All of the latest news from the club
March Preview
With the end of the season nigh, we have a look at what's in store for the First XI in the month of March 2016....
Only nine games to go this season; the "run-in" has well and truly begun. A key month lies ahead with most of March's matches seeing the First XI facing sides that are in the play-off mix.
Saturday 5th
Barnton (home)
NWCFL Division One
And here is the first one.
Barnton - there or thereabouts at the top of the pile since day one of the season - will be looking for revenge after we claimed a 2-1 win at the start of December.
Barnton's manager at the time, Leon Knight, said that win for us wouldn't alter the final outcome of the table come April. Maybe not, but what it does do is give us a slight psychological advantage. Barnton are beatable and, at the time of writing, are experiencing a bit of a wobble form-wise in the league: no wins in their last three league matches.
Last five seasons at Park Road:
2014-2015: lost 0-3
2013-2014: did not meet
2012-2013: did not meet
2011-2012: did not meet
2010-2011: did not meet
Wednesday 16th
Eccleshall (away)
NWCFL Division One
Once more the fixture Gods have decreed that we travel to deepest Staffordshire on a midweek evening (our third consecutive midweek visit).
Club development officer Brian Lindon can never get enough of the oatcakes at Pershall Park
Not that it has been a problem: the previous two visits saw wins for Cheadle Town, as did the two prior to that, making for an impressive away record at Pershall Park in recent years.
At the time of writing Eccleshall's form has picked up somewhat, seeing them gradually haul themselves away from the foot of the table.
Last five seasons at Pershall Park:
2014-2015: won 1-0
2013-2014: won 3-1
2012-2013: won 2-0
2011-2012: won 5-0
2010-2011: lost 2-3
Saturday 26th
Holker Old Boys (away)
NWCFL Division One
...or in other words, the longest-living hoodoo in Cheadle Town FC history.
I defy any club to have an away record at one particular ground as pitiful as ours at Rakesmoor Lane. No win there since a 4-2 one in the latter half of the 1998-99 season which makes it 17 years of travelling the 100 miles back down the M6 without anything significant to show for it.
The 3-3 draw back in 2011-12 felt like a win, mind. With the clock well into injury time Matt German hooked in an equaliser to send the bench into raptures. Let's hope we can go one better this time.
Because it's about time we did.
Last five seasons at Rakesmoor Lane:
2014-2015: lost 2-4
2013-2014: lost 1-4
2012-2013: lost 0-3
2011-2012: drew 3-3
2010-2011: lost 1-2
Wednesday 30th
Irlam (home)
NWCFL Division One
Another of the sides that are hanging around the play-off picture.
With games-in-hand to use, Irlam are in a strong position to mount a play-off challenge. They have yet to play us both home and away, so a win in both may be vital for us to keep them at bay, so to speak.
Irlam will be relying on their half-decent record at Park Road. Only one defeat in their seven visits since they re-entered the league back in 2008-2009.
Last five seasons at Park Road:
2014-2015: lost 0-3
2013-2014: won 4-2
2012-2013: drew 2-2
2011-2012: drew 2-2
2010-2011: lost 1-2
Cheadle Town 10-1 Atherton LR
Cheadle Town returned to winning ways in the most spectacular fashion as they clocked up double figures at home to Atherton LR
Well, what a day, and what a way to return to winning ways after a run of six matches without one.
Our biggest ever victory in league history and all and certainly our largest lead ever recorded at half-time (8-1), a feat made more remarkable given that it was achieved on what wasn't the best playing surface in the world; at 2.00pm and with the rain still beating down on an already soft turf, there were a few nervous glances towards sky and pitch.
The lack of any surface water meant that the ball still rolled and the game went ahead. The rest is history.
After a nondescript opening eight minutes where both teams were literally finding their footing, a remarkable first half (from a green and black point of view) started to unfold.
Thabiso Magida sent in a first-time cross from the left that could have been headed home by any one of three queuing Cheadle players; first in line was Mike Sherrington who nodded home into the far corner with the keeper stood rooted.
11 minutes: Mike Sherrington again, latching onto a through ball before rounding the keeper and slotting home.
17 minutes: Luke Pearson blasts home a penalty.
22 minutes: Liam Tongue crashes a free-kick off the post but Rick Whyatt is there to mop up the rebound.
27 minutes: Rick Whyatt returns the favour, squaring for Liam Tongue to tap home from close range.
37 minutes: Mike Sherrington gets his hat-trick, deftly flicking home a Liam Tongue free-kick.
40 minutes: Mike Sherrington in for his fourth and Cheadle's seventh, bouncing home a Magida cross from the right.
43 minutes: Liam Tongue just fails to convert a cross from the right but the ball falls to Rick Whyatt who blasts home from close range.
On the stroke of half-time Kristian Evans got LR on the sheet by nodding home a free-kick with LR then continuing to give Steve Piggott something to do after the restart, forcing him to tip a looping header and then a free-kick over the bar.
On the hour mark James Horan came on for Luke Pearson and got straight into the action with our first decent effort of the second half, unfortunately shearing his shot wide after he looked in a good position to score.
Four minutes later and LR were reduced to ten men. Mike Sherrington was through on goal with his shot saved by the keeper. Unfortunately for him his handling of the ball was outside the area and he was, harshly, given his marching orders.
The after effects of this incident weren't over and done with, as the resulting free-kick just outside the area was rifled home by Liam Tongue for Cheadle's ninth.
With eleven minutes to go double figures were achieved as Rick Whyatt bagged his hat-trick by crashing a penalty off the underside of the bar. It could have been eleven if James Horan hadn't scooped his effort wide shortly afterwards.
So, not a bad week. A stirring comeback at promotion favourites Hanley Town in midweek to claim a deserved point and now this, a match where the paying public got ten Cheadle goals for their five pounds sterling.
Four of them from Mike Sherrington. In a week where we have been cursing the loss of his brother Chris to the other side of the Stockport viaduct, Mike has ensured that the surname Sherrington continues to be a feature on the score card.
The king is dead. Long live the king.
TEAM: Piggott, McLaughlin, Pearson (Horan), O'Donnell (Nsimbe), Moore (Halliwell), Dunn, Tongue, Stevenson, Magida, M Sherrington, Whyatt. SUBS: Halliwell, Horan, Nsimbe.
Tickets On Sale for Non-League Finals Day
Tickets to the first-ever non-league finals day at Wembley Stadium are on sale now, with child tickets available from just £1
FA Vase and Trophy Finals to be played on the same day for the first time
Under-16s tickets for just £1
The FA Non-League Finals Day will be supporting Sport Relief
Festival of football which will showcase the best elements of the grassroots game
BT Sport to broadcast both games
Tickets to the first ever Non-League Finals Day at Wembley Stadium on Sunday 22 May are on sale now - with child tickets available from just £1.
The Wembley showpiece will host both The FA Vase and FA Trophy, with tickets priced at £25 for adults, £10 for concessions and just £1 for children under-16s. There is also a group rate, perfect for schools and clubs, of £12.50 for adults, £5 for concessions and £1 for children. Tickets are available from TheFA.com/tickets or call 0844 826 2010.
The day will provide an opportunity to showcase the world-leading English non-league system, recognise the 500 teams to have taken part in this season’s Vase and 276 in the Trophy, and celebrate the grassroots game, through activities and fan engagement during the day.
Fans will be allowed to pass in and out of the stadium to see exhibitions, information and examples of The FA’s work in the wider game including, FA Education, Refereeing, Women’s Super League and grassroots women and girl’s football, Skills, Disability and Walking Football, Facility Improvement, Club Development, League Development, Respect, County Associations, Technology and Volunteer Recruitment.
BT Sport will broadcast both fixtures with the FA Vase kicking off at 12.15pm and the FA Trophy at 4.15pm.
This year, The FA Non-League Finals Day will also be working closely with Sport Relief as charity partner for the day. For each booking (not ticket), the option will be given to donate £2.50 to Sport Relief.
Last March in The FA Trophy, in front of the BT cameras, North Ferriby United triumphed 5-4 on penalties against Wrexham, following a dramatic 3-3 draw. It was the Villagers’ first ever triumph in the competition in their history.
Then in May Glossop North End and North Shields battled out The FA Vase in front of over 10,000 fans, with the side from the north-east being victorious 2-1 after extra time.
Hanley Town 2-2 Cheadle Town
Cheadle Town produced a fantastic second half performance to draw at in-form Hanley Town on Tuesday evening.
It was third time lucky for this fixture to be played following the previous postponements due to the recent inclement weather. Due to injuries and player unavailability, Terry Hicks had to shuffle the squad around which saw Reserve players Aiden Lovett and Josh Stevenson start their first game of the season. Whilst we welcomed Kieran Halliwell following his recent transfer from Atherton LR and an even bigger welcome to Jimmy Moore who returned back to Cheadle Town following a stint at Atherton Collieries.
It was Hanley Town who had the first chance of the game on 7 minutes, but Stephen Piggott did well to save a shot at the feet of their striker.
Cheadle’s first chance came on 13 minutes when Liam Tongue found some space on the edge of the area, but could only fire his shot wide of the target.
Hanley broke the deadlock on 23 minutes when the Cheadle defence failed to clear the ball before it landed to the feet of Theo Stair who made no mistake and converted easily.
Hanley were unlucky not to double their lead on 37 minutes when Thabiso Magida cleared a goal bound header off the line. That until 38 minutes when Luke Hincks challenged a Hanley player in the area and the referee pointed to the spot. Hanley’s Theo Stair sent Piggott the wrong way to give them a two goal advantage.
HT: Hanley Town 2 Cheadle Town 0
Cheadle started the second half brightly and were unlucky not to score on 61 minutes when Josh Stevenson cut into the area from the right hand side and pulled his shot wide.
On 81 minutes Cheadle were awarded a penalty as Michael Sherrington was brought down in the area. In the absence of Luke Pearson, Magida stepped up to take the penalty and converted with ease.
Cheadle got their rewards on 86 minutes when Sherrington latched onto a through ball and drilled a low shot past the diving keeper.
With minutes remaining, Cheadle had the chance to win the game but James Horan could only poke the ball wide of the post.
February Preview
What's in store for our First XI this coming month?
January 2016 wasn't much cop: not a solitary league point to our name. Here's hoping February 2016 is a little bit better....
Saturday 6th
Rochdale Town (away)
After four matches on-the-bounce at Park Road it's a relief to be on the road again.
Rochdale Town may be saying the opposite: of the 20 league matches they have played at the time of writing, only 6 have been at The Mayfield so I'm sure they'll only be too glad to be on home turf for a change.
Our record here isn't that bad - only one defeat in our last six visits here - but we are well aware that a poor performance on our part against Rochdale Town will be punished, something that was ably demonstrated by our 0-3 home defeat in the reverse fixture back in autumn.
Previous five seasons at The Mayfield:
2014-15: won 4-2
2013-14: won 2-0
2012-13: lost 0-1
2011-12: won 1-0; won 3-2 (FDT)
2010-11: won 3-1
Tuesday 9th
Hanley Town (away)
A crucial clash.
A quick glance at the table will suggest that Hanley Town hold a massive trump card where the promotion race is concerned: in one of the top two spots anyhow (at the time of writing) and with a hatful of games-in-hand as "insurance".
Our two previous visits here haven't been without angst. On both occasions we got ourselves into good positions (we were 2-0 up last time around), only to be leaving Stoke-on-Trent with nothing but wounds to lick.
After the disastrous January we need to make another statement of intent along the lines of our win at Barnton back in December. Winning here would be just the tonic.
Previous five seasons at Abbey Lane:
2014-15: lost 2-3
2013-14: lost 3-5
2012-13: did not meet
2011-12: did not meet
2010-11: did not meet
Saturday 13th
Stockport Town (home)
Oh joy of joys, a local derby.
If you enjoy the tension of such occasions then go and see a doctor. To be frank, parochial willy-waving is not for me and unfortunately the football itself ends up coming second. Anyhow....
This could end up being another important fixture as far as the play-off shake-up is concerned as Stockport Town are also in the mix. Both sides already have one win to their name in this fixture - Stockport Town taking the First Division Trophy tie and us taking the three points at Lambeth Grove in the league fixture.
Any takers for the draw?
Saturday 20th
Atherton LR (home)
The NWCFL fixture gods have given us a week off on Saturday 27th (thus far - anything can change!) so this will be our swansong for February.
Not much to say about this fixture other than we hope to add LR to our list of teams that we have done the double over this season, thanks to a very comfortable 4-1 win at Crilly Park back in October.
If all of the above four fixtures take place as expected, then there will only be eight league fixtures left. Eight. Yes, the season end is that near already....
Previous five seasons at Park Road:
2014-15: won 2-1
2013-14: drew 1-1
2012-13: won 1-0
2011-12: did not meet
2010-11: did not meet
Cheadle Town 1-2 St Helens Town
Cheadle Town's ended January without collecting a single point as St Helens Town ran away with all three in this 1-2 defeat....
Begone, January 2016, and may another month like it never darken our door again.
This was the fourth straight defeat in all competitions, a sequence that has allowed the pack surrounding us in the league table to close in further and see the whites of our eyes. It's going to make for an interesting run-in.
Churlish as it is to cite refereeing decisions as the sole reason for failing to get a result, the one that was made deep into stoppage time had everybody scratching their head.
Tom Elford's pacey lump into the penalty area seemed to be completely missed by the St Helens keeper with the ball ending up in the back of the net and said custodian left in a heap with various other bodies.
Unfortunately for us the referee had decided that the St Helens keeper had been impeded in his efforts to catch the ball - an infringement that wasn't obvious to anybody wearing green - leaving everybody bemused.
An alternative sub-plot to this match was that St Helens should have been out-of-sight by then and the referee's curious decision at the end wouldn't have mattered either way. After going 2-1 up they squandered a host of chances to make the game safe, drilling wide with only Tom Elford to beat and, when they did manage to get the ball past Tom, forcing us into a last-ditch hack off the line.
When George Lomax went through on the hour mark and clipped past the oncoming Tom Elford to ultimately score the winning goal, it came sixty seconds after James Horan had seen a similar effort fingertipped past the post. Such are the fine lines in football at times.
That small passage reflected the mainly to-and-fro nature of the game...
...one that started poorly for us. After just three minutes Tom Elford seemed to have control of the ball from a St Helens corner in his hand one minute and was picking it out of the net the next; Gillespie marking his 100th appearance for the visitors by stabbing home with us protesting that it was from clean out of Tom's hands.
Chris Sherrington was then pivotal as we enjoyed a decent spell. He smacked a shot off the crossbar with 12 minutes gone before side-netting two minutes later after latching onto a cross.
Just before the half-hour mark St Helens missed a glorious chance to extend the lead. Michael Sacks miscontrolled a pass from Tom Elford straight into the path of a St Helens attacker with him thankfully planting it hopelessly wide.
James Horan was inches short of making decent contact with a Whyatt cross on the half-hour mark before we finally forced the ball home with five minutes of the half remaining. Luke Hincks' cross inviting all manner of Cheadle bodies to fling themselves at the ball with it eventually breaking for Chris Sherrington on the left of the box to slam home.
St Helens forced Tom Elford into a decent save at the start of the second half with Chris Sherrington just unable to shape his body in the right way to get the shot off following a cross, enabling the St Helens keeper to make the block.
Straight down the other end again and St Helens had the ball in the net following some sloppy play from us, but thankfully it was given offside, before a smart move from us resulted in Liam Tongue's effort from range being saved.
All of this in the first five minutes of the second half!
Tom Elford had to make another smart save at his near post on 56 minutes with us then managing to somehow flash the ball right across the goal-line with no takers to prod it home.
We did have the ball in the net in the last ten minutes but it was to be the second offside decision of the day...before the confusion that then reigned in stoppage time.
After spending the whole of January at Park Road, February starts with two trips on the road to Rochdale Town and Hanley Town before Stockport Town and Atherton LR make the visit to SK8 2AN. Here's hoping that a different month brings different results.
Onwards.
Footage of the match, courtesy of David Wright.
Prize Draw Winners
The latest Prize Draw winners have been announced....
The winners of the latest prize draw have been announced....
First Prize (£1000)
Ticket no: 04556
Mr M Gilbert, Edgeley
Second Prize (£500)
Ticket no: 03936
Mr D Seddon, Handforth
Third Prize (£250)
Ticket no: 03261
D Baxter, Romiley
Cheadle Town 2-4 Litherland REMYCA
Cheadle Town fell to their third straight defeat in all competitions with this 2-4 reverse at home to Litherland REMYCA
If you were a neutral that came to Park Road over the weekend and thought that you had good value for money having seen six goals then I'm sorry to tell you that you were cheated.
Given the number of decent chances that we squandered the scoreline should have been much richer on the goal front.
A lively start saw chances for both sides within the opening ten minutes.
REMYCA were through on goal after just 5 minutes but were stopped by Sacks nicking the ball from the striker's feet. Four minutes later and Richard Whyatt planted a header just over the crossbar down the other end.
Rick was close to opening the scoring for us on 13 minutes but was a matter of inches away from connecting to a Chris Sherrington cross; the first of many chances that would go begging.
The deadlock was broken three minutes later by the visitors when a move down the left saw the ball break to Colin Quirk who bagged smartly from an angle.
On the half-hour mark Tom Elford had to make a block on the line after some hesitancy in the Cheadle defence before Liam Tongue somehow side-footed over the bar from close range.
Another two minutes, another chance, as Sacks finds the ball at his feet from a corner but can't get them sorted quick enough to bundle home.
It was going to be that kind of day....
Another quality corner found nobody on the end of it again just before half time with James Dunn then having to make an excellent stop to prevent REMYCA punishing our profligacy even further....
...which they did a mere minute into the restart; Colin MacDonald heading home a cross from the right.
James Horan headed over from close range on 52 minutes before REMYCA punished us even further, extending the lead on 56 minutes as Wade Muscart finished at the far post.
On the hour mark we finally force the ball home. Dean Nolan had clipped the ball towards the back post only for it to be hacked off the line with Richard Whyatt then flicking home from close range from the resulting corner.
Another goal would make it interesting. Alas, it came from the visitors just two minutes later as MacDonald got his second of the game, latching onto a through ball on the right and drilling home.
The final ten minutes or so saw another flurry of chances for both sides.
Liam Tongue crashed one of his thunderbolts off the post before trying his luck again shortly afterwards, curling this one into the net to reduce the arrears.
Arrears which should have been tightened further by Arnold Nsimbe with five minutes to go. Only he will know how he didn't score from close range after connecting with a cross from the left.
There was still time for REMYCA to hit the crossbar and somehow screw a shot wide when clean through on goal.
After a very successful December, January is proving to be a bit of a nightmare. It's final game sees St Helens Town visit Park Road next Saturday. Here's hoping we can see the month out on a high.
TEAM: Elford, McLaughlin, Pearson, Naughton (Nsimbe), Sacks, Dunn, Magida (Hincks), Tongue, Horan (Nolan), Whyatt, Sherrington. SUBS: Nolan, Nsimbe, Hincks.
Cheadle Town 3-6 Tranmere Rovers
A video of all the goals plus plenty of pictures from the recent 3-6 defeat in the Cheshire Senior Cup
A video of the goals plus plenty of pictures from our plucky 3-6 loss to National League side Tranmere Rovers in the Cheshire Senior Cup.
Happy Birthday To Us!
Cheadle Town Football Club is 55 years old today!
55 years ago today Cheadle Town Football Club was born.
We weren't known as "Cheadle Town" back then - that didn't happen until 1983 - but as Grasmere Rovers instead and were formed by Chris Davies who is still at the club as Chairman after all these years.
The first ever Grasmere Rovers team
If you want to see more archive photos of the club through the years then head for the About Us section and click on History
WANTED: Commercial Manager
The club are looking for a Commercial Manager to help raise revenue....
Due to a slight "cabinet reshuffle" at committee level at the club we are now looking for a Commercial Manager.
The main remit will be to raise revenue for the club through advertising etc. and will be on a part-time, commission basis.
Interested? Contact Chris Davies on 07711 670782 or by e-mail on chrisdaviesctfc@outlook.com for full details
Cheadle Town 1-2 Ashton Town
Cheadle Town fell to their first league defeat since the start of October as Ashton Town did the double in this 2-1 win.
Damn you, Ashton Town. If we should fall short of the play-off picture by five points come the end of April, we shall be visiting your house with pitch forks and a rather irritable mood.
We might end up losing twice to other teams in this league yet this season but having taken the lead in both Ashton Town games this season we have twice gone on to do the one thing we rarely do (as the statistics tell us): lose once we have scored first.
This defeat wasn't as galling as the one back in autumn but is still irritating all the same. We "fell away", "ran out of legs", call it what you will in the second half thus allowing an improved Ashton Town performance after the break to get the better of us.
Credit to both sides for making a half-decent game of it on a rather difficult, sticky surface; one ideally suited to the sliding tackle and where every pass and manoeuvre had to be thought about for just that second longer.
It took 16 minutes for the first decent chance to come: John McLaughlin seeing his effort blocked well by the Ashton keeper after it fell to his feet at the edge of the box.
Two minutes later and we were ahead. Chris Sherrington scampered down the left, putting in an inch-perfect cross for the untroubled James Horan to head home from the centre of the box.
Liam Tongue sent a long range effort just wide on 33 minutes before Rick Whyatt should have put us 2-0 up, instead shovelling his effort over the bar when in a good position from close range.
Tom Elford was the first goalkeeper called into action in the second half, holding well from a drilled effort from the edge of the box before James Horan looped a shot inches over the bar following a flowing move from us.
Ashton Town then got their grip on the game.
Only a world class, last-ditch tackle from James Dunn stopped them drawing level on 56 minutes before they struck the crossbar with a speculative effort a minute later and then saw one of their substitutes get himself in a good position but shoot wildly over.
On 67 minutes, we demonstrated that it was the season of goodwill. Reacting to a through-ball, both keeper Tom Elford and full-back Luke Pearson managed to collide with each other on the edge of the box, allowing Ashton's Weaver to roll the loose ball into the net.
Liam Tongue then tested the keeper again with a fierce drive before Ashton went and took the lead nine minutes after their equaliser, Weaver by name and nature, switching inside and out on the edge of the box before finishing well.
No match for us this coming weekend. Next up is the Cheshire Senior Cup tie versus Tranmere Rovers on Tuesday 12th before a trip to Daisy Hill on Saturday 16th.
TEAM: Elford, McLaughlin, Pearson, Hincks (Naughton), Sacks (Kennedy), Dunn, Jones (Nsimbe), Tongue, Horan, Whyatt, Sherrington. SUBS: Kennedy, Nsimbe, Naughton, Piggott (gk)