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Cheadle Town 2-2 Eccleshall
Cheadle Town were left frustrated by an injury-time penalty as the points were shared with Eccleshall
One of those draws that felt like a defeat.
In the third of five minutes of injury time, 2-1 ahead and with a lively Eccleshall side exactly where we wanted them, a misjudged clearance attempt leads to a penalty for the visitors and all the hard work of the previous ninety minutes, and the opportunity to enter double figures on the points tally, is swept away from twelve yards.
Frustrating.
For those with a mathematical leaning, the penalty offered perfect symmetry to the match, providing the purest of bookends given that we had taken the lead with virtually the first attack.
With barely a minute gone Warren Gaskin found himself in the unfamiliar territory of the opposition half, placing a sumptuous cross from the right for Ben Brooks to steal in at the far post and nod us into a very early lead.
Eccleshall’s first attempt on goal came on 11 minutes when a long-range effort drifted wide with our next half-decent chance coming shortly afterwards when Justin Pickering’s shot from the right cannoned off the keeper and was just begging for somebody to tap it home as it rolled across the face of goal.
Justin then saw a free-kick go just wide of the upright before another ball across the face of goal wasn’t converted just after the half-hour mark; Paul Sunderland providing for Andrew Lunt this time, the latter just failing to get his legs around the ball.
And that was that in terms of clear-cut chances for the rest of the half with both sides poking and prodding each other.
Five minutes into the second half the match was suddenly level.
Seemingly in a non-threatening position some 40+ yards out, Eccleshall’s Jake Langridge unleashed a vicious shot that sailed in over Martin Blain’s head.
Eight minutes later, we provided a response.
Having just come on as substitute, Patrick Davin made an absolute nuisance of himself in the goalmouth, ultimately recovering a stray ball on the left before feeding it to Hamzat who planted a cross to the far post for Paul Sunderland to nod home our second of the evening.
Just five minutes after that, Eccleshall looked set to draw things level again as they raced clear on goal only for Martin Blain to come out and make an excellent block.
They then volleyed over a loose ball from a corner before the match went into a lull with neither team creating anything and Eccleshall going down to ten men on the 87th minute after their no9 was sin-binned for dissent.
But then, as stoppage time loomed, all manner of action.
Eccleshall had a penalty claim turned down and, as the protests and histrionics were still audible, we went down the other end where Ben Brooks stooped low for a cross but couldn’t quite bundle his header home from close range.
There was even time for one more chance for us after Louis Downs had converted Eccleshall’s late penalty; Lord knows to what level the celebrations would have reached had Justin Pickering’s shot from the right not been blocked by the keeper.
Anyhow, 2-2 it finished. It keeps the decent form going - just the one defeat in eight matches in all competitions now - and we hope that the frustration of dropping two points is channelled into our performance this Saturday as we travel to Selby Town in the 1st Round of the FA Vase.
Onwards.
TEAM: Blain, Hendley, Hamzat, Clayton (Chappell), Gaskin, Hatfield-Banton, Pickering, Lunt (Johnson), Russell (Davin), Sunderland, Brooks. SUBS: Chappell, Whiting (gk), Machado Le Gal, Johnson, Davin.
Cheadle Town 3-2 Eccleshall
Cheadle Town went top of the league thanks to some outrageous goals in this win over Eccleshall
It's always a good sign in football if you're not truly at your best but can still come away from games with a result. We dropped off the pace at times in this one and perhaps should have put the match to bed earlier on but still came away the victors. Bodes well....
We started well and troubled the Eccleshall defence as early as the 2nd minute when Rhys Webb glanced a header wide from a Ben Christopher free-kick.
Just five minutes later Joe Neild swung a free-kick just over the crossbar with Ruben Abreu then latching onto a Christopher pass on the 18th minute, advancing on goal down the left but managing to scoop his effort wide.
Eccleshall reminded us a couple of times that they weren't here to make up the numbers as we had to clear a couple of dangerous crosses via attacks down our flanks.
Rhys Webb
On the 24th minute we had carved out another opportunity as Tom Russell broke down the right before pulling back for Joe Neild only for the keeper to parry wide.
From the resulting corner we took a deserved lead as James Dunn goal-bound header was turned home from very close range by the lurking Rhys Webb.
Just six minutes later and we were in again. Ruben Abreu down the left this time, sending over an awkward bouncing cross that Remeece Brown looked certain to connect with but he just couldn't get his legs organised in time and the chance was gone.
There was time for Ruben himself to belt one just over the crossbar after some good work on the edge of the box before everybody retired for half-time.
Ruben Abreu, plus company
Within 60 seconds of the restart our lead had gone as Eccleshall caught us horribly cold with the first passage of play, drilling in a low ball from the right that was converted at the far post by Reece White.
We were licking our wounds for just six minutes as we regained the lead thanks to a moment of brilliance from Remeece Brown.
Out on the left wing he cut in sharply and quickly made ground. Everybody was expecting him to perhaps slide a pass into the penalty area but instead he unleashed an unstoppable effort from 25 yards out that the keeper could do nothing about.
"Remeece! Where did THAT come from?"
Not to be outshone, Ruben Abreu got in on the act on 72 minutes to break a period of the match where we had, to be frank, gone quite stale.
Coming in from the right he travelled along the outside of the area before arrowing an absolute pearler into the top corner from around 20 yards out.
As it had at Rylands, the two-goal cushion sparked a period of measured game management.
On 84 minutes great work by Callum Knight down the right saw him lay it off for Clooney with his first-time effort whistling over the crossbar.
With literally the last kick of the match Eccleshall reduced arrears. A lapse in concentration had allowed them to break clear and whilst Stuart Morrison was able to stop the first shot, he could do nothing about the rebound that was tucked home by Ahmadi.
Not that it mattered. Another win and a place at the top of the tree. Just rewards for what has been a solid start.
TEAM: Morrison, Neild, Ratican, Russell, Dunn, Delaney, Brown, Christopher, Webb, Clooney, Abreu. SUBS: Knight, Wallace, Shaw, Whiting (gk).
Reflecting on another job well done
Cheadle Town 3-3 Eccleshall
Cheadle Town were denied by a late goal as the points were shared in an exciting encounter at Park Road
For the second time in the space of a week, commanding a 3-1 lead at the 83rd minute in this fixture wasn't enough to win the match.
It was Eccleshall on this occasion that provided the comeback, somewhat healing the wounds we opened when we staged a similar escape act at Pershall Park last week.
First blood went to us this time around, netting after just six minutes after a neat move in and around the edge of the area set Mike Sherrington free to comfortably roll home from close range.
Callum Collinson then had a free-kick tipped over the bar before Rick Whyatt was a matter of inches away from connecting to a ball in from the right.
On the half-hour Eccleshall slowly started to get themselves a foothold in the match and were level on the 36th minute.
A deflected shot had gone wide and from the resulting corner, Eccleshall's Wakefield stooped low from close range to bullet home a header.
The visitors' tails were up and it then took a superb last-minute challenge from Joe Nield to prevent them taking the lead just two minutes later.
We started the second half brightly - Jake Ambrose somehow failing to convert from close range after Rick Whyatt had drilled the ball into the box - but then faded badly, allowing Eccleshall two free headers in quick succession which they thankfully failed to convert.
Chris Sherrington was brought on as part of a double substitution on the hour mark and it was his somewhat fortunate goal on the 66th minute that kick-started us back to life; whether he meant his cross from the left to actually sail in over the keeper's head is up for debate!
Both Whyatt and Cotton failed to get onto the end of a teasing Joe Nield cross before Rick's looping header on 70 minutes was cleared just in time.
With ten minutes of the match remaining, we extended our lead.
Some superb work by James Dunn on the right saw him thread a ball through for Rick Whyatt who checked, turned inside and unleashed a vicious drive down low to the keeper's left.
Three minutes later and Eccleshall were back in the match. A free-kick from just outside the area bobbled awkwardly in front of Danny Whiting as he was going down to gather it, rebounding back into the air just at the right height for an alert Thomas Wakefield to nod home.
On 87 minutes a great combination between Whyatt and Cotton saw the latter in on the left but his fierce shot was beaten out by the keeper.
With stoppage time coming to an end, Eccleshll rolled their final dice and came up with a six.
A long throw-in from inside our area was knocked on for Daniel Needham to latch onto just outside the area. With an oncoming Danny Whiting to close the angle, the "knock it over him" option was the only one he had if he was going to score. Unfortunately for us he kept a cool enough head to do just that and ensure that, with what was the last kick of the match, Eccleshall went back down the M6 with a point tucked under their arms.
We're back on the road this Thursday evening as we travel to Bacup Borough.
TEAM: Whiting, Nield, McLaughlin, Delaney (Shaw), Dunn, Harrison, M Sherrington (Cotton), Wood, Ambrose, Whyatt, Collinson (C Sherrington). SUBS: Cotton, C Sherrington, Shaw, Piggott (gk)
Eccleshall 1-5 Cheadle Town
Victory for Cheadle Town at Eccleshall at the weekend extended their run of good form to one defeat in nine games, with the highlight being a Rhys Webb hat trick.
Cheadle made a bright start to the game and were unlucky not to take an early lead on 6 minutes when a George Blackwell cross found James Dunn at the far post, but he could only fire wide with the goal at his mercy.
Cheadle were finally rewarded on 21 minutes when Thabiso Magida put in a low cross from the left which found Rhys Webb who had the simple task of scoring. Cheadle then doubled their lead on 28 minutes when a Justin Pickering cross picked out Matthew German who stooped low to head home.
Cheadle continued to press for further goals and were rewarded again on 33 minutes when Pickering pick up a through ball and advanced 15 yards before he rounded the keeper to score. Cheadle’s fourth goal came on 38 minutes when Webb was played through one-on-one with the keeper before he excellently lobbed the ball over the keeper from 15 yards.
In what was a one side first half, it took until 40 minutes before Cheadle’s Adam Rigby was tested, but he was alert to the danger and made an excellent block to deny the hosts a goal.
HT: Eccleshall 0 Cheadle Town 4
Unfortunately the second half lacked the attacking domination that saw Cheadle score four goals in the first half.
Although Pickering was unlucky on 48 minutes with his 20 yard shot what was tipped over the bar by the Eccleshall keeper. Pickering then has a similar opportunity on 54 minutes which again the keeper made a great save.
On 60 minutes, a long pass from Liam Tongue found the Pickering on the edge of the area, but he could only watch as his shot cannoned off the crossbar.
Cheadle finally got their fifth goal of the game on 77 minutes when Webb claimed his hat trick with a headed goal from a German cross.
Eccleshall finally got some reward for their endeavours on 82 minutes when Elliott Booth scored from close range.
FT: Eccleshall 1 Cheadle Town 5
A thoroughly deserved victory for Cheadle Town who continue to pick up points in their efforts to climb the table in search of one the available play-off positions.
Cheadle Town host Bacup Borough on Saturday at Park Road Stadium – KO 3.00pm.
Cheadle Town 3-5 Eccleshall
Cheadle Town endured another frustrating afternoon as their September 2016 nightmare continues....
<shrug of shoulders>
I honestly don't know what more we can do to try and win matches at the moment. The wise cracks amongst you may retort with "scoring might help!" but that doesn't help in the slightest, thank you very much. Take your unwanted "banter" elsewhere.
Accepting defeat is part and parcel of football but when you are in an elongated run of coming away from matches with nothing to show for it despite dominating and/or creating enough chances to run up a cricket score then it makes it that much harder to bear.
Eccleshall troubled our penalty area five times, giving them a rather admirable strike rate of 100% on the day and their first league win of the season.
They also bagged the quickest goal to be scored at Park Road this season, Mitchell Brown taking only a minute to collect a through ball on the right, getting past Ben Jupp and slotting home into an unguarded net. Chance number one.
We responded admirably. Sam Noar struck the foot of the post with a header on the 12th minute before we got the equaliser some five minutes later after Matt German refused to give up a lost cause on the right before squaring the ball across the face of goal for Mike Sherrington to tap home from close range.
Sam Noar then forced the Eccleshall keeper to smother from close range on 22 minutes, Thabiso Magida's turn-and-shot in the area squirmed just wide of the post two minutes later, Sam Noar saw a shot deflected wide after chaos in the Eccleshall defence before Rick Whyatt launched an effort into the proverbial Row Z with nobody around him.
On the 39th minute our relentless pressure told. Luke Pearson sent in a corner from the right and Matt German stole in ahead of his marker to emphatically nod home from close range.
On the stroke of half-time Eccleshall snatched an equaliser when Bennett was offered a free header from a corner from the right. Chance number two.
Seven minutes into the second half the visitors regained their lead.
We seemingly had umpteen chances to clear the danger in the area with the ball falling to the feet of Eccleshall's Wakefield who punished us by clipping an excellent effort over Jupp and into the far corner of the net. Chance number three.
Chris Sherrington was then introduced from the substitutes' bench which then heralded a manic twenty minutes where we tried to force an equaliser.
Chris and Liam Tongue combined well down the left-hand side to cross for Mike Sherrington to side-foot just wide from inside the box.
Mike Sherrington then tried his luck from distance with his brother Chris driving into the penalty box only to send his effort into somebody's garden on Tennyson Road when he looked set to score.
Liam Tongue then skied one of his specials from range before he got his head onto a corner at the far post only to see it hacked off the line...with Matt German then blasting the loose ball over.
Chris Sherrington then cut the ball across the face of goal with it flying just wide of the post before a drilled ball into the box got stuck under Mike Sherrington's feet and he just couldn't dig it out to bundle home.
With eight minutes of the match remaining we finally got the equaliser we richly deserved when Sam Noar's fierce drive from the edge of the box took a useful deflection on its way into the net.
Unfortunately the siege seemed to end there as the match then appeared to be drifting harmlessly towards a 3-3 draw, but, as stoppage time loomed, there would be one last twist as Matt German gave away a free-kick right on the edge of the area....
...a free-kick that was swept home by Shelley. Chance number four.
With all manner of green-shirted bodies committed up front, a breakaway for Eccleshall resulted in them sealing the victory with Wakefield the man over on the edge of the box; with his coaching staff screaming at him to "finish", he rifled the ball into the roof of the net. Chance number five.
Simply nothing more for me to say in terms of a round-up. I'm all out of banal platitudes at the moment.
Next up is the visit of Widnes on Wednesday evening. 7.45pm KO.
TEAM: Jupp, McLaughlin (Russell), Pearson (C Sherrington), German, Dunn, Shaw, Whyatt (Horan), Tongue, Noar, M Sherrington, Magida. SUBS: Piggott (gk), Horan, Russell, C Sherrington, Connolly.
Eccleshall 3-6 Cheadle Town
Cheadle Town staged an emphatic second half fightback to take all three points at Pershall Park
Indulge me for a moment whilst I entertain you with a statistic: we've scored 84 goals in all competitions this season. 16 of those - sixteen - have come in our last two victories.
Another one for you. This was our fifth consecutive victory at Pershall Park. My own personal Cheadle Town FC results archive only stretches back so far but I think this is the best run of wins we've ever had for one particular away-day.
On the 54th minute both of those statistics looked highly unlikely as Jordan Elcock's effort sailed over Saul Lomax-Newton's head to give the hosts a strong 3-1 lead.
What followed was a barnstorming fightback. But more of that later.
Given the eventual scoreline it's hard to believe that this match took some time to really get going.
Mike Sherrington had the ball in the net on 15 minutes but was ruled offside and then couldn't quite make decent contact with a Rick Whyatt cross ten minutes later.
Mike looked clean through and certain to score just after the half-hour mark but the home 'keeper somehow managed to get something on it and deflect it away for the corner, from which James Moores had a free header but only succeeded in putting it over the bar.
On 38 minutes, our pressure told and the match really took off.
Luke Pearson floated in a corner from the right that was eventually nodded home at the far post by Mike Sherrington.
Eccleshall cast a shot across our bows straight down the other end when a volley went inches wide with them then equalising on 40 minutes when Steven Hughes drilled home from the angle.
Eccleshall's tails were up and they nudged themselves into the lead three minutes later with a well-worked move down the right, finished off by Adam Jones from close range.
Our energetic start to the second half was cut short by Eccleshall's third. If we were to get anything out of the game our response had to be quick. It ended up being better than that: it was immediate.
Straight from the restart Liam Tongue latched onto a through ball in the box and delicately poked it through the keepers' legs with a first-time shot.
The comeback was complete just four minutes later, with Liam Tongue instrumental once more.
His cross into the box from the left was clearly handballed by an Eccleshall defender in his efforts to clear it. Awaiting the referee's decision, everybody seemed to stop for that split second except Liam, who carried on and emphatically launched the loose ball into the roof of the net.
At 3-3, and despite us having most of the possession, the match still could have gone either way.
On 70 minutes Liam Tongue put Mike Sherrington through on goal but he could only sidefoot wide with Eccleshall then heading the ball off the crossbar from a corner just four minutes later.
Was that the next turning point in the match?
Possibly, as two minutes after that Liam Tongue got his hat-trick to put us 4-3 up, tucking home after a Mike Sherrington pass into the box had kindly ricocheted to his feet.
The hosts looked broken, and we capitalised to edge further ahead with two more goals in the final five minutes of the match.
James Horan was first, profiting from a Liam Tongue free-kick being spilled at his feet for him to easily tap home on 85 minutes with him then storming down the left side to roll in a delicious diagonal ball for Mike Sherrington to sweep home for Cheadle's sixth on 87 minutes.
A win that hauls us back up to 4th place in the table and keeps us, number of games played in comparison to everybody else aside, in the play-off mix.
Next up: Holker away.
Whereas Pershall Park renders a more positive statistic where away-days are concerned, the direct opposite can be said for Rakesmoor Lane. It has to change sooner or later....
TEAM: Lomax-Newton, Pearson (Horan), McLaughlin, Trucca, Moores (Halliwell), Smallwood, Stevenson (Nsimbe), Tongue, M Sherrington, Whyatt, Magida. SUBS: Halliwell, Horan, Nsimbe.
Cheadle Town 4-2 Eccleshall
Cheadle Town moved up to 4th in the table with yet another goal-laden victory.
If you're looking for goals and value for your five pounds sterling at the moment, come and see us at Park Road.
As alluded to in the Staveley match report, the rub side to such goal gluttony is us putting you through the emotional grinder. We made hard work of this at times and were grateful for James Horan's late sealer to put paid to an Eccleshall fightback.
A statistic that I am rather keen on peddling to anybody who will listen is the fact that Cheadle very rarely get a win when they have conceded first.
So when Eccleshall's Adam Jones opened the evening's goalscoring with only four minutes gone it looked as though that particular factoid would hold true and Eccleshall's rather decent form at Park Road of late would continue.
Eccleshall then went to try and make the most of a rather shabby opening half an hour on our part.
On the 14th minute Steve Piggott had to claw a dangerous, driven cross from his goalmouth with all sorts of danger descending upon him with the visitors then planting a free header wide five minutes later.
On 27 minutes Steve was on hand again to excellently palm away a shot across his bows with us managing to hack the loose ball away in the nick of time.
Bang on the half hour mark the pendulum swung in our favour as we drew level with a well-taken goal.
Latching onto a lofted pass, Darryhl Mason nodded the ball square on the edge of the box for Ben Brooks who dropped his shoulder and waited for the ball to sit right for him before lifting it over the head of the prone Eccleshall keeper.
Ben Brooks celebrates his equaliser
Five minutes later Rick Whyatt showed good determination on the edge of the box before turning and curling a shot inches wide before he should have put us 2-1 up moments later when he looked certain to bury Ben Brooks' square pass but could only tap his effort into the arms of the keeper.
Two minutes before half time a corner in from the left was met by various Cheadle heads underneath the crossbar but somehow managed to stay out before another corner moments later brought better reward and led to us taking a 2-1 lead into half-time, Anthony Trucca arriving late at the far post to plunge in a header.
Anthony Trucca wheels away in delight after putting us 2-1 up
We started the second half as we had finished the first.
Just two minutes into the restart Ben Brooks raced through on goal and brought an excellent stop from the keeper, Rick Whyatt benefitted from a ricochet but shot wide from the edge of the box when in a good position and Anthony Trucca headed wide at the far post from a corner.
And then, just before the hour mark, we made our pressure count. A multitude of passes ended up with Chris Sherrington crossing from the left for Darryhl Mason to side-foot home a sumptuous volley at the far post for a deserved 3-1 lead.
And then the pendulum swung back again as Eccleshall regained control of the match.
They narrowed the scoreline ten minutes later. Seizing on a misjudged header from John McLaughlin, the ball was shifted out to the right and thumped home by Eccleshall's other Jones, Daniel.
Sensing blood and the opportunity to give the game perfect symmetry, Eccleshall had a good spell of possession.
With ten minutes of the match remaining they almost achieved it in bizarre circumstances. A speculative ball in from the right was completely missed by Steve Piggott, bouncing onto the crossbar before being hastily hacked clear by our defence.
Not for the first time this season (cf. the 4-0 home win vs Daisy Hill), Terry was to make an inspired substitution. With just four minutes of the match remaining and within seconds of him coming on, James Horan killed any whiff of an Eccleshall comeback stone dead when he collected a loose ball on the edge of the box and lashed home.
Next up is a tricky-looking trip to Ashton Town this Saturday....
TEAM: Piggott, McLaughlin, Pearson, Trucca, Kennedy, Dunn, Mason, Hincks, Brooks (Tongue), Whyatt (Horan), Sherrington (Magida). SUBS: Magida, Horan, McAuley, Tongue, Pegler.
September Preview
A full rundown of what September has in store for our First XI.
In writing this preview to our fixtures in September it has dawned on me that one wasn't written for August, for which we apologise.
September is traditionally when the FA Vase kicks in, and that's where we start....
Saturday 5th
Staveley Miners Welfare (away)
FA Vase 1st Qualifying Round
The road to Wembley starts here.
Find Chesterfield on a map, run your finger north-east on the page and you'll very quickly come across Staveley, home to our opponents in this years' FA Vase campaign.
As the team's moniker would suggest, Staveley's history lies heavily within the mining industry with several pits situated around the area. Staveley Miners Welfare is also the name of a building on Market Street so, should you ever find yourself in Staveley looking for a football game, specify which "Miners Welfare" you're looking for as you may be directed to the old market hall!
The "other" Miners Welfare in Staveley
The football club was founded in 1962 as a Sunday League outfit with their history in the Northern Counties East League starting only as recently as the 1996-97 season.
We find them in the Premier Division which technically puts them one level higher than us in the pyramid system, so we're expecting a testing afternoon at Inkersall Road.
SMWFC's Inkersall Road ground
What we're also expecting - and what we have been promised by those at SMWFC via a series of tweets - is a warm welcome, good playing surface and quality food and ale.
Pies and pints at the ready!
Hopefully what sounds like a good away-day already will be complemented by a win and a place in the next round at Handsworth Parramore or AFC Liverpool.
Wednesday 9th
Eccleshall (home)
NWCFL First Division
Assuming that no replay will be required we will then be in action at Park Road against Eccleshall. We haven't faired too well against our Staffordshire opponents at Park Road of late (see below) with them running out winners by the odd goal in four of their last five visits here. Can we put that right on Wednesday 9th?
Last five seasons at Park Road....
2014-15: lost 2-3
2013-14: won 3-1
2012-13: lost 1-2
2011-12: lost 1-2
2010-11: lost 1-2
Saturday 12th
Ashton Town (away)
NWCFL First Division
Towards the start of last season we travelled to Edge Green Street and were defeated by a single, late goal thus prolonging our stuttering start.
We've started much better this time around...and so have Ashton Town at the time of writing so this should be an interesting contest.
Last five seasons at Edge Green Street....
2014-15: lost 0-1
2013-14: lost 1-4
2012-13: won 2-0 (LC1 replay), drew 3-3
2011-12: drew 0-0
2010-11: won 2-1
Saturday 19th
St Helens Town (away)
NWCFL First Division
At the time of writing St Helens Town are just above us in the league table so by the time this fixture comes around the result could mean a swap-of-positions. One of the relegatees from the Premier Division last season this could prove to be another testing away day.
We haven't faced St Helens away in recent seasons (not since the turn of the century) but it will mean a first return to Brocstedes Park - where they groundshare with Ashton Athletic - since the end of the 2007-08 season.
Brocstedes Park
Saturday 26th
Stockport Town (home)
NWCFL League Cup 1st Round
Aren't cup draws wonderful? There's always a nice little local issue in there somewhere and the First Round of the NWCFL League Cup has delivered.
This will see the return of Nathan Neequaye, our top scorer from last season who now wears the red-and-white stripes of our geographical neighbours.
A tie away at Premier Division Alsager Town awaits the winners.