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Daisy Hill 1-0 Cheadle Town
Cheadle Town fell to a disappointing defeat at bottom-of-the-table Daisy Hill in a frustrating afternoon in Westhoughton
<sigh>
All of the air pumped into the balloon from Wednesday evening's fantastic comeback at Eccleshall popped in the blink of an eye. One step forward, two steps back.
After a half-decent start we faded badly and never really recovered to get ourselves going again. Mis-placed passes, wrong choices and a general failure to keep hold of the ball amounted to a dolly mixture of frustration.
Whether Daisy Hill's penalty, midway through the first half, was a penalty was debated hard and long at the time, but even Danny Whiting's superb save ended up being in vain as the rebound was popped into the unguarded net. It was definitely that kind of a day.
Danny Whiting gets down to save the penalty....
The returning Mike Sherrington had the first chance, firing over after his brother Chris had directed a Liam Delaney pass into his path with Chris then almost connecting with a Tom Ratican cross, only to see a Daisy defender nipping in just in time.
Danny Whiting then made his first significant save of the day on 15 minutes before the hosts should have been 1-0 up shortly afterwards, firing over from the edge of the area with the goal at their mercy.
Joe Nield then brought an excellent save from the Daisy keeper after his fierce drive looked to be heading for the top corner before a great solo run brought about Daisy's penalty that might not have been a penalty.
Danny Wood
We responded straight away.
Chris Sherrington latched onto a loose ball in the area to bring out a great save before Sherrington (Michael version) was clean through on a lofted ball only for he to be denied by the keeper too.
Two super stops from Danny Whiting bookended the periods just before and just after half time, the second an impressive effort to tip over a looping header.
"Over there...."
The only significant efforts we had in the second half were round about the hour mark.
A nice combination of Dunn and Chris Sherrington gave substitute Danny Jones a chance but he lashed his effort wide before a James Dunn cross from the right was blasted wide by Joe Shaw.
To cap the day off there were chaotic scenes after the final whistle which resulted in two red cards for Daisy Hill players and a sore chin for Joe Nield. Work the rest out for yourselves.
Mssrs Harrison, Nield and Shaw
We're back in action again tonight [Monday] when Eccleshall visit Park Road. Time to pick up the pieces from this horror show and get back on track.
TEAM: Whiting, Nield, McLaughlin, Delaney (Dunn), Shaw, Harrison, Ratican, Russell, M Sherrington, Wood (Jones), C Sherrington (Farrow). SUBS: Jones, Dunn, Farrow, Piggott (gk).
Cheadle Town 0-0 Daisy Hill
Cheadle Town drew a blank on a frustrating afternoon at Park Road as the points were shared with 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)
Daisy Hill 1-4 Cheadle Town
Cheadle Town made it three wins on-the-trot with this comprehensive victory at New Sirs
It hasn't been a bad Easter at all, has it?
Despite having to play three matches in the space of six days we have come out of it with the cleanest bill of health: maximum points.
The play-offs died on us long ago but the aim thereafter was always to finish the season as strongly as we possibly could; and we're certainly doing alright thus far on that front.
Daisy Hill got within coughing distance of us in the latter third of the first half of this match but, if truth be told, we never looked in that much danger of being silly, out-Cheadling ourselves and throwing away a good position; two goals within the first four minutes of the second half killed this match - in our favour - stone dead.
We've not had many strikers to burst the 20-goal threshold of late - only the names Ben Brookes and Nathan Neequaye spring to mind - so step forward, into the (deserved) limelight Rhys Webb, who reached 23 goals in all competitions in netting a hat-trick.
Being the occasionally awkward soul that he is, Matt German made Rhys wait for his moment, netting the first of the night on the 8th minute by meeting George Blackwell's corner with the fiercest of headers.
Another header on goal surfaced on 15 minutes, this time from the pate of Chris Sherrington but his downwards effort bounced harmlessly over the bar.
Two minutes later Rhys was in on goal but unfortunately got his bearings all wrong and shot hopelessly wide. He was to get it right just before the half-hour mark.
Latching onto a neat through ball from Chris Sherrington, he advanced on goal and coolly swept home to double our advantage.
We then switched off a little and allowed the hosts a foothold in the match.
Luke Pearson had already cleared an effort off the line in last-ditch style before Daniel Gregory punished us with a neat finish off the post on 33 minutes to give us something to think about.
We thought that Thab Magida had restored our two-goal advantage on 39 minutes after he had rounded the 'keeper and rolled it goalbound but he was denied by a world-class clearance off the line.
Luke Hincks then saw a fierce drive gathered well by the keeper before Magida shovelled the ball over the bar from close range after connecting with a teasing Matt Todd cross from the right.
Any soreness from missing those gilt-edged chances didn't last long after the restart as we netted twice in the opening four minutes.
Virtually straight from the kick-off Rhys Webb seized on some hesitancy in the Daisy defence to latch onto a loose ball and have all the time in the world to stab it past the oncoming keeper.
Three minutes later and he was on the end of a diagonal lofted ball from the right, lobbing it over the keeper to give us a commanding 4-1 lead.
One player who was desperately unlucky not to get onto the scoresheet was George Blackwell. Three mazy runs into the box after the hour mark went undeservedly unrewarded and, to add to the ill fortune, he was injured in his third attempt and forced off with an sprained wrist.
Substitute Mike Sherrington had two excellent chances to add more polish to the scoreline, seeing one effort hacked off the line and then firing straight at the keeper when clean through with James Dunn then screwing the ball inches wide of the post in injury time when in a decent position in the box.
Just two to go. Two. Where has the time gone...? Atherton LR visit Park Road for our last home match this Saturday.
TEAM: Smith, Todd, Banda, German, Tongue, Pearson, Hincks, C Sherrington, Webb (Dunn), Magida (Burton), Blackwell (M Sherrington). SUBS: McIlwaine, Burton, Christopher, M Sherrington.
Cheadle Town 4-0 Daisy Hill
Cheadle Town returned to winning ways with this comfortable 4-0 win over Daisy Hill
For the record, and before we go any further, this may have been 4-0 but Daisy Hill certainly played their part in this match and must be wondering how they left Park Road having not at least got themselves on the scoresheet.
But perhaps they shouldn't be too surprised as they must be sick of the sight of SK8 2AN. We have made a lot of our 'bogey grounds' in the past but Daisy Hill's rotten record at Park Road now stretches to just 1 win in their last 12 visits in all competitions.
They clattered our crossbar after just 20 seconds of the match and kept Dane Smith relatively busy, forcing him into making a decent stop midway through the first half and then hitting the post yet again on the half-hour with us hastily hacking the ball off the line.
We didn't help ourselves at time, though, inviting pressure back on ourselves with some rash clearances from our defensive third of the pitch but I'm glad to say that everything else we executed on the day was near perfection.
It took just 7 minutes for the first of our four goals to be registered. With seemingly nothing 'on', Luke Hincks curled an inch-perfect shot in off the post from around 20 yards out.
Five minutes later and we should have been 2-0 up. Reece Webb had robbed the ball from a 'Daisy defender and charged down on goal. With the keeper storming off his line an unfortunate bobble of the ball made him miscue and his effort bounced harmlessly wide.
Reece had another effort on the 25th minute, smartly fashioning himself some space on the right of the penalty area before skidding one just wide of the post.
Just as Daisy Hill were threatening to make a real nuisance of themselves and perhaps draw level, we knocked them off their stride with two goals shortly before half-time.
On the 39th minute Matt German had spotted the run of right-back Jack Lever into the area with a delightful pass which Jack didn't waste by advancing on goal and slotting home from the angle.
With the break looming we then extended our lead even further after a mistake in the 'Daisy defence allowed Reece Webb a free shot on goal; with no bobble to thwart him this time he netted with a deft side-footed effort.
Just as they did in the first half, Daisy Hill rattled our crossbar within the first 30 seconds of play before we wrapped the three points up with our fourth goal on the 56th minute.
Luke Hincks sent over a raking diagonal ball from the left to Justin Pickering who advanced on goal, waited for the keeper to commit himself into a crumpled heap on the floor before jinking the other way and rolling home into an empty net.
Reece Webb then forced a good stop from the keeper on the 69th minute before Justin Pickering was in again on the right just moments later, seeing his effort tipped around the post.
It was almost goal number five on the 80th minute as substitute Mike Sherrington cut in from the left before unleashing a fierce drive that the keeper was equal to, with the second phase of that move then seeing Justin Pickering thump a shot off the foot of the post.
And all of this played out on a pitch whose going would be declared as "soft to heavy" by the racing fraternity. On a surface where every pass has to be sure and measured, both teams dealt with it admirably and contributed to a wonderful match.
The fact that the match took place at all is also worth a mention. Groundsmen sometimes don't get the credit they deserve but our Phil did a sterling job in making sure we all had 90 minutes of football to watch over the weekend in the face of unfavourable weather overnight.
It faces another 90 minutes of trampling this coming Saturday as Holker Old Boys make the long trip down the M6.
TEAM: Smith, Lever, Banda, Hincks (Wood), Tongue, Pearson, Whyatt (Crosthwaite), German, Webb (M Sherrington), Pickering, Blackwell. SUBS: Piggott (gk), C Sherrington, M Sherrington, Wood, Crosthwaite.
Daisy Hill 0-1 Cheadle Town
A late goal from Rick Whyatt kept Cheadle Town's play-off hopes alive in a tense afternoon at New Sirs.
Just in the nick of time.
As the first minute of injury time ticked over and yours truly was trying his best to do the mathematics and calculate the significance of a draw, Mr Richard Whyatt - well and truly due a goal - picked the perfect moment to rekindle his netting prowess.
As it turns out results elsewhere would have meant that the draw would have all-but put paid to any hopes of us reaching the play-offs. It's still out of our own hands but the "ask" is now a bit simpler: win our remaining match at Rochdale Town and hope that St Helens Town fail to win theirs against Hanley.
On a tense afternoon at New Sirs where nerves meant that blasphemy was commonplace (sorry, Terry) we, as has been our wont this season, made hard work of it.
Our first sight of goal came after seven minutes when Thabiso Magida chased down a fluffed clearance by the Daisy keeper, with him making a good recovery to make a good save from Thab's resulting effort.
Just after the quarter-hour Mike Sherrington was put through only for him to lob his effort inches over the crossbar with Steve Piggott then called into action four minutes later when he got down to his right to make a smart stop at the near post.
Liam Tongue sent two of his specialities inches over the crossbar before half-time before the to-and-fro continued into the second half.
On 53 minutes Daisy rolled the ball across the face of our net with, thankfully, nobody there to do the simple job of tapping home with their keeper then fluffing another clearance, the ball being eventually crossed to Rick Whyatt who headed over.
Thab Magida was put clean through on 64 minutes but his attempted lift over the keeper was blocked before Jimmy Moores had to perform a superb saving tackle just as a Daisy attacker was about to shoot on goal.
With ten minutes left the Daisy keeper clawed a back post header off the line following a corner before a heart-in-mouth moment when Dave Young hacked an effort off the line.
With injury time a minute old, we got a free kick just outside the penalty box. What happened next is slightly muddled in my head, probably due to me tearing down the touchline myself to join in with the players' celebrations, but we managed to retrieve possession after the free-kick was cleared with the ball being clipped into the box from the left and Rick Whyatt bundling home from close range.
Just one match to go. But hopefully more....
TEAM: Piggott, Rodrigues (Stevenson), Pearson, Trucca, Young, Moores, Hincks, Tongue, M Sherrington, Whyatt, Magida (Horan). SUBS: Horan, Stevenson, McLaughlin.
Cheadle Town 4-0 Daisy Hill
Cheadle Town surged up to third place with this emphatic win over Daisy Hill.
Daisy Hill must be sick of Park Road. Before this game they had only one win in their last ten visits in all competitions. Now it's eleven.
They had their chances to alter that particular stat in the first half and could be kicking themselves that they didn't take them and hence get some sort of a foothold in a game that eventually ran away from them and then some.
All of the early running in this match was done by us with a series of half-chances and corners with Luke Hincks the first to force the Daisy keeper into a stop after 15 minutes.
It was at this point that Daisy had their chances. Just two minutes later a cross from the left found one of their strikers totally unmarked at the far post but he side-footed wide, with their no9 then going on a counter-attack, cutting inside on the right and curling an effort agonisingly wide with Piggott well beaten.
We then responded with some chances of our own.
On 22 minutes Rick Whyatt sent in a teasing cross from the right for James Horan but the latter just couldn't reach it. Ten minutes later Chris Sherrington sent one in from the left for an awaiting Rick at the far post but he was denied at the last by a good challenge; from the resulting corner Luke Pearson forced the keeper to tip over the bar.
On 37 minutes, the breakthrough. Darrhyl Mason broke on the right and sent in a cross that spun up into the air off a Daisy leg; Rick Whyatt was given time to control the ball, turn and hammer home from close range.
Rick Whyatt puts us 1-0 up
A minute later and all manner of chaos in the Cheadle area as Steve Piggott was stranded after coming out to deal with danger; thankfully Michael Birch was on hand to eventually deny the Daisy player from netting into an unguarded net.
Michael should then have added to the lead shortly before half-time, but he somehow headed wide at the far post when latching onto a cross.
We then went on to completely dominate the second half with the game being wrapped up with a three-goal salvo in ten minutes.
On 62 minutes Jonathan McLaughlin's sheer perseverance saw him with a shooting chance on the edge of the area, one which he took with a rasping drive that the keeper couldn't hold.
Two substitutions then had a profound effect on the game with both netting within five minutes of being introduced.
First of all Kevin Vieira benefitted from Mason's good work on the left to tuck home from close range with Thabiso Magida firing home from the angle on 72 minutes to give us a more-than-healthy lead.
'Spanish Kev' wheels away after giving us a 3-0 lead
Five games, two wins, three draws and plenty of goals. All good thus far. Onto this coming Saturday and a tough fixture at Litherland REMYCA.
