, Russell (Delaney), Brocklehurst, Shaw, Clarey, Wood (Hincks), M Sherrington, Whyatt, C Sherrington (Christopher). SUBS: Christopher, Delaney, Hincks, Piggott (gk)
