Cheadle Town 0-5 Litherland REMYCA
With Litherland REMYCA chasing Silsden down at the top of the table the "ask" was always going to be that little bit greater on this occasion; some NWCFL experts may have forseen a REMYCA win, therefore, but my God we didn't half make it easy for them.
At half-time we were still in this game by a long chalk. By the 71st minute we weren't.
A second half amalgam of mis-placed passes, easy surrender of possession and a pinch of rotten luck at times meant that REMYCA ran away with the match and then some.
And we had made a bright start with some promising forays into the REMYCA box, one as early as the first minute were Callum Collinson's whipped cross from the right caused mild panic in the REMYCA defence.
On the 9th minute Danny Whiting was called into action as he gathered a far post header following a free-kick from the left before the visitors then went ahead on the 12th minute; Colin Quirk - not for the first time at Park Road in REMYCA colours - arrowing one in from long range.
They were in again down the left on 21 minutes forcing Danny Whiting into another excellent stop before mild confusion reigned down the other end shortly afterwards; the referee had awarded a penalty whilst the linesman had given offside. Unfortunately for us the latter decision was upheld.
Just after the half-hour mark Adam Gardiner was slotted in on the right but his effort was blocked by the keeper before Danny Whiting was busy yet again down the other end, fumbling an effort from a corner and breathing a sigh of relief when it was hacked off the line just in time.
Danny's legs would save us again on the stroke of half-time.
Any hopes of us "still being in this match" were swept away in the space of 14 minutes.
On 57 minutes Colin MacDonald ploughed (the pitch had really cut up by then) his way through the middle via various attempts to stop him before rounding Whiting for an easy finish.
He was through again four minutes later but lobbed his effort wide.
Another two minutes later and REMYCA got their third thanks to that pinch of luck I referred to earlier. A long range effort was deflected out to the right to one of their players, catching our back line flat-footed, where he had all the time in the world to cross for Paul Foy to head home from close range.
Number four came on 71 minutes. As their no11 went down the right he was met by a tackle. Unfortunately it didn't quite do the job as the ricochet off his legs fell perfectly for him and he was able to continue his run on goal and finish.
Danny Whiting came up with another excellent stop to prevent a fifth on 78 minutes but couldn't do anything to stop a heavy defeat become a hammering on 86 minutes when a corner in from the right hit the back of one of our defenders and fell straight to Paul Foy who emphatically slammed home.
In between those two goals Rick Whyatt had stabbed wide after getting on the end of a Danny Wood cross.
Not the best of nights on not the best of surfaces. Again, kudos to our groundsman Phil Mottershead for getting the game on as it was touch-and-go at lunchtime thanks to small areas of standing water.
That's two consecutive home matches without scoring and still only two league wins at Park Road all season. Next up is Alsager Town.
Away. Hurrah.
TEAM: Whiting, Nield, Ratican, Trucca (Delaney), Fleming, Harrison, Collinson (Dunn), Kilheeney, Gardiner (Wood), Whyatt, C Sherrington. SUBS: Wood, Delaney, Dunn, Shaw, Allcock (gk).
