Cammell Laird 1-1 Cheadle Town

Given that these two teams have the highest number of drawn matches between them I suppose there shouldn’t be any surprises at the outcome.

It all could have been very different, however, were it not for some heroics from Cheadle goalkeeper Adam Stevens early in the second half.

Conor Naughton

In a match of very few clear-cut chances, Lairds will be ruing their most golden of opportunities on the 50th minute when they were awarded a penalty, only to see our Adam beat it away to safety.

That was the only real excitement of note in a rather staid second half. Rhys Clooney did manage to get himself in a good position on the 58th minute but shot straight at the keeper, Shaq Lewys saw an effort deflected wide and Joe Neild sent a long-ranger wide of the post just as the match was coming to an end.

Rhys Clooney had better luck in the first half when his effort on the 37th minute had brought us level.

Latching onto a neat through ball down the left channel he won his individual battle with his marker before breaking clear and drilling home past the onrushing keeper.

Congrats all round after Rhys Clooney pulled us level

Lairds had got themselves ahead in the 13th minute after, arguably, having the better of the early exchanges.

They had hooked an effort inches wide as early as the 2nd minute following a long throw-in from the right and had forced Adam Stevens into a good block some ten minutes later.

Mr Clooney with the Lairds defence in admiration

He could do nothing about the moment of quick-thinking shortly after, though.

Possession was lost in our midfield and, spotting Adam Stevens off his line, Lairds’ Elliott Jones thumped a shot from 35 yards over the top of his head and in off the underside of the crossbar.

Rhys Clooney then had his first chance to pull us level after a Nathan Ntalu shot had found its way to his feet on the edge of the area. He twisted and turned away from danger only for him to fire just over the bar.

Next up is a visit from high-flying Stone Old Alleynians this Saturday, 3.00pm kick-off.

TEAM: Stevens, Neild, Daulby, Naughton, Dunn, Hatfield-Banton, Ntalu, Egan, Clooney (Knight), Rodriguez (Wallis), Son (Lewys). SUBS: Wallis, Lewys, Knight.