Barnton 0-4 Cheadle Town
There can't be many right-backs that can claim to have scored four goals in one game. Step forward Joseph Neild ('e' before the 'i', remember), our leading scorer with five goals, showing our regular strikeforce a clean pair of heels.
If you want to be uncharitable - and there was some evidence of this on social media from those with Barnton bias after the match - then you can pick on the fact that Joe's four-goal haul consisted of a "did he really mean that?" cross-shot and three penalties...and the fact that Barnton were down to nine men by the time the final whistle went.
From a Cheadle perspective it was a well-placed chip that perhaps the keeper shouldn't have misjudged and three well-taken penalties - all arrowed into exactly the same spot in the net - after our front line had got themselves into good positions in the box only to be clumsily upended. If you don't want to give away penalties then don't give away fouls in the penalty area.
Hands up if you scored four goals
This match took a while to get going.
With only a Tom Ratican burst down the left channel (shot blocked) in the opening exchanges to speak of after 21 minutes the match suddenly came to life.
Remeece Brown fizzed a dangerous ball in from the left which was cleared as far as Ruben Abreu, only for him to launch his effort wide.
Barnton then converted from close-range two minutes later only for it to be flagged for offside with an Abreu corner met by the head of Liam Delaney that bounced harmlessly over.
Rhys Clooney's strength and pace allowed him to get two rasping shots in, the second of which brought out the best of the two saves from the Barnton keeper, before Joe Neild got his first of the evening on 35 minutes.
Joe's first penalty on 58 minutes was key, giving us a vital two-goal cushion. Five minutes previous Barnton should have been level as a bounce deceived our back line allowing their forward to rush through on goal.
Fortunately he sent his shot high with the hosts then reduced to ten men two minutes later after Richards picked up a second yellow card.
Ruben Abreu making the challenge
Tom Russell's audacious-but-wide lob on 68 minutes heralded another key moment in the match. Two minutes later Barnton were reduced to nine men when Houghton collected his second yellow with Joe Neild then netting his second penalty of the night - and our third goal - on 73 minutes.
Three goals and two players better off, it was exhibition stuff from us thereafter; possession football with well-timed forays into the Barnton box.
One of those forays resulted in Tom Russell poking just wide after Callum Knight had rolled a delicious ball across for him with another resulting in our third penalty of the evening after Ben Christopher was sent tumbling.
And so onto a busy weekend. Rylands away this Saturday and then Eccleshall at home on Bank Holiday Monday....
TEAM: Morrison, Neild, Ratican, Russell, Dunn, Delaney, Abreu (Knight), Hincks, Clooney (Webb), Whyatt, Brown (Christopher). SUBS: Webb, Knight, Christopher, Whiting (gk).
