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Northwich Manchester Villa 0-3 Cheadle Town
Cheadle Town provided the perfect response to last weekend's result as they comfortably beat Northwich Manchester Villa by three goals without reply.
Just the win we needed to keep our play-off hopes alive. For the first twenty minutes or so of this match it looked as though this could turn out to be a tricky evening against an energetic, enthusiastic and determined 'Villa outfit as chances for both sides were at a premium and both were struggling to keep the ball.
As the sky darkened and the air temperature cooled considerably, the game thankfully started to warm up as we racked up a host of chances.
On 26 minutes Anthony Trucca thundered a header just wide of the post from a corner before Thabiso Magida latched onto a driven ball across the face of goal from Rick Whyatt only to see his goalbound flick saved.
Just after the half-hour mark we almost witnessed one of the contenders for goal of the season as Liam Tongue ran three quarters of the length of the field only for him to plant his shot inches wide of the post.
Mike Sherrington then ballooned an effort over the bar following good work and a cut back from Magida before we finally made our pressure pay with three minutes of the half remaining: on the left of the penalty box, Liam Tongue cut inside and drilled home, beating the keeper at the near post.
It should have been two just before half time but Mike Sherrington just couldn't shape his body in time for Magida's whipped cross from the left, resulting in him heading over from very close range.
We continued where we left off after the break.
Magida was through on goal on 47 minutes but saw his effort saved, only for the loose ball to be eventually blasted over the bar by Rick Whyatt.
Five minutes later Liam Tongue tried his luck from range and was just over, Mike Sherrington rolled the ball home but was given offside and then Magida really should have made it two when put clean through on goal, but opting to check back and then harmlessly roll his effort wide.
He would get his redemption on 65 minutes, though. Good work by Mike Sherrington down the right saw him square the ball right to Magida's feet where he had the easy task of tapping home from close range.
Five minutes later and Mike Sherrington would get himself on the scoresheet, and put the game to bed, by finishing neatly from inside the area following a cut-back from the byline.
There were further opportunities to extend the lead even further. Ashley Smallwood went on a lung-busting run on 73 minutes and looked sure to finish off a fine effort when he poked the ball past the keeper but was denied by a great clearance by a 'Villa defender.
Substitute Josh Stevenson was also denied by a great save three minutes later as he connected to a cross from the left.
Absolutely nothing we can do now until a week on Saturday for our penultimate game at Daisy Hill. With ten days of other teams around us playing you fear the worst, but hope for the best.
Sit tight. It might get nervy....
TEAM: Piggott, Smallwood, Pearson, Trucca (Nsimbe), Moores, Dunn, Hincks (Horan), Tongue (Stevenson), M Sherrington, Whyatt, Magida. SUBS: McLaughlin, Stevenson, Nsimbe, Horan.
November Preview
A not-so-busy November ahead for our First XI but some key fixtures nonetheless....
Saturday 7th
Irlam (away)
First Division Trophy 2nd Round
Our first November fixture offers us the chance to step away from the stress of the league campaign and focus on the smaller of the two "domestic" cup competitions, the First Division Trophy.
Our record at Silver Street isn't that bad, upset only by the one defeat in our last five visits there but we will have to be wary of an Irlam outfit that have had a very good season thus far; at the time of writing they are sitting in 6th spot and have only been defeated twice at home.
This visit will also give us the opportunity to see how their new clubhouse is coming along. Going off what we have seen on social media it looks very smart indeed.
Irlam's new clubhouse - from the outside...
...and on the inside. We can only look on in envy.
A win takes you into the quarter finals, the format of which will be announced by the NWCFL soon after all ties have completed.
Previous five seasons at Silver Street:
2014-15: drew 2-2
2013-14: lost 0-1
2012-13: won 5-3
2011-12: won 3-1
2010-11: won 2-1
Wednesday 18th
Eccleshall (away)
NWCFL First Division
Re-arranged from Saturday 14th (due to Eccleshall having a Staffordshire Vase tie), this will be our third midweek trip to Pershall Park in succession. A long night awaits, especially if the M6 is up to its usual tricks.
They may be rock bottom of the table but don't let that fool you. They still have plenty of games-in-hand to haul themselves out of trouble and gave us plenty of food for thought when they came to Park Road earlier in the season.
Previous five seasons at Pershall Park:
2014-15: won 1-0
2013-14: won 3-1
2012-13: won 2-0
2011-12: won 5-0
2010-11: lost 2-3
Saturday 21st
Northwich Manchester Villa (home)
NWCFL First Division
As this goes to press Northwich Manchester Villa have an FA Vase 1st Round replay versus Whitley Bay pending which puts this fixture in a "50-50" status as it's the 2nd round on Saturday 21st.
The fact that they have taken Whitley Bay to a replay should tell us that this won't be easy.
Despite our relatively good record at Park Road against 'Villa the victories haven't come without extraordinary effort on our part; 'Villa have always proved to be hard work and you never know what you are going to get when you face them.
At the time of writing they were in good league form. Another difficult afternoon awaits.
Previous five seasons at Park Road:
2014-15: won 2-1; lost 2-3 (Cheshire Senior Cup)
2013-14: lost 1-2
2012-13: won 2-1
2011-12: won 3-0
2010-11: did not meet
Saturday 28th
Whitchurch Alport (away)
NWCFL First Division
The powers-that-be at Yockings Park won't thank me for this but if I was a betting man I'd put my money on a draw.
Yockings Park - somewhere new for us to tick off the list
At the start of November the NWCFL newcomers had already clocked up nine draws, seven of which at Yockings and were it not for two late goals for us in the fixture at Park Road at the start of the season, the number of draws would have been ten.
We always like to go somewhere new so we are looking forward to our first visit there...and to hopefully come away with all three points before a difficult-looking December schedule hoves into view....