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Ashton Town 3-2 Cheadle Town
Cheadle Town let a two-goal lead slip as they suffered their second league defeat of the season.
As the tired old footballing cliche goes, two-nil is a dangerous scoreline. Those who were at Edge Green Street on Saturday bore witness.
There's two trains of thought where this defeat is concerned.
Should we have been more clinical with the chances that we had in a match we had hold of by its nether regions, with both hands, for 80 minutes...or did Anthony Trucca's unjust sending off upset our rhythm with the chickens coming home to roost in the last ten minutes?
Whatever. It's one of those defeats that has rankled yours truly all weekend and the best way of mentally putting it to bed is to write this report....
We started this match brightly and would take the lead within the first ten minutes.
After just six minutes a quickly-taken free-kick scuttled across the Ashton goalmouth only needing the barest of touches with us taking a deserved lead just two minutes later; Thabiso Magida finding Darryhl Mason with a delightful through ball for him to round the keeper and calmly roll home.
Darryhl Mason - our Man of the Match by a country mile
Steve Piggott's first save of the day came two minutes after that, making a good stop after the ball had kindly fallen to an Ashton player in the box before our next passage of play on 19 minutes saw us extend our lead: Darryhl Mason again latching onto a through ball on the left, beating the keeper to it and slotting home from the angle.
We pressed on. On 23 minutes Rick Whyatt won a similar race for the ball on the left but the angle for the shot on goal was too tight for him, with his resulting cross into the box finding nobody bar the keeper who had run back to cover the danger.
Just after the half-hour mark Chris Sherrington fizzed one in across the goalmouth that Mason was only inches away from turning home before Chris himself curled an effort just wide from outside the box a minute later.
Ashton finished the first half by poking an effort just wide of the post, making the most of a sloppy passage of play from us.
The second half started pretty much the same way as the first.
Chris Sherrington put Thabiso Magida through in the box on 47 minutes but Thab could only stab wide when in a good position with him then providing a cross for Rick Whyatt that was headed wide.
On the hour mark Darryhl was through on goal but thwarted by an excellent stop by the Ashton keeper with Steve Piggott then making an equally good stop down at the other end, tipping a long range drive over the bar.
And then, on the 62nd minute, our first red card of the season. From Steve's goal kick Anthony Trucca was one of three players challenging for the ball, extending his right arm out to give himself balance, an arm that an Ashton player runs into from behind.
There was absolutely no malice from Anthony at all, in fact he couldn't know that the Ashton player was coming up behind him, but the referee saw it otherwise, sending him off for violent conduct. If you want to form your own opinion then have a look at the video highlights that Ashton Town FC have done and fast-forward to the 8mins 20secs mark. The fact that Ashton Town have videoed the match helps us with a possible appeal.
I think the look on Luke Hincks' face says it all....
(photo courtesy of Dawn Marshall on her Flickr photostream here)
Despite being down to ten men we still managed to forge two more chances to put the match to bed.
Great work by Mason on the right meant he was in the position to fizz a ball across the face of goal...just a shame there was nobody there to tap it home. He also went just wide with a solo effort on 76 minutes.
With eleven minutes remaining Ashton reminded us that they were still very much alive and kicking. Working down the right they pulled the ball back to an awaiting player who looked sure to smash it home and reduce the arrears, but somehow Steve Piggott managed to make a stop and then gather the ball that had squirmed out of his grasp.
Then, in the last ten minutes, the character and resolve that has served us well thus far this season inexplicably went AWOL.
On 80 minutes Ashton's Worsley latched onto a diagonal pass and cut inside and lashed home before a corner from the left was met by the head of an unmarked Dailey two minutes later.
In injury time the hosts stole the victory that had looked unlikely just ten minutes beforehand, Daniel Griffiths getting inbetween our defence to collect a curling pass and coolly knock it over Steve Piggott's head.
To cap the misery Luke Hincks was then given a red card for a reckless challenge which proved to be the last action of the match. We won't be appealing that one.
Next up for the First XI is another tricky-looking away trip to St Helens Town this coming Saturday.
TEAM: Piggott, McLaughlin, Pearson, Trucca, Kennedy, Dunn, Magida (Pegler), Hincks, Mason, Whyatt (Kelly), Sherrington. SUBS: MacAuley, Pegler, Kelly.
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.
Cheadle Town FC Scoops Cheshire FA Award
Cheadle Town FC are one of the clubs named as this years winners of the Cheshire Football Association Awards
We are delighted to announce that we have scooped one of the Cheshire FA Awards for 2015.
Cheshire FA's annual awards look to recognise and reward those involved in grassroots football across the county.
This year eleven new awards have been introduced and it's in one of these new categories that we have been successful: Cheadle Town FC are the Social Media Club of the Year 2015!
Twitter - providing live match updates and up-to-date news
Over the past year our social media presence has grown stronger. Our Twitter account has been providing up-to-date news and live match updates for years now; our Instagram page provides a more visual account of what goes on on match day with photos and videos and our re-furbished Facebook page has grown in stature since the summer. Add to that our use of new social media platforms such as Periscope for live broadcasts and maybe you can see why we were nominated.
Our Facebook page - growing stronger
Instagram - pictures and videos galore!
We will be formally presented with our award at the Cheshire FA Awards Evening on September 18th.
Of course we will be providing a full rundown of the evening. On our social media channels!
Staveley Miners Welfare 3-4 Cheadle Town
Cheadle Town took one step closer to Wembley in this thrilling victory at Inkersall Road.
If anybody else would like to put themselves forward as stand-in website editor then please raise your hand now. After the antics in the 5-5 draw at Bacup and now this incredible fightback I'm not sure my cardiac system will last the season.
Just as in Bacup, the match looked lost and just as in Bacup, we didn't know when we were beaten, dug in, and came away with a result.
The win is made that little more remarkable considering how we were operating with a makeshift pairing in the centre of defence: Mssrs Dunn and Kennedy given the task of coping with whatever Staveley could throw at us.
For the first 15 minutes both sides prodded and poked at each other without threatening much with Cheadle growing steadily into the match thereafter. Darrhyl Mason looked to be through with a chance but the ball just wouldn't sit for him.
Ben Brooks - making his return in a green shirt - then had a valid penalty claim turned down as he was given a full-on body check in the box before we took the lead after 24 minutes, Luke Hincks finally finishing off a bit of pinball in the box following a corner.
Chris Sherrington almost gave us an instant extension to the lead but the keeper was equal to his drive with an excellent save around the post.
Staveley then almost got themselves onto a cross from the left that zipped across the goalmouth before we then went and had a few more chances of our own.
Ben Brooks was put through on the left on 34 minutes but rolled his shot wide, a Luke Pearson piledriver was excellently saved a few minutes later before the keeper was on hand to deny Ben Brooks yet again, palming away his shot after Ben had set himself up to score in the box.
We were left to rue the missed chances shortly before half-time. Staveley's Hastings managed to lose his markers and head home from very close range from a corner.
Despite starting the second half well a mad five minutes looked to be our undoing as the game appeared to run away from us.
The half was only a couple of minutes old when Anthony Trucca flicked a Pearson corner goalbound but saw his effort cleared off the line before Rick Whyatt's turn and volley in the box was tipped over the bar.
On 56 minutes the hosts took the lead when we lost possession in midfield and Hastings headed home the resulting cross for his second of the match before Jamie Brown latched onto a through ball in the box and crashed home just after the hour mark to give Staveley a 3-1 advantage.
Steve Piggott then went and made two consecutive saves in as many minutes to prevent the home side extending their lead any further, the second of which was the pick as he got down low to turn a volley around the post.
Perhaps that proved to be the turning point.
Luke Hincks then gave Staveley a reminder that we were still there by cracking a shot off the foot of the post on 65 minutes before the match started to turn on its head.
On 71 minutes Darryhl Mason went on a surging run down the right and was upended in the box - Luke Pearson slotting away the resulting spot kick - with matters rendered all-square just two minutes later when a well-worked move saw Rick Whyatt tuck home from close range after Ben Brooks had unselfishly squared the ball to him.
Ben then was through on goal yet again a few minutes later but was to be denied yet again by the keeper and Anthony Trucca clipped an effort inches wide with seven minutes of the game remaining.
The next goal, if there was to be one, would be the winner.
Steve Piggott scrambled an awkward header around the post with five minutes remaining with the winning goal coming from us, to complete a quite remarkable turnaround, just a minute later: Rick Whyatt's lob from the edge of the box seemingly taking a day and an age to drop into the net to spark scenes of wild celebration.
And so we'll have to do it all again, with the "it" being the crossing of Woodhead or Snake Pass, as we travel to Handsworth Parramore in the next round on Saturday 3rd October.
Our heartfelt thanks to Staveley Miners Welfare for their wonderful hospitality, not to mention their excellent ground, clubhouse, club shop, pies etc. and giving the warm welcome they promised us on Twitter.
For us next is the visit of Eccleshall this Wednesday evening, 7.45pm KO.
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.
Litherland REMYCA 2-1 Cheadle Town
Photos from our first defeat of the season....
Cheadle's unbeaten run was ended at the weekend as a stubborn Litherland side came out victorious in this closely matched game.
With Antony Trucca away on holiday, youngster Harrison Pegler stepped into midfield to form an extremely youthful central midfield alongside Luke Hincks.
The game was fairly uneventful for the opening 30 minutes as neither side could create any clear opportunities. Richard Whyatt was presented with a goal scoring opportunity on 35 minutes as his half-volley went just wide of the post. This was soon followed by a James Horan effort on 38 minutes when his powerful shot rebounded off the crossbar following an excellent cross from Darrhyl Mason.
HT: Litherland Remyca 0 Cheadle Town 0
It was Litherland who took control of the game early in the second half and their pressure was rewarded on 53 minutes when Colin McDonald headed home at the far post following a cross from the right wing. Litherland soon increased their advantage on 55 minutes when Wade Muscart broke free and rounded Stephen Piggot.
Within a matter of a minute on 56 minutes, Cheadle had reduced the arrears as Christopher Sherrington blasted home a free kick.
On 66 minutes, Cheadle were given a lifeline as Litherland missed a penalty.
Cheadle continued to press for the all important equaliser, but failed to beat a stubborn Litherland defence as they were restricted to a couple of long range efforts.
FT: Litherland Remyca 2 Cheadle Town 1
New Home Strip Makes An Appearance
Our new home strip made its debut appearance during the First XI's 4-0 home win over Daisy Hill at the weekend.
The eagle-eyed amongst the regulars at Park Road over the weekend might have noticed something slightly different in our attire as we took to the field.
Our new home strip got its first airing during our 4-0 win over Daisy Hill at Park Road over the weekend.
Of course it's still green in the main and still has David Pluck Bookmakers as our main sponsor on the front, but it now features a flash of black and red; those of you who are familiar with Northern Irish football are right to say that it is a very similar colour scheme to Belfast-based side Glentoran.
Our thanks to our Commercial Manager Andrew Calvert in getting the kit sorted. As you can see from the pictures below I'm sure you'll agree it looks quite smart....
Team captain Anthony Trucca modelling the home shirt last weekend
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.
Widnes 1-1 Cheadle Town
Cheadle Town remain unbeaten in the league after this 1-1 draw on a rather difficult evening in Widnes.
Every now and again when the final whistle goes you puff out your cheeks and feel grateful for coming away with a result; this was one of those occasions.
For large parts of this match we were just simply not, as the footballing vernacular goes, "on it". Granted that we defended very well to keep Widnes at bay but we were frustratingly content to give the ball away cheaply in the other two thirds of the pitch and create our own problems; we showed promise in small patches...but they were far too infrequent for the coaching staff to be anywhere near satisfied.
That said, and here's the real positive to take, to play well below what you are capable of and still come away with a result says something.
In tacit recognition of the kind of night we had, our goal was as scruffy as they come. With a minute remaining of the first half Chris Sherrington's shot looped up over the Widnes keeper who had to reposition his feet to tip it onto the crossbar; he could then do absolutely nothing to stop the combined onslaught of Mssrs Rawlings and Whyatt piling in, with the latter eventually bundling the ball home.
To the neutral our 1-0 half-time lead would have raised an eyebrow as it was Widnes who asked all of the questions.
After an uneventful first 19 minutes the hosts squandered their first great chance when one of their forwards had a free header from a corner but planted his effort wide. A minute later and Steve Piggott had to get down smartly to stop a drive from the edge of the box.
Shortly before half-time the hosts then went on a breakaway with their no11 latching onto a cross but side-footing his effort wide when in a good position.
We had managed to continue soaking up and clearing anything that Widnes threw at us in the second half but finally relented shortly after the hour mark, an unmarked Davies hooking home at the far post following a cross from the right wing.
Widnes then had their tails up and went for the kill, forcing Steve Piggott into an excellent stop after 69 minutes.
That seemed to kick us into life a bit as we then created a handful of half-chances in the remaining 20 minutes of the match.
Luke Hincks went on a lung-busting run from midfield to feed the ball through to Chris Sherrington on the left but the angle died on him and his shot flew over. Newly-introduced Dean Nolan then sent in a cross from the right that Rick Whyatt was close to connecting with but it was poked away in the nick of time.
Down the other end Nathan McAuley had to hack a corner off the line on 76 minutes before Liam Tongue then got himself onto a Luke Pearson corner to stab just wide of the post.
Luke himself then had a moment of madness as he, thinking the ball was running out of play, allowed a Widnes player to rob it from him and descend on goal; luckily the resulting shot was straight into Piggott's arms.
Widnes then came within a post-width of winning the match on 85 minutes as their no7 made space for himself in the box before swinging a shot in, only for it to cannon off the woodwork.
We actually could have pinched it in injury time but our free-kick, in a good position on the edge of the box, was wasted and that was that.
And so onto Saturday when we entertain Daisy Hill....
TEAM: Piggott, McLaughlin, Pearson, Trucca, Tongue, McAuley, Mason, Hincks, Rawlings (Nolan), Whyatt, Sherrington (Magida). SUBS: Dixon (gk), Kennedy, Magida, Rathburn, Nolan, Horan.
Cheadle Town 5-3 Whitchurch Alport
Another madcap game saw Cheadle Town claim their first win of the season. Here are the photos from the match.
Cheadle Town gained their first victory of the season in goal thriller of a match against newcomers to the League, Whitchurch Alport.
With twelve goals being scored in Cheadle’s previous two games, the spectators who attended Saturday’s game surely were not banking on another eight goals being added to that tally.
Indeed Cheadle Town were on the back foot within the first minutes of the game as Whitchurch forced Stephen Piggott into a good save to deny the visitors an early goal.
That early scare seemed to give Cheadle the necessary lift and on 4 minutes Richard Whyatt gave Cheadle the lead after latching onto a loose ball following a looping cross from the right by Christopher Rathburn.
James Horan had a great opportunity to increase Cheadle’s lead on 11 minutes, but agonisingly watched as his well placed header was cleared off the line by an Whitchurch defender. Then on 21 minutes Christopher Sherrington found some space in the area and fired a shot that rebounded off the post.
Cheadle’s lead was undone on 25 minutes when Luke Woollam beat the offside trap and raced through on goal to slot the ball past the oncoming Piggott.
At this stage of the game it was end-to-end with Jonathan McLaughlin going close on 33 minutes with a screaming 30 yard effort that went just wide. Cheadle’s pressure was finally rewarded on 35 minutes when Whyatt got his second goal of the game with a well placed header.
The lead was short-lived as Whitchurch drew level on 45 minutes when JJ Bailey latched onto a loose ball in the area and beat Piggott with a well placed shot.
HT: Cheadle Town 2 Whitchurch Alport 2
The second half began rather cautious for both sides and it wasn’t until 62 minutes when Cheadle’s Horan saw his shot hit the woodwork, before James finally scored a well earned goal on 71 minutes when he perfectly chipped the oncoming goalkeeper from 15 yards out to give Cheadle the lead again.
That lead lasted until 81 minutes when Whitchurch equalised again when a free kick was lofted to the far post and Woollam headed home.
With time running out Cheadle were provided with a golden opportunity to win the game on 90 minutes when they were awarded a penalty. Luke Pearson held his nerve and coolly slotted the ball into the back of the net to give Cheadle the lead in this game once again. Cheadle hadn’t finished there, and four minutes later they put the game to bed when Sherrington fired a low shot past the keeper.
Cheadle Town 1-1 Chadderton
Cheadle Town were pegged back by a late Chadderton goal as the points were shared once again at Park Road
Two draws. Two different feelings. Whereas last Saturday's heroics felt like a win, this one felt like a loss.
Despite good early pressure from us with a series of corners, it looked as though Chadderton were going to strike the first blow after just six minutes when they were awarded a penalty. Luckily for us the ball cannoned back off the post with us then spending the rest of the first half doing our level best to punish Chaddy for the miss.
A frantic opening ten minutes gave way to our first decent chance after twelve, Darrhyl Mason looking set to connect with a Luke Pearson cross but being thwarted at the last by some good defending.
Darrhyl was then in the thick of it again after 17 minutes as he lung-bust his way through on goal but could only shoot tamely into the keeper's arms with him then providing the ball for James Horan on the edge of the box to crash a shot off the foot of the post.
A minute later and our pressure told. Good build-up work down the left resulted in the ball being squared for Rick Whyatt in acres of space and all the time in the world to hammer home from the edge of the box.
Antony Trucca fizzed a shot inches wide just after the half-hour mark with Chris Sherrington providing a perfect low cross for James Horan to latch onto but the resulting flick towards goal was agonisingly wide.
Chadderton reminded us that they weren't out of this game just before half time, forcing Steve Piggott to make an excellent fingertip save over the bar from a fierce long-range drive.
Steve ended up doing himself a mischief making that save and didn't reappear for the second half. His replacement Josh Clews was called into action in the 57th minute by making a wonderful reaction save to tip a header over the bar.
If truth be told we created very little in a second half where we steadily faded away. Chadderton's slow-but-sure increase of pressure finally paid off for them with only five minutes of the match remaining: perennial tormentor of Cheadle Town - even in his Oldham days - James Curley with the simplest of headers from close range following a corner.
There was still time for that typically Cheadle "will we or won't we" moment when Chris Sherrington lashed a shot goalwards deep into stoppage time, but there was to be no late drama this time around as the ball skidded harmlessly wide.
Onto this Saturday now, when we pit our wits against NWCFL newcomers Whitchurch Alport.
Pictures from the match can be seen by CLICKING HERE (thanks to James Lobley) and in the gallery below
TEAM: Piggott (Clews), McLaughlin, Pearson, Trucca, Birch, MacAuley, Mason, Hincks, Horan (Rawlings), Whyatt, Sherrington. SUBS: Clews (gk), Nolan, Rawlings, Tonge, Rodrigues.
Bacup Borough 5-5 Cheadle Town
Cheadle Town's 2015-16 campaign started off in dramatic fashion as the points - and not to mention ten goals - were shared.
In terms of sheer entertainment, I suppose the 2015-16 season is all downhill from here.
Ten goals, two penalties - one of which scored when we should have all been on our way home - an early contender for Bacup's goal of the season and one hell of a comeback on our part. Where to start?
Ridiculously early days to start expressing tub-thumping statements but if the courage and guts that we displayed to get this draw knocks around for the remainder of the season then we'll be alright.
As tempting as it is to start at the end and wax lyrical about our fightback, it's probably best to start at the beginning with this one to give you a real-time sense of the narrative.
As early as the first minute it looked as though we would be in for a difficult afternoon as a Bacup striker latched onto a through ball following a counterattack and lobbed inches wide.
The hosts then took the lead after 9 minutes. As it would transpire, this wouldn't be the first time we failed to deal with a Bacup set piece as a corner was fizzed in from the right before being stabbed home by Adrian Bellamy.
Just eight minutes later and Bacup extended their lead when Bryan had all the time in the world to meet a left-wing cross with his head and beat Piggott from close range.
We then had two half-chances to open our season account. A nice combination between Mssrs Mason and Horan resulted in the latter turning neatly on the edge of the box and firing just over the upright. James Dunn then turned in a cross from the right only for Chris Sherrington to rifle over at the far post.
On 38 minutes we were undone by another Bacup corner, Bellamy profiting again as he turned home from close range after the initial corner was headed back across goal.
It was at this point that the match turned from being a regular win for the home side to something a bit demented.
Minutes after Bacup went 3-0 up we won a penalty that was duly converted by Luke Pearson with us then seemingly surrendering any foothold we had gained by giving a way a penalty for Bacup straight from the restart.
1-4 down at half-time. There didn't seem to be a way back.
Bacup were in again 60 seconds after the restart but the resulting effort was just wide of Piggott's post with Antony Trucca then seeing a header from a corner chested off the line.
The madness stepped up a gear on the hour mark with four goals in around five minutes.
We reduced the deficit on 61 minutes when Darrhyl Mason bundled home from close range following a Pearson corner.
Just two minutes later Bacup's Boyne added to the penalty he got at the end of the first half by collecting his own knock-on and firing home from the tightest of angles; think Van Basten vs USSR in the Euro 88 final and you have a rough idea.
Straight up the other end Chris Sherrington blasted home a free-kick to make it 3-5 with the fightback most definitely on two minutes later as Mason got his second of the match, meeting a Luke Hincks free-kick at the far post and deftly heading home.
Just to prove that this match was to have everything (bar a dog on the pitch), Michael Birch then suffered concussion after a nasty-looking (and sounding) clash of heads. Unfortunately this wasn't to be the last injury that our physio Tanya had to deal with.
We poked and prodded some more with all looking lost when Trucca, with a free header and injury time beckoning, completely lost his bearings and placed his effort wildly wide.
The six minutes of injury time were almost up when Bacup's Sylvester Yeboah bore down on our goal with two of our defence giving chase. Just as he was about to shoot he seemed to trip over his own feet.
It looked innocuous at first but it then became evident that all was not well. Tanya was on hand to give help and he had to be carried off on a stretcher. As it transpires he broke his thigh bone and will evidently be out for a while. All of us here at Cheadle Town FC wish him a speedy recovery.
Given everything that had happened we ended up having 13 minutes of injury time, and it was in that 13th minute that we were awarded our second penalty and a chance to leave Bacup with a point tucked under our arms. Yours truly "couldn't watch" Luke Pearson take it (sorry Luke, my blood pressure had had quite enough already) so I had to rely on the bedlam from the bench to confirm that the comeback had been completed.
After this a sane 1-0 win on Wednesday vs Chadderton will be enough, thank you very much.
TEAM: Piggott, Dunne, Pearson, Trucca, Birch (McLaughlin), McAuley, Mason, Hincks, Horan (Rawlings), Whyatt (Nolan), Sherrington. SUBS: McLaughlin, Rawlings, Nolan, Dixon (gk).
