Cheadle Town 0-2 Stone Old Alleynians

“There’s no place like home”.

We would disagree at the moment. Since the turn of the year we have struggled at Park Road; four league matches, four defeats. There’s two more opportunities to put that right before a rather indifferent 2018-19 campaign comes to a close.

All smiles during the pre-match warm-up!

Looking back at my notes for the match I recorded only one direct shot on-target for us in the whole match; that came on 18 minutes courtesy of Rhys Clooney. His effort from the edge of the area could have been one of those that the keeper failed to spot due to the traffic in front of him but he was alert enough to gather it safely.

Other than that we would have to admit that Stone OA had the better of it overall.

As early as the 3rd minute they got themselves down the right (their no7 Williams was a nuisance all match) only for their tall striker Tomlinson to head over from close range.

A couple of their corners then came to not-very-much before they forced a world-class save from Danny Whiting who somehow managed to push a point-blank header over the bar.

Rhys Clooney

Stone OA really should have been 1-0 up shortly before half-time as they contrived to act out the miss of the season. A header back across goal was on a plate for one of their unmarked strikers a yard out from goal but, with the goal gaping, he opted for a low header and somehow managed to scoop it over the crossbar.

They did take the lead early in the second half, though.

On 53 minutes Ollie Hatfield-Banton unfortunately got the ball stuck under his feet on the edge of the area with possession lost to Stone OA’s Samuel Wilson. With Danny Whiting off his line Wilson coolly clipped the ball over him into the far corner of the net.

Stone OA increased their lead on 72 minutes with a penalty that David Ablewhite crashed home.

Four more to go. Two at home, two away. Next up is a visit from Alsager Town this coming Saturday. 3.00pm kick off…..

TEAM: Whiting, Neild, Daulby (Son), Naughton, Dunn, Hatfield-Banton, Wallis, Egan, Clooney, Lewys (Benjamin), Knight (Ntalu). SUBS: Christopher, Ntalu, Son.

Cammell Laird 1-1 Cheadle Town

Given that these two teams have the highest number of drawn matches between them I suppose there shouldn’t be any surprises at the outcome.

It all could have been very different, however, were it not for some heroics from Cheadle goalkeeper Adam Stevens early in the second half.

Conor Naughton

In a match of very few clear-cut chances, Lairds will be ruing their most golden of opportunities on the 50th minute when they were awarded a penalty, only to see our Adam beat it away to safety.

That was the only real excitement of note in a rather staid second half. Rhys Clooney did manage to get himself in a good position on the 58th minute but shot straight at the keeper, Shaq Lewys saw an effort deflected wide and Joe Neild sent a long-ranger wide of the post just as the match was coming to an end.

Rhys Clooney had better luck in the first half when his effort on the 37th minute had brought us level.

Latching onto a neat through ball down the left channel he won his individual battle with his marker before breaking clear and drilling home past the onrushing keeper.

Congrats all round after Rhys Clooney pulled us level

Lairds had got themselves ahead in the 13th minute after, arguably, having the better of the early exchanges.

They had hooked an effort inches wide as early as the 2nd minute following a long throw-in from the right and had forced Adam Stevens into a good block some ten minutes later.

Mr Clooney with the Lairds defence in admiration

He could do nothing about the moment of quick-thinking shortly after, though.

Possession was lost in our midfield and, spotting Adam Stevens off his line, Lairds’ Elliott Jones thumped a shot from 35 yards over the top of his head and in off the underside of the crossbar.

Rhys Clooney then had his first chance to pull us level after a Nathan Ntalu shot had found its way to his feet on the edge of the area. He twisted and turned away from danger only for him to fire just over the bar.

Next up is a visit from high-flying Stone Old Alleynians this Saturday, 3.00pm kick-off.

TEAM: Stevens, Neild, Daulby, Naughton, Dunn, Hatfield-Banton, Ntalu, Egan, Clooney (Knight), Rodriguez (Wallis), Son (Lewys). SUBS: Wallis, Lewys, Knight.

Eccleshall 0-0 Cheadle Town

Another draw that doesn’t do anything to try and help crowbar ourselves away from 11th spot in the table where we seem to have taken root.

Both teams were complicit in providing the goalless scoreline, seemingly reluctant to put the ball in the net when presented with gilt-edged opportunities to do so.

Eccleshall probably had an inkling it was “going to be that kind of day” as early as the 28th minute. Having won themselves a penalty they were denied by an excellent Danny Whiting stop top his left, grasping the ball in flight without having to parry it to further danger.

Danny’s palms had been stung as early as the first minute when he had to deal with a well-taken free-kick but from that moment until the penalty it was all Cheadle.

Nathan Ntalu was sent scampering free down the right in the 9th minute but was denied by an excellent tackle before an outrageous passage of play on the 15th minute where we had three consecutive chances to take the lead.

Rhys Clooney bombed down the right and put over a delicious cross for Ben Brooks at the far post but his close-range effort was saved. The loose ball then kindly fell at the feet of Callum Knight but his effort was blocked with Tom Ratican then collecting and arcing a shot goalwards that was saved again.

Our “going to be that kind of day” moment came just before half-time.

Nathan Ntalu was sent racing clear down the right once more where he managed to delicately lob the onrushing keeper. Despite the fact he was following the ball in to absolutely make sure it somehow got cleared off the line at the last minute. We’re still not sure how it stayed out.

Connor Naughton keeps tabs on Eccleshall’s tricky no11

The second half started with more Cheadle pressure.

Ben Brooks nodded the ball back across goal for Ntalu to race onto but the keeper put in an excellent block at his near post to deny us yet again. From the resulting corner Ollie Hatfield-Banton plunged a free header over the bar.

The hosts then had a golden opportunity to break the deadlock moments later but dilly-dallied over it for far too long and did actually have the ball in the net just before the hour mark but was ruled out for offside.

Eccleshall went in on the Cheadle goal down the left twice more and squandered as the match became a bit more stretched towards the closing phase.

On 81 minutes the returning Rhys Webb clipped one in from the edge of the area but saw it tipped over the bar and that was the final decent effort on goal for either side as the match descended into an unfortunate climax with Ollie Hatfield-Banton receiving a straight red card for an off-the-ball incident.

The referee did his utmost to try and avoid a deadlock by adding on a hefty eight minutes of injury time but, having witnessed the profligacy from both sides, should have realised that was never going to bear fruit.

Next up is the visit of Maine Road this Saturday, the first of just five home matches remaining for our First XI.

TEAM: Whiting, Wallis, Ratican, German, Dunn, Hatfield-Banton, Ntalu (Magida), Knight, Clooney (Osakwe), Naughton, Brooks (Webb). SUBS: Osakwe, Magida, Webb.

Five-a-Side Pitch Bookings

Did you know we have a five-a-side football court at Park Road Stadium?

If you want to book a kick-around then do it quickly as booking slots are starting to go; it’s New Year…everybody wants to get fit again!

Interested? Simply call James on 07714 829696 or email him at james@cheadletown.co.uk to see what is available.

Slots are charged at £35 per hour and discounts are available for block bookings.

Cheadle Town 4-1 Ellesmere Rangers

After a clutch of matches against local opposition, teams coached by ex-coaches, top six etc. it made a pleasant change to engage in something without some sort of extra agenda.

On paper this looked like a home banker: Cheadle Town in great form, Ellesmere Rangers struggling at the foot of the table and to those who didn’t attend the resulting 4-1 scoreline would have been everything they expected.

It didn’t tell the whole story, mind, as Ellesmere certainly had their chances up to the moment we took the lead and gave some indication as to why their recent form had picked up.

Danny Whiting was called into action as early as the 4th minute, getting down low to block as Ellesmere broke down the right with our crossbar being clipped on 11 minutes when we suddenly found ourselves with a three-on-two situation.

Rhys Clooney - Mr Hat-Trick

Our first decent half-chance came on 17 minutes. Sheriff’s deep cross from the right was headed back across goal by Ben Brooks to Ben Christopher who looped a header just inches wide.

Ellesmere then had two more chances of their own leading up to the half-hour. Danny Whiting grateful for the shot being driven straight at him first of all with a simple give-and-go on the edge of our area setting somebody free on the right only for him to balloon his effort over the bar.

On the half-hour mark came the swing as we were awarded a penalty which Rhys Clooney duly buried.

Eight minutes later and we were two clear. Rhys Clooney collecting the ball in midfield, driving forward and shoving everything out of his way before rifling a left-footed shot into the roof of the net.

Kefala Sheriff

For all their efforts Ellesmere were now two-down in the blink of an eye.

Just after the hour mark Rhys netted his hat-trick, latching onto a Ben Christopher square ball from the left and taking his time to set himself before blasting home from close range.

Ellesmere got one back on 71 minutes from a penalty of their own which Adam Davies netted and then could have reduced the deficit even further on 80 minutes were it not for an excellent stop by the legs of Danny Whiting.

The match was put to bed just four minutes later, and for a change it wasn’t Rhys Clooney who was instrumental!

The tireless Connor Naughton saw a powerful drive cannon skywards via a pair of Ellesmere legs and spin towards the area. A bit of “after you, Claude” ensued in the Ellesmere defence and Ben Brooks was quickest to react to the falling ball, stabbing home past the hesitant keeper.

Thankfully New Years football isn’t a thing at this level and the players get a bit of a break after what has been a semi-hectic schedule. Next up is a really tricky away match at promotion-chasing Abbey Hulton United. Given our recent run of form we should have nothing to fear.

TEAM: Whiting, Wallis, Ratican (Neild), German, Dunn, Naughton, Sheriff (Ntalu), Taylor, Clooney, Christopher, Brooks. SUBS: Neild, Huynh, Ntalu, Todd.

Cheadle Heath Nomads 1-1 Cheadle Town

Muck and nettles.

A battle.

A real arm wrestle of a match.

A foul count off the scale.

A red card.

Yep, this was your classic, Boxing Day, non-league local derby. Two teams going at each other hammer and tongue and the shares spoiled at the end of it all…although, realistically, we had chances to wrap all three points up towards the end. But more of that later.

Out they come….

A passion play in two parts.

Nomads certainly with the upper hand for a majority of the first half, deservedly taking the lead, cursing their rotten luck as their main striker pulled up with a hamstring injury and then cursing substitute Ben Connolly as he lasted all of 30 seconds before being sent off for a rash lunge at Ollie Hatfield-Banton.

Then it was our turn to take to the stage, equalising early-ish in the second half and then squandering two gilt-edged chances in the dying embers of the match.

The tension of a cagey opening was broken 11 minutes in as Nomads provided the first shot in anger, scooping wide from a pull-back.

Robbie Wallis then went down the other end shortly afterwards only to see his decent chance blocked by the keeper before Nomads took the lead on 22 minutes when Leon Grandison was correctly positioned to tuck home the loose ball after it had cannoned off the crossbar.

Our Ollie; coolness personified

Four minutes later Lawrence Taylor - on loan to us from Trafford for a month so that he can get some game time following a long injury - looked to be galloping through on the right but was hacked down by a rather dangerous-looking challenge.

Once the arguments had died down Taylor himself stepped up to take the free-kick and was unlucky to see his effort smack the crossbar.

There were no more decent chances of note that half but two incidents that stopped Nomads in their tracks. First of all scorer Grandison pulled up sharply on the right wing clutching the back of his thigh and that was the end of his involvement; all of us at Cheadle Town FC wish him a speedy recovery as we all know how disruptive a hamstring injury can be.

And then, as Nomads reshuffled the pack, they brought on ex-Cheadle player Ben Connolly to fill the gap. No sooner had he entered the field when we was swiftly removed by the referee via a red card and so Nomads had to reshuffle again.

Conor Naughton

As alluded to, we had the better of the second half.

Conor Naughton headed wide in the opening exchanges before we got our equaliser on 53 minutes. Nathan Ntalu’s good work down the right saw him square for Lawrence Taylor who stroked the ball home in one movement.

Robbie Wallis was then sent clear down the left but just couldn’t get enough purchase on his shot, allowing it to be blocked by the keeper and spin harmlessly to safety.

Nomads were still dangerous and Danny Whiting had to be alert to spectacularly tip over a fierce drive from the right on 62 minutes.

Lawrence Taylor’s awkward, low free-kick almost deceived the Nomads keeper on 69 minutes before Ben Brooks headed just over from a corner as the match was entering the final ten minutes.

Nomads thankfully couldn’t capitalise on a short back pass before we then had two glorious opportunities to edge ahead, both of which fell at the door of Nathan Ntalu.

On 85 minutes he looked certain to bundle home a Ben Brooks cross from the left but the ball was somehow cleared off the line at the last minute and was then on the end of an Ollie cross from the right but planted his header wide.

It’s just the one league defeat in six matches now. We hope to continue that decent run of form this Saturday as we entertain Ellesmere Rangers at Park Road.

TEAM: Whiting, Neild, Wallis (Christopher), German, Dunn, Hatfield-Banton, Ntalu, Taylor, Clooney (Sheriff), Naughton, Brooks. SUBS: Christopher, Ratican, Sheriff.

After this minor disagreement all the players retired to the clubhouse for a mince pie and a sherry

New Mills 1-3 Cheadle Town

A local derby (in a geographical sense) this ain’t but there was plenty of interest as Mssrs Antony Trucca and Chris Seaton - once at the helm at Park Road - now find themselves in similar roles at New Mills.

There were some familiar faces in the Millers playing ranks as well as Danny Wood and Luke Cotton were on the team sheet.

Thankfully the rain that had battered the Church Lane pitch all day hadn’t had a bearing on its playability; hats off to the New Mills ground staff for managing to get the match on…

…and thankfully said rain eased just in time for the kick off of what turned out to be a fairly entertaining contest.

The first chance fell to us as early as the first minute; a corner from the right was spilled by the Millers keeper but we just couldn’t bundle it home.

Straight back up the other end a neat Millers move down the left saw Aaron Dwyer cut inside and arrow a shot inches over the crossbar.

Two minutes later, the first goal of the evening. Tabby Magida looked to have run out of room on the right as he travelled along the byline but he found enough space to squeeze in a shot inside the near post.

The action didn’t let up as Ollie Hatfield-Banton had to cut out a dangerous low cross from the right just two minutes later before a lull in play was broken on 14 minutes when Ben Christopher found space on the left but his well-taken shot was excellently palmed away by the Millers keeper.

Aaron Dwyer then scooped a shot just wide of the post moments later for the Millers, Rhys Clooney had a close-range shot blocked by the keeper and Danny Whiting had to claw an awkward looping header from under his crossbar.

On 28 minutes New Mills got their equaliser as Ed Driver converted a penalty.

This heralded a good spell for New Mills as they put us under considerable pressure.

From our own mistake in midfield we had to hurriedly thwart a dangerous-looking counter-attack and were let-off when a cut-back found an unmarked player in the area who thankfully pulled his effort wide.

On 41 minutes we delivered a counter-blow. Tabby Magida, working down the left-hand side this time, drilled the ball across for an onrushing Rhys Clooney to ram home from close range.

Our tails were up again and minutes later Rhys almost added to his evening’s tally as he raced clear on a counter-attack and was prevented from netting by a world-class saving tackle.

The second half was less to-and-fro as we dominated a large proportion of the play.

Substitute Sheriff’s first touch was to fire just wide from the edge of the area on the 46th minute with Ben Brooks then being set free down the left, only for him to stab his effort inches wide of the post.

Ben’s turn of pace would turn profitable on 66 minutes as he was upended in the box; Tabby Magida stepping up to net his second of the evening from the spot and give us a 3-1 lead.

It could have been more. Matty German delicately dinked Ben Brooks in on the right on 70 minutes but he slipped at the vital moment, Sheriff just couldn’t stretch his legs long enough to get onto the end of a cross, Rhys Clooney latched onto a pull-back from Naughton but just couldn’t get enough purchase on the shot and Rhys again a minute later was put through on the left but allowed the keeper to get the slightest of touches on it; the ball squirmed loose and we couldn’t scramble it home.

New Mills were reduced to two late chances in the final minutes.

A shot from the edge of the box deflected just wide (with Danny Whiting rooted to his spot) with a free header then fizzed over from the resulting corner.

Just the one league defeat in five now and the biggest test of all coming this weekend as top-of-the-table Rylands come to Park Road.

Our thanks to New Mills for their excellent hospitality and our best wishes to Mssrs Trucca, Seaton and Bradburn for the rest of the season. We’ll see you again next term!

TEAM: Whiting, Neild (Ratican), Wallis, German, Hatfield-Banton, Huynh, Magida, Christopher (Sheriff) (Russell), Clooney, Naughton, Brooks. SUBS: Ratican, Russell, Ntalu, Sheriff, Dunn.

Cheadle Town 0-1 St Martins

St Martins FC can count themselves very lucky indeed.

Lucky that they turned up to Park Road on this particular Saturday in November 2018, a day where we decided that we were going to do everything right but then squander gilt-edged chances in front of goal.

It ended up being that kind of day….

To wit, on 24 minutes when Ben Brooks squared for an unmarked Nathan Ntalu to surely sidefoot it home and give us the lead and then Ben himself on 79 minutes when he latched onto a lovely through ball from Matt German, opted to round the keeper but then could only plough his effort into the side netting.

Other opportunities arose (for those we are giving the visiting keeper deserved plaudits) but those two chances would have obviously been enough for a deserved win that would have put us on a firmer foot for a tough-looking month ahead.

A very bright start from us was almost rewarded with our first attack in the opening minute: Ben Brooks working well down the right to cut in and unleash a powerful drive that the keeper somehow managed to get an equally powerful hand to and push around the post.

Nathan’s miss midway through the half was sandwiched by a couple of decent half-chances for the visitors.

A break down the right resulted in the cross being stabbed just wide and then Danny Whiting had to be quick to bundle a chested effort around the post.

Chris Sherrington came on for Ryan Rogers at the start of the second half and was immediately in the thick of things, shooting just wide after Conor Naughton had put him in.

Another great stop from the visiting keeper came on the 56th minute as he was equal to Nathan Ntalu’s effort after he had raced clear down the right.

Ryan Rogers

That seemed to herald a period where the match got really stretched, both sides making unforced errors and half-chances for both sides, the best of which for us came on 69 minutes when Rhys Clooney sent a looping header inches wide of the post.

Straight down the other end St Martins took the lead with a quick attack down the right, Brendon Price netting from the angle.

Try as we might it just wouldn’t go in over that last 20 minutes, not least for Ben Brook’s glaring miss but also for his effort on 86 minutes where he was thwarted by a combined defender/keeper wall and then for Chris Sherrington in injury time who had the ball invitingly within his reach but just couldn’t get it to sit down in time.

Frustrating to say the least.

We’ll try our luck back on the road next Saturday at high-flying Wythenshawe Amateurs.

TEAM: Whiting, Neild, Wallis, German, Hatfield-Banton, Dunn, Rogers (Sherrington), Christopher, Ntalu (Clooney), Naughton, Brooks. SUBS: Todd, Hincks, Sherrington, Clooney, Lilley (gk)

Will Griffiths to Continue as First Team Manager

Will Griffiths

First XI Manager until the end of the season

Cheadle Town are pleased to announce that Will Griffiths will continue as First Team Manager until the end of the current season.

Will stepped into the role at the end of October and the six matches under his stewardship has included an impressive 5-0 win over Premier Division Bootle in the Macron League Cup.

Will’s links with Cheadle Town extend much further than those six matches, though. He has been the club’s Academy Manager since August 2018 and is also Head Coach at Little Sports Coaching, a role he has held since August 2016.

He has also played at a professional level too, being part of the Halifax Town squad that won promotion from the National League at the end of the 1997-98 season.

By his side will be John Phelan; in addition to his current role as Football Coach at Oldham Athletic, those of you from Tameside will know his name from his days as Head Coach at Ashton United and his four years as Coach of Tameside Boys.

The club see the continuity in appointing Will as a key factor and look forward to building upon results such as the Bootle cup win.

Will said: “I am very happy to have been appointed 1XI manager at Cheadle Town FC. I am excited to work with a club who share my ambitions, and look forward to a bright, successful future both on and off the field. I am looking forward to the challenge ahead.”

Cheadle Town 1-0 Oswestry Town

On the back of last week’s stupendous shellacking of Premier Division Bootle the million-dollar question was could we keep things going and prove that last weekend wasn’t a one-off?

In short, yes we could.

This was a performance as solid as the scoreline doesn’t actually suggest; we had plenty of chances - particularly in the first half - to have the match out-of-reach.

The penalty nine minutes in was the first notable incident of the afternoon.

Ben Brooks’ jet-heels took him clear on the left and the result of him being unceremoniously upended was swept home by Joe Neild for his eighth goal of the season.

Joe Neild’s penalty sends the keeper the wrong way to put us 1-0 up

Danny Whiting was then called upon to make a smart stop down to his left before the tireless Matthew German - captain for the day - narrowly fired over after a great run by Nathan Ntalu.

Just short of the half-hour mark we had two golden opportunities to stretch the lead.

Ben Christopher put Ryan Rogers in down the right for a clear shot on goal but he sliced his shot horribly wide with Ryan on the end of another chance just four minutes later, lashing wide after Ntalu’s shot had been blocked by the keeper.

Matthew German: captain for the day and Man of the Match

The visitors recorded one more decent chance just before half-time but thankfully when the ball was cut back from the byline it was mis-hit.

They almost got an equaliser seven minutes into the restart but were thwarted by an excellent piece of defending by James Dunn who spotted the danger and nipped in at the last minute when Danny Whiting had been rounded.

Ryan Rogers had another effort saved before substitute Rhys Clooney was found by Ben Brooks in acres of space in the box, only for him to plant it wide.

All eyes on the ball

We were given a let-off on 76 minutes when Oswestry shot wide from a left-wing cross (when the player was totally unmarked) before Matt German sent a looping header inches over the bar from a corner.

The final act of the day was Ben Christopher latching onto a through ball by Chris Sherrington down the left but his chance to really seal the deal ended up in the side-netting.

A big five weeks lays ahead. If the performances of the past two weeks can be maintained then it may be a happy new year after all….

Next up is the visit of St Martins this Saturday.

TEAM: Whiting, Neild, Wallis, German, Dunn, Hatfield-Banton, Rogers (Clooney), Naughton, Ntalu (Sherrington), Christopher, Brooks. SUBS: Huynh, Sherrington, Russell, Clooney, Lilley (gk)

Cheadle Town 1-2 Wythenshawe Town

Not really sure where to start with pigeon-holing this one.

The consensus on Twitter last night from those neutrals that attended was that it was “an entertaining game”. It was, to an extent, but it was also terribly scrappy in parts with both teams surrendering possession cheaply and/or resorting to long ball. It didn’t feel as “high key” as perhaps it should have been.

All plans I had of avoiding the use of Halloween cliches in this match report were thrown out of the window in the fourth minute when the visitors took the lead.

A ball that had been sent down the left channel and heading harmlessly for the byline was retrieved and then cleared, inexplicably, straight back into our own penalty area and into danger. Waiting on the edge of the area was Wythenshawe’s Sam Marshall who looked up and cracked home a fierce drive.

Horror show of a goal to concede. The nightmare start. Et cetera.

In the opening ten minutes the visitors had given us plenty to think about as we failed to get going.

James Dunn had to intervene with a fantastic last-ditch tackle even before we had conceded and an opportunity from a good position was wasted, thankfully, when they were in down the left-hand side once again.

Rhys Clooney’s long-range effort that went just wide on 11 minutes signalled our awakening and we were level just three minutes later.

Collecting a ball in from the left wing, Tom Ratican [and not Rhys Clooney as I had originally reported on Twitter] did very well to evade a series of challenges before rounding the keeper and slotting home from close range.

Just a minute later Robbie Wallis was sent scampering down the right but could only drag his resulting shot wide of the far post.

Danny Whiting then had to claw an awkward cross-shot from underneath his own crossbar on 20 minutes but then could do nothing about Wythenshawe re-taking the lead four minutes later when Brad Byrne latched onto a dinked ball down the right and waited for it to sit just right for him to unleash an unstoppable shot into the far corner.

And that was that in terms of goals, but certainly not in terms of chances as both teams poked and prodded each other in the second half.

Wythenshawe had two great chances within the opening six minutes of the restart.

A ball in from the right was met in the area with a great turn but the resulting shot was screwed well wide with Danny Whiting then doing very well to beat away a fierce shot at his near post.

Ben Brooks was then sent clean through down the right but was denied by a great stop by the keeper before a lull in proceedings was broken by substitute Rhys Webb’s fancy footwork down the left, annoyingly resulting in his shot cannoning off the post.

A Danny Whiting save at the far post in the 72nd minute was the final act on goal as the match petered out to its unsatisfactory conclusion.

The gap between us and the top spot is now 10 points. Of course there is still time to challenge for it but that will have to start now as we have a clutch of key matches coming up, mainly against those that have the same promotion ambitions as us.

Next up is a visit from high-flying Abbey Hulton United this Saturday.

TEAM: Whiting, Neild (Webb), Sherrington, Russell (Collinson), Harrison, Dunn, Wallis, Hincks, Clooney (Ambrose), Ratican, Brooks. SUBS: Collinson, Ambrose, Knight, Webb. Morrison (gk)

Cheadle Town 1-1 Cammell Laird

Cammell Laird always seem to time their visits to Park Road when change is in the air.

Last time they were here the club had just announced that they had become part of the Little Sports Group; this time it was to herald caretaker manager Will Griffiths’ first match.

Will Griffiths - king for the day

The opening exchanges were fairly balanced.

Lairds put Danny Whiting’s hands to early work as he easily held a free-kick that was fired straight at him with an excellent chance then falling to us on the 5th minute; Rhys Clooney getting on to the end of a Chris Sherrington cross, seeing his effort loop towards the line only to see it hacked away at the lat minute.

Lairds were in down the left moments later where it looked as though Danny Whiting has been rounded but he recovered well to make a stop.

On 13 minutes a free kick of ours caused all manner of mayhem with us unable to force it home from close range with Rhys Clooney then seeing a snap-shot from the edge of the area turned around the post with half-time looming.

From that we opened the scoring as Luke Hincks opened his account for the club for this season by glancing home a corner from the right.

All smiles after Luke Hincks’ opener

The pressure that we had been gradually building up continued into the start of the second half.

Within the opening minute of the restart Ben Brooks found himself in a good position with a free header but could only nod it straight into the keeper’s hands.

Rhys Webb then got himself onto the end of two crosses from Callum Collinson and Ben Christopher respectively but was denied by a great tackle and the legs of the keeper.

On the 68th minute Lairds were given a free header which was completely missed but this seemed to herald a strong finish from the visitors, one that would ultimately result in them getting an equaliser with just 11 minutes remaining; Ben Dutton-Kelly latching onto a ball popped into the right of the area and having plenty of time to tuck home.

A civilised discussion taking place

Danny Whiting then had to beat away a shot on 84 minutes and was breathing a sigh of relief when he came-for-and-missed a corner a minute later; thankfully the Lairds player air-shotted his opportunity to snatch the win.

On balance of play, all things considered etc. a draw was probably a fair result. With a swathe of home matches coming up, we have the perfect opportunity to close the nine-point gap that now exists between us and that single promotion spot.

Next up is the visit of Wythenshawe Town this Wednesday.

TEAM: Whiting, Wallis, C Sherrington, Hincks, Harrison, Dunn, Brooks, Christopher, Webb (Power), Clooney (Russell), Collinson (Rogers). SUBS: Huynh, Russell, Rogers, Power, Smith (gk).