2017-2018 Season Review: In Words

It's taken a while to make a start with this "wordy" version of the season review. Drafts have been written, scrapped and then started afresh. More than once.

The simple reason for this is that I've had difficulty in knowing where to start.

Off the pitch? On the pitch? Pre-30th December 2017 vs Post-December 30th 2017? The first third of the season? The middle bit? Or the last third? Or all of it in one great big lump?

Probably best if I just give you the segments yourself and you try and glue them together in whichever way you see fit. Here goes....

30th December 2017: Before and After

Off the pitch this is a landmark season.

On Saturday 30th December 2017 a new deal was signed which meant that the club became part of the Little Sports Group owned by ex-Cheadle Town player Craig Brennan.

Craig Brennan (far left) with members of the committee after signing the deal on 30th December

We stated at the time that the long-term benefits for the club would be manyfold but, even in the short space of five months, the change has been manifest.

Multiple "quick wins" such as sprucing up the clubhouse and streamlining many of the matchday operational aspects has gone a long way to raising the morale of everybody involved, morale that was in tatters following the trainwreck left by the mistakes made surrounding the ill-fated China trip last year.

The first indication that the long-term benefits would start to appear came last month when we heard that we were one of the two non-league clubs that had been awarded a £50,000 Buildbase Renevation bursary. We had been shortlisted for it last year but this time around we were better-prepared and our presentation to the Buildbase and FA bods at Wembley Stadium paid dividends.

Craig Brennan (centre) with committee members Stuart Crawford and Brian Lindon during the presentation day at Wembley Stadium.

We will start to see the benefits of that award very soon. Watch this space.

We're a different club now. I would have put my mortgage on me having to write the club's obituary in another five years' time if things hadn't have changed. It couldn't carry on they way they were and we had to change and adapt to survive.

Exciting times ahead.

The Same, But Different

2016-17 saw us finish in 12th position; 2017-18 has also seen us finish in 12th position.

Progress? Depends how you look at it.

We lost some very experienced players last summer and, going into the first competitive league match of the season, the profile of the starting XI was much younger than 12 months previous.

Amongst those that moved on elsewhere was Rhys Webb who netted 26 goals. Was there a viable replacement that could get anywhere near that total for 2017-18?

Step forward Rick Whyatt, opening the scoring at Atherton LR on the opening day of the season and managing to net on 26 occasions by the time the final match had ended. As mentioned on the statistical review of the season his goals were worth an extra 24 points to us, which would have meant a bottom-of-the-table finish.

Sir Richard Whyatt

Given the younger and hence less-experienced squad profile this season you might have been forgiven for thinking that we wouldn't fair as well in terms of league position but Anthony Trucca and his coaching staff have done a tremendous job in guiding us to that 12th spot.

So therefore you could argue that this season's 12th is a slightly better achievement than last season's 12th. Feel free to discuss otherwise in the Comments section below.

The Archetypal Mixed Bag

If you look at the win-draw-lose pattern for the whole season you will be met with a hellscape of inconsistency.

A fairly decent start over the first seven matches - including a decent 3-1 win at Sandbach United - followed by no win in five capped by a frustrating 0-2 defeat at home to ultimately hapless Nelson.

Another half-decent spell then followed, seeing us progress in the First Division Cup and League Cup, snatch a 2-2 draw on a feisty evening at Stockport Town and comfortably beat Cammell Laird 3-0 at home at the turn of the year.

Another bad spell followed, brightened only by a 4-1 battering of Alsager Town on their own turf which was only one of two wins in fifteen matches. The 0-5 defeat at home to Litherland REMYCA in the sapping mud of Park Road was a particular low point, as was an utterly depressing 1-2 defeat at home to Stockport Town who scored with their only two shots on goal all evening.

Bacup Borough 1-5 Cheadle Town: one of the highlights of the season

Then it picked up again as we entered April with only one defeat in seven matches.

There was a fabulous fightback away at Eccleshall where we ran riot during the last ten minutes to come out 4-3 winners; a comfortable 5-1 leathering of Bacup Borough away from home; a decent 3-2 win at New Mills and also a fabulous 2-1 win at Cammell Laird.

The grueling fixture schedule saw us run out of gas for the last four matches, losing two and drawing two, bringing the season to a somewhat disappointing end.

Summer Sun, Something's Begun...

It will be an interesting pre-season.

Work on the ground to prepare us for next season will start as early as next week as the pitch is given some high-level treatment by the wonderful Phil Mottershead who has done a sterling job this season in the face of the wettest winter we've ever known.

There may also be some charity matches to attend at Park Road and, before you know it, July will be upon us and the pre-season friendlies will be here once more.

There's also big changes at league level for next season as the First Division is split into two regional divisions: North and South. We're expecting to be placed in the South section which will mean a whole host of new places to visit.

We'll be keeping you updated with all of the happenings from Park Road over the summer plus all of the big announcements from the league AGM in June.

As ever, watch this space and keep your eyes peeled on our social media channels.

2017-2018 Season Review: In Numbers

Final League Position and Points
12th place with 53 points - same league position as last season but with 8 fewer points!

Home League Record
4 wins, 8 draws, 9 defeats - much worse than last season in terms of points return from our home matches

Away League Record
10 wins, 3 draws, 8 defeats - almost identical to last season

Goals Scored (in all competitions)
81 in total; 37 at home and 44 away - 21 less goals scored than last season

Sir Richard of Whyatt. Scorer of goals: 26 of them.

Goals Conceded (in all competitions)
102 in total; 51 at home and 51 away - how's that for balance!

Goals Scored Half-by-Half (in all competitions)
36 in the first half; 45 in the second

Top Scorer
Rick Whyatt with 26 in all competitions - exactly the same number as last season's top scorer Rhys Webb. Without Rick's goals we would have been 24 points worse off this season...and we would have finished bottom of the table.

Biggest Win
5-1 v Bacup Borough away from home, Hallmark Security League First Division

Bacup Borough 1-5 Cheadle Town. Chris Sherrington is happy.

Heaviest Defeat
1-8 v Stockport County at home, Cheshire Senior Cup Preliminary Round

Most Consecutive Wins
4 - that little run we put together towards the end of the season, starting with the 5-1 win at Bacup Borough through to the 2-1 win at Cammell Laird

Most Consecutive Games Unbeaten
5 - again, incorporating that little run at the end of the season, from the 3-3 draw at home v Eccleshall to the 2-1 away win at Cammell Laird

Most Consecutive Games Without a Win
8 - from the 1-1 draw and ultimate penalty shoot-out loss v Northwich Victoria at home in the NWCFL League Cup through to the 1-1 draw at home to Carlisle City

League Doubles
3 - Bacup Borough, Cammell Laird and Atherton LR (again)

Percentage of League Points Gained by Venue
40% at home and 60% of them away!

League Points Gained as a Percentage of Total Points Possible
42% - a bit of a dip from last season's 46%

Impact of Cheadle Scoring or Conceding First
Every year we highlight this because every year it is the same. Simply put if we score first then the likelihood of us getting something out of the match is significantly increased. Take a look....

What Happened When We SCORED First?

...and What Happened When We CONCEDED First?

Anything Else Worth Mentioning?

• Jake Ambrose was the second-highest scorer with 9. This was down to a late surge as 5 of those goals came in the final ten matches of the season!
• This was the first time we had failed to score v Daisy Hill. Ever.

Cheadle Town 0-0 St Helens Town

"When you reach the last page, close the book" or so the Chinese proverb goes.

So that's that for another season. We'll analyse the 2017-18 term a bit further in the coming weeks but what a shame the end of this season had to end with something that was, well, all very "end of season".

The final line up of the 2017-18 season....

St Helens were the first to show after just 3 minutes, forcing Steve Piggott - making his final appearance between the sticks for Cheadle Town - to come out and make a stop.

Chris Sherrington then almost put one over for his brother Mike to get on the end of before Chris himself got himself on the end of a cross on the left only to blaze his effort high and not-so handsome over the bar.

Another frustrating afternoon for Danny Wood, his rib injury getting the better of him again.

St Helens' no9 was then clean through on the left but rolled his chance wide before Chris Sherrington was left cursing the firmer ground as a lob of his ended up bouncing over the crossbar.

Mssrs Christopher, McGreevy, Nield and Ratican then all went close with efforts before the half-time whistle.

The second half only saw two chances of note.

On 57 minutes Mike Sherrington found himself through on the left before lobbing the keeper only to see it roll wide before he then caught said keeper off-guard following a poor clearance on 72 minutes; his effort from range striking the upright, summing the afternoon up perfectly.

And that was that.

All done for another year

Again, our thanks to Steve Piggott for his many years as custodian. We look forward to having him as part of the coaching staff.

Our thanks also to First XI managerial/coaching team Antony Trucca, Chris Seaton and Paul Hodson and also to Megan Ratcliff who has been an exemplary physio this season.

Statistics, reviews etc. to come. Watch this space.

TEAM: Piggott, Nield, Ratican (Ambrose), Holt, Delaney, Dunn, McGreevy, Wood (Farrow), M Sherrington, Christopher (Cotton), C Sherrington. SUBS: Cotton, Farrow, Ambrose, Allcock (gk)

Cheadle Town 3-4 Sandbach United

And all for five of your English pounds sterling.

If you were a neutral attending Park Road for this one, then we hope you enjoyed it. Seven goals, two of them in the "own" category and the winning team netting in the 90th minute.

As you can tell from the scoreline that team wasn't us. When we look at the statistics at the end of the season they will tell us that we have scored most goals in the last 15 minutes of matches but also conceded the most in that period, too. The most irritating of habits.

The goalfest got going in the 10th minute as Sandbach's Jordan Davies was put clear on the right before drawing Danny Whiting out of his goal, rounding him and rolling home for an easy finish.

We then had to reshuffle the pack soon after wards as Danny Wood's injury sustained vs Holker came back to haunt him, with Will Holt taking his place in midfield.

As we approached the half hour, a couple of chances for us.

Jake Ambrose raced through on the left before firing across the goalmouth before Rick Whyatt then had a close-range effort chalked off.

Our equaliser came on 31 minutes. Joe Nield hooking the ball back across the face of goal, causing enough havoc in the area for a Sandbach defender to bundle home into this own net from close range.

On 41 minutes we took the lead. After Chris Sherrington had whistled a free-kick just over the crossbar moments before, Jake Ambrose scampered down the left and kept a cool head to finish neatly inside the far post.

Three minutes into the second half, the lead had gone.

A ball in from the right found Sandbach's Chris Smith and he was given two attempts to stab it home from close range.

The next significant action came on the hour mark and saw the visitors retake the lead. A stray pass was seized upon giving Sandbach the chance to break. All of a sudden it was three versus one, with the ball shifted to the left for James Kirby to finish.

The tide then swung back the other way, resulting in us drawing level once more on 77 minutes.

Tom Ratican was sent chasing a ball down the right and, under pressure from Tom, the attending Sandbach defender planted the ball inch-perfect past his own keeper who had come out to assist.

Joe Shaw then got onto the end of a cross a few yards out from goal but the ball just wouldn't sit for him before a Tom Ratican cross from the right by a meaty shot from Liam Delaney that was excellently saved by the keeper.

Unfortunately there was still time for the match to swing once more and on the 90th minute, from their own throw-in on the left, Sandbach raced through on the left and poked home for a win that will do their pre-playoff confidence the world of good.

From having around a dozen matches left to play, in the blink of an eye we're down to the final waltz this weekend....

TEAM: Whiting, Nield, McLaughlin, Delaney, Shaw, Dunn, Collinson (Ratican), Wood (Holt), Ambrose, Whyatt, C Sherrington (M Sherrington). SUBS: M Sherrington, Ratican, Holt, Allcock (gk).

Cheadle Town FC Win £50,000 Buildbase Renovation Bursary

We've had to keep it a secret for the past two weeks but we can finally announce it.....

We are one of two non-league football clubs – the other being Needham Market FC – that have won the 2018 Buildbase Club Renovation Programme.

Ourselves and Needham Market (based in Suffolk) – competing either in The Buildbase FA Vase or Buildbase FA Trophy – will share the £100k product bursary for club improvements after succeeding at a pitching event for the six finalists held at Wembley Stadium connected by EE.

Chairman Craig Brennan delivering the pitch alongside committee members Stuart Crawford and Bryan Lindon

The product bursary includes building, electrical and hire products which will be provided by local Buildbase branches working with ourselves and Needham Market FC.

The judging panel from Buildbase and The FA selected us because the bursary will enable the club to open up its facilities to new girls’, women’s and disability teams as well as upgrading the clubhouse, changing rooms, showers and converting the shipping container that's located next to the Main Stand into an outdoor café.

Joint winners Needham Market FC will improve its facilities – including changing rooms, function rooms and a community café – to supplement the recently-installed 3G pitch and make the club a hub for the community.

Paul Roche, Managing Director at Buildbase said: “This is our second year awarding the product bursary to two non-league clubs and – from a total of almost 60 applications – we chose two richly-deserving winners that are investing both in their football clubs and the local community.

“Listening to them and all the shortlisted clubs was a reminder of the great work grass-roots football clubs do in often very challenging circumstances. We’re glad to help another two clubs accelerate their plans for the future.”

Chairman Craig Brennan said, “We’re delighted to win the £50 000 Buildbase Bursary, it will have a huge impact on Cheadle Town FC and our local area. The panel for Buildbase recognised how our vision for change would impact on everyone in the local community, especially at grassroots level.

Alongside our plans for facility improvement, we also have exciting plans for girl’s and women’s football development which this funding will support. The facility improvements complement Cheadle Town Academy and our partnership with Cheadle College to help local young people in the area to develop their career in football or sports coaching."

There will be improvements for the fan experience too and there are plans for a permanent café and improved changing and shower amenities."

It’s very exciting time for the club and Buildbase will accelerate our plans by two to three years, as we will not have to rely on fundraising activities to make the improvements we need to become a modern club that reflects the needs of the community."

Members of the committee have been invited back to Wembley Stadium for an on-pitch presentation during FA Non-League Finals Day on Sunday 20th May.

Last year, the Buildbase Club Renovation Programme provided £100,000 of building, electrical and hire products available for two clubs – Hanwell Town FC and Cleethorpes Town FC – both of which have made significant improvements to their facilities.

Cheadle Town 1-1 Holker Old Boys

Big smiles from our match mascot Freddie

On balance, a draw was probably about right. Both sides had their chances with the more gilt-edged ones falling to us, you could argue.

Both goals came in the second half but how we, in particular, went in at half-time with a "nil" to our name is baffling.

Holker had the first decent chance of the match after just five minutes; the ball worked down the right and cut across for an unmarked player on the edge of the box, only for him to lash the effort wide.

On 13 minutes Rick Whyatt went on a journey down the left, evading a couple of challenges before suddenly finding space, only for him to toe-poke it over the bar.

Five minutes later Ryan Allcock did well to tip a snap header over the bar before a Chris Sherrington cross-shot bounced off the crossbar with the loose ball hammered back in and blocked by the keeper.

A better chance fell our way on 22 minutes. Again, Chris Sherrington's work down the left was key as he laid a perfect cross for Liam Delaney to meet it with a rising header. Unfortunately, under pressure from the Holker defence, his header was misdirected wide.

Josh Harrison. Plus evening sun.

Just four minutes into the second half Holker opened the scoring.

We failed to effectively clear the ball from the box and when it was returned to Brandon Collins on the edge of the area, he turned and fired it past Ryan Allcock in-off the post.

It wasn't until the hour mark that we started to apply the pressure once more.

Liam Delaney set Tom Ratican free down the right with a searching pass with Tom firing a drive across the face of goal and just wide of the post.

Three minutes later and we were level. Tom Ratican turning provider this time, drilling the ball in from the right for Jake Ambrose to turn sharply in the box and smash home into the roof of the net.

Another three minutes later we should have been 2-1 up. Jake Ambrose's drive from range was parried by the Holker keeper and invitingly into the path of the onrushing Rick Whyatt, who somehow managed to lift it over the bar from a yard out.

In the final ten minutes Holker tried to make their one-man advantage count (we had James Dunn sent off for a second yellow card).

Seven minutes from time they broke free down the right only for the resulting shot to fly just wide of the post, before we then stabbed it inches wide following a corner.

For those interested in statistics we now can't match the points total of 61 (but we can get damned close) that we managed last season and we are guaranteed of finishing between 10th and 14th inclusive. Not at all bad considering the limited resources plus the congested end to the season.

And there's more. Two more, starting tomorrow night at Park Road as play-off candidates Sandbach United are the visitors.

TEAM: Allcock, McLaughlin, Harrison, Delaney, Shaw, Dunn, Ratican, Wood, Ambrose, Whyatt, C Sherrington. SUBS: Jones, Holt, Cotton, Collinson, Whiting (gk).

Committee member Karl with MCWFC's Georgia Stanway and Izzy Christiansen. Georgia was at Park Road to watch her brother play for Holker.

AFC Blackpool 4-2 Cheadle Town

We were excellent for the opening ten minutes and all.

As early as the first Chris Sherrington had forced an excellent stop from the AFCB keeper after he sent in a thumping effort before contributing to our opener just two minutes later.

Haring down his favoured left wing he planted a teasing ball across the face of goal where his brother Mike stormed in to side-foot home his sixth of the season.

All smiles as the players celebrate the opening goal

Chris then eyed up a spectacular volley as the ball dropped for him but that was blocked.

And then that was it. We just faded away into making poor decisions and giving the ball away.

One glimmer was a superb Rick Whyatt header from a throw-in that was brilliantly tipped over the bar as the half came to a close.

But by then AFCB had got themselves back into the game and also got themselves level just after the half-hour mark.

Danny Whiting had already made an excellent save tipping a header onto the bar but from the resulting corner Ben Duffield bundled home from close range.

Four minutes into the restart AFCB nosed themselves into the lead. A corner from the left was cleared as far as the edge of the area where Zac Hargreaves was waiting to pick his spot and drill low past Danny Whiting.

On 53 minutes we had an excellent opportunity to draw level as Liam Delaney latched onto a long ball and poked it past the onrushing keeper; unfortunately as Mike Sherrington chased the loose ball the angle died on him and he couldn't quite hook it home.

On 65 minutes the hosts extended their lead. A throw-in from the left was nodded on and Conah Bishop stole in quicker than everyone else to slide home from close range.

With 20 minutes to go AFCB were down to ten men following a straight red and within five minutes we had made our numerical advantage count and reduced the deficit; Chris Sherrington instrumental down the left again as his fizzed cross was met by a Rick Whyatt thumping header at the far post for his 26th of the season.

Alas, within four minutes of that we were back chasing a two-goal disadvantage. From another AFCB throw-in, Billy McKenna's shot from close-range spun off one of our defenders and flew into the far corner with Danny Whiting completely wrong-footed.

Fast-forward another five minutes and perhaps the biggest indication that it wasn't going to be our day as Rick Whyatt flicked home from close range to get us back into the match.

Or so it seemed, as a long consultation betwixt referee and linesman ended up with the goal being chalked off, despite said linesman not flagging for any indiscretion in the first place.

Post-mortem....

That's it for our travels this season as all of our remaining matches are at Park Road. Plus, given the North/South split in the First Division next season, that's it for our journeys to AFC Blackpool and all.

We'll miss Billy Singleton's hospitality and stories but our goalkeepers will not miss the rapier wit and barracking from AFC Blackpool's 'Tin Hut Brigade' behind the net.

Just three to go....starting tonight against Holker Old Boys.

TEAM: Whiting, Nield, Harrison, Delaney, Shaw, Dunn, Ratican (Collinson), Holt (Wood), M Sherrington (Jones), Whyatt, C Sherrington. SUBS: Jones, Wood, Collinson, Piggott (gk).

Many thanks to Simon Whitehead for the photographs.

Cammell Laird 1-2 Cheadle Town

Well will you look at that?

From a period that saw us go seven matches without a win to one with four wins on the trot; a month is a very long time in politics and an even longer one in football.

The run started with a show of piercing attack at Bacup Borough and was continued last night with one of resolute defence.

At the end of the rainbow, Mssrs Trucca, Allcock and Whiting. And three points.

It had to be resolute as we were down to ten men for 99% of the second half - Callum Collinson taking the early shower for a second yellow card - with Cammell Laird putting us under some severe pressure, particularly in stoppage time, after they had pulled a goal back.

Before all of that fingernail-biting nonsense started to unfold, we had built ourselves a deserved 2-0 lead thanks to our first-half endeavours.

After a shaky opening ten minutes which had already seen Joe Shaw collect a yellow card in the 2nd minute (hindsight tells us that he was going to have a card-happy evening), we settled down, got our passing game going and took the lead on the 12th minute; Chris Sherrington firing in a free-kick that the Lairds keeper couldn't hold, allowing Rick Whyatt to react and bundle the ball home from close range.

Ryan Allcock had to be quick moments later to come out and punch clear before seeing the Lairds no11 screw a shot across his goalface and wide of the post.

Just after the half-hour we stretched our lead further thanks to the Sherrington brothers combining: Chris' free-kick on the right fizzed in for Mike to steal in ahead of his marker and sharply head home.

Mike then had a chance to make it 3-0 when he burst through on the right but was denied by an excellent block by the Lairds keeper before Ryan Allcock was called into action on the stroke of half-time; like his counterpart did beforehand, he also had trouble holding onto a free-kick but was quick enough to recover and make a second stop.

Callum Collinson had already received a yellow card for kicking the ball away midway through the first half before collecting another some 60 seconds into the restart.

Some five minutes later our lead was cut - Cooper's run-and-shot taking a nick off one of our defenders to wrongfoot Allcock - which meant that for the next 40 minutes we would have to show some resolve.

And we did. In spades.

We limited Cammell Laird to very little in the main body of the match - Ryan Allcock pushing away an acrobatic effort on the 65th minute - but then came under siege in stoppage time after the hosts won a succession of corners, all of which caused heart-in-mouth moments but all of which were expertly dealt with by our back line.

We would have to wait for any window of opportunity to steal a third. We were given two: Rick Whyatt unleashing a long-ranger on 79 minutes that had the keeper scrambling to push it away and a cross from Chris Sherrington on the left that somehow didn't go in after cannoning off Luke Cotton and the Lairds keeper.

And all of this amidst a volley of yellow cards from the referee. We came away with six bookings (including the two for Callum) and, whilst I wasn't counting Lairds' tally, they also had a man sent off in the 87th minute. We can only assume the conversation between referee and his assessor in attendance went long into the night.

Together...

The frequency of fixtures has meant a tough run for our coaching/managerial staff and the players but they have coped with it admirably. In another 24 hours they are all on the road again as they head to AFC Blackpool for the final away match of the season.

Just four more matches remain....

TEAM: Allcock, Nield, Harrison, Holt (Delaney), Shaw, Dunn, Collinson, Wood (Jones), M Sherrington (Cotton), Whyatt, C Sherrington. SUBS: Delaney, Cotton, Jones, Whiting (gk).

Bacup Borough 1-5 Cheadle Town

If you made your way up to Bacup last night - fighting the worst the M60 has to offer on the way - and paid your dues at the gates of Bacup Borough FC for 90 minutes of football then you would have been treated to the full gamut of goal types.

The well-worked one; the speculative shot from distance; the one as a result of great anticipation; the "he didn't really mean that, did he?" worldy; the spectacular lob.

All five types scored by us and all - with only the one reply from our hosts - on a top-notch evening.

The well-worked one (2 mins)

Liam Delaney had already had a volley beaten away by the Bacup keeper when our not-quite the quickest goal of the season (Chris Sherrington's opener vs Abbey Hulton United in the First Division Trophy holds that accolade) was then netted shortly afterwards. Some neat build-up play on the edge of the area set Danny Wood free down the right and all he had to do was square it for a waiting Rick Whyatt to tap home at the far post.

The speculative shot (27 mins)

It was becoming fairly evident that the Bacup keeper was having trouble keeping a firm grip on anything that came his way. Liam Delaney picked up the ball some 30 yards out and tried his luck with a low drive, seeing his effort nestle home after the keeper had completely misjudged his own attempts to block it.

The one as a result of great anticipation (41 mins)

Joe Shaw lined up a free-kick some 30 yards out and blasted it on target. The Bacup keeper failed to hold it and first to react was Chris McGreevy to poke home the loose ball at the near post.

The "he didn't really mean that, did he?" worldy (56 mins)

Danny Jones was brought on early in the second half as Chris McGreevy had started to struggle with an injury. Being of ample height he was asked to provide the mandatory knock-ons and hold up play but on the 56th minute he found himself somewhat out of position wide on the right. The thunderous cross - or was it a shot? - he sent in caught the keeper off-guards and it sailed in over his head.

The spectacular lob (87 mins)

As Tom Ratican chased a through ball on the left the Bacup keeper came haring out of his box. Tom won the race to the ball and sent it high, so high that we thought he'd overcooked it. Not so as it ended up being the perfectly-measured lob, dropping in just underneath the crossbar to give the victory that extra layer of gloss.

Smiles all round....

As far as the match as a whole in concerned, you have to say that it was a fairly dominant performance by us.

Bacup had their spells, namely a fifteen-minute one in the first half where they had a couple of half-chances, the first five minutes or so of the second half where we had started sloppily and, of course, their goal which frustratingly denied us a clean sheet (we haven't had one of those since the end of December), coming on the 85th minute when Danny Whiting parried a shot into the path of Bellamy to stab home from close range.

We were measured, calm, and fine value for the 5-1 win. All a far cry from the disappointments of Daisy Hill away and the 3-3 draw vs Eccleshall.

Two wins in twelve matches...or is it just the one defeat in five? Depends whether your a "glass half-full" or "glass half-empty" kind of person.

Just the seven matches left now. Atherton LR are the visitors to Park Road tomorrow....

TEAM: Whiting, Nield, McLaughlin, Delaney, Shaw, Dunn, Ratican, Wood (Holt), McGreevy (Jones), Whyatt (Collinson), C Sherrington. SUBS: Collinson, Holt, Jones, Piggott (gk).

Cheadle Town 3-3 Eccleshall

For the second time in the space of a week, commanding a 3-1 lead at the 83rd minute in this fixture wasn't enough to win the match.

It was Eccleshall on this occasion that provided the comeback, somewhat healing the wounds we opened when we staged a similar escape act at Pershall Park last week.

First blood went to us this time around, netting after just six minutes after a neat move in and around the edge of the area set Mike Sherrington free to comfortably roll home from close range.

Callum Collinson then had a free-kick tipped over the bar before Rick Whyatt was a matter of inches away from connecting to a ball in from the right.

On the half-hour Eccleshall slowly started to get themselves a foothold in the match and were level on the 36th minute.

A deflected shot had gone wide and from the resulting corner, Eccleshall's Wakefield stooped low from close range to bullet home a header.

The visitors' tails were up and it then took a superb last-minute challenge from Joe Nield to prevent them taking the lead just two minutes later.

We started the second half brightly - Jake Ambrose somehow failing to convert from close range after Rick Whyatt had drilled the ball into the box - but then faded badly, allowing Eccleshall two free headers in quick succession which they thankfully failed to convert.

Chris Sherrington was brought on as part of a double substitution on the hour mark and it was his somewhat fortunate goal on the 66th minute that kick-started us back to life; whether he meant his cross from the left to actually sail in over the keeper's head is up for debate!

Both Whyatt and Cotton failed to get onto the end of a teasing Joe Nield cross before Rick's looping header on 70 minutes was cleared just in time.

With ten minutes of the match remaining, we extended our lead.

Some superb work by James Dunn on the right saw him thread a ball through for Rick Whyatt who checked, turned inside and unleashed a vicious drive down low to the keeper's left.

Three minutes later and Eccleshall were back in the match. A free-kick from just outside the area bobbled awkwardly in front of Danny Whiting as he was going down to gather it, rebounding back into the air just at the right height for an alert Thomas Wakefield to nod home.

On 87 minutes a great combination between Whyatt and Cotton saw the latter in on the left but his fierce shot was beaten out by the keeper.

With stoppage time coming to an end, Eccleshll rolled their final dice and came up with a six.

A long throw-in from inside our area was knocked on for Daniel Needham to latch onto just outside the area. With an oncoming Danny Whiting to close the angle, the "knock it over him" option was the only one he had if he was going to score. Unfortunately for us he kept a cool enough head to do just that and ensure that, with what was the last kick of the match, Eccleshall went back down the M6 with a point tucked under their arms.

We're back on the road this Thursday evening as we travel to Bacup Borough.

TEAM: Whiting, Nield, McLaughlin, Delaney (Shaw), Dunn, Harrison, M Sherrington (Cotton), Wood, Ambrose, Whyatt, Collinson (C Sherrington). SUBS: Cotton, C Sherrington, Shaw, Piggott (gk)

Daisy Hill 1-0 Cheadle Town

<sigh>

All of the air pumped into the balloon from Wednesday evening's fantastic comeback at Eccleshall popped in the blink of an eye. One step forward, two steps back.

After a half-decent start we faded badly and never really recovered to get ourselves going again. Mis-placed passes, wrong choices and a general failure to keep hold of the ball amounted to a dolly mixture of frustration.

Whether Daisy Hill's penalty, midway through the first half, was a penalty was debated hard and long at the time, but even Danny Whiting's superb save ended up being in vain as the rebound was popped into the unguarded net. It was definitely that kind of a day.

Danny Whiting gets down to save the penalty....

The returning Mike Sherrington had the first chance, firing over after his brother Chris had directed a Liam Delaney pass into his path with Chris then almost connecting with a Tom Ratican cross, only to see a Daisy defender nipping in just in time.

Danny Whiting then made his first significant save of the day on 15 minutes before the hosts should have been 1-0 up shortly afterwards, firing over from the edge of the area with the goal at their mercy.

Joe Nield then brought an excellent save from the Daisy keeper after his fierce drive looked to be heading for the top corner before a great solo run brought about Daisy's penalty that might not have been a penalty.

Danny Wood

We responded straight away.

Chris Sherrington latched onto a loose ball in the area to bring out a great save before Sherrington (Michael version) was clean through on a lofted ball only for he to be denied by the keeper too.

Two super stops from Danny Whiting bookended the periods just before and just after half time, the second an impressive effort to tip over a looping header.

"Over there...."

The only significant efforts we had in the second half were round about the hour mark.

A nice combination of Dunn and Chris Sherrington gave substitute Danny Jones a chance but he lashed his effort wide before a James Dunn cross from the right was blasted wide by Joe Shaw.

To cap the day off there were chaotic scenes after the final whistle which resulted in two red cards for Daisy Hill players and a sore chin for Joe Nield. Work the rest out for yourselves.

Mssrs Harrison, Nield and Shaw

We're back in action again tonight [Monday] when Eccleshall visit Park Road. Time to pick up the pieces from this horror show and get back on track.

TEAM: Whiting, Nield, McLaughlin, Delaney (Dunn), Shaw, Harrison, Ratican, Russell, M Sherrington, Wood (Jones), C Sherrington (Farrow). SUBS: Jones, Dunn, Farrow, Piggott (gk).

Eccleshall 3-4 Cheadle Town

Putting the manner of the victory to one side for a moment, my goodness me did we need that win.

We travelled to Staffordshire on the back of seven league matches without a victory and had got ourselves into a bit of a funk.

History dictated that this was the perfect opportunity to break that bad run. On each of our previous six visits to Pershall Park we had come away with all three points and last season's 32nd league match of the season just happened to be one of those said victories.

We did make it seven consecutive wins at Eccleshall but in the most astonishing manner possible.

Astonishing because at the 83rd minute we were 1-3 down and looking fairly hopeless, having had a raft of chances but conversely being sloppy enough to have presented Eccleshall with three [successful] opportunities to score.

Rick Whyatt got us going after just 3 minutes, latching onto Chris Sherrington's head-back only to fire straight at the keeper before Chris himself burst down the left but unluckily saw his cross cut out with Mssrs Whyatt and Cotton lurking at the back post for what would have been an easy finish.

And more...and the match was barely 15 minutes old.

Luke Cotton headed over a Whyatt cross from close range with us then failing to bundle home a Chris Sherrington corner that caused all sorts of chaos in the Eccleshall box.

Joe Nield was through on the right but perhaps hesitated too long thus allowing an Eccleshall defender to nip in before Liam Delaney then sent a vicious dipping shot just over the bar.

On the half-hour, the sucker punch.

Eccleshall's no 11 Daniel Needham was sent scampering down the right with only Joe Shaw for company. He managed to cut inside and send a precise angled drive past Danny Whiting to give the home side a surprise lead.

We were rocked a bit as Eccleshall then almost went 2-0 up shortly afterwards; Danny Whiting palming away a fierce drive after we had surrendered possession in the final third of the pitch.

The first half ended with Luke Cotton heading a Chris Sherrington free kick over the bar and Rick Whyatt blazing over from close range.

We continued the second half as we had left the first.

Just two minutes into the restart Liam Delaney was in space when he met a Chris Sherrington free kick but somehow managed to shin it over the bar with Luke Cotton sending a looping header onto the crossbar on the 51st minute.

Rick Whyatt then drove one in from range on 56 minutes only to have it tipped round the post with Danny Whiting then kept busy straight down the other end, timing his surge out of his area to perfection to thwart a dangerous-looking counter-attack.

On the hour, another sucker punch.

From our own goal kick we managed to lose possession in midfield. Eccleshall shifted the ball to Louis Downs on the edge of the area for him to drill home off the inside of the post.

We delivered a response almost immediately.

Straight from the restart a Chris Sherrington cross from the left was met by a rising Jake Ambrose to nod home and get us back into the match.

Perfect. Our tails were back up again. Could we go on?

After two wild swings at the ball in our own area that thankfully didn't result in anything we went up the other end and should have equalised when Liam Delaney got onto the end of a Chris Sherrington corner but completely misjudged his effort, sending it harmlessly wide.

Our momentum was checked once more in the 71st minute when Eccleshall regained their two-goal advantage; Louis Downs again, this time with a well-placed free-kick from the edge of the area straight into the top corner.

Again, we were rocked a bit and perhaps could have gone further behind as some calamitous defending allowed Eccleshall to nip in behind us; thankfully they stabbed a good chance wide.

With just 15 minutes of the match remaining Tom Ratican had come on and had stung the palms of the Eccleshall keeper, forcing him to parry it straight to Jake Ambrose who buried the loose ball into the roof of the net. Alas, he was flagged offside and you wondered whether this was going to be our night at all.

In the space of five crazy minutes, it was.

83 minutes. Another of the substitutes, Tom Russell, floats in a lovely ball from the right which is perfect for Tom Ratican to thump home a header. We're back in it again, and with time to perhaps snatch a draw.

86 minutes. Another cross from the right but this time not hit with as much venom. It rolls casually into the Eccleshall penalty area and is left by everybody in one of those "after you, Claude" moments. Jake Ambrose steals in and manages to poke it under the body of the keeper. We're level and you know what, the momentum is with us and there's enough time to get a winner.

88 minutes. Danny Wood lofts a diagonal ball into a crowded penalty area. Jake Ambrose traps it brilliantly with all manner of other bodies and limbs surrounding him and keeps his head to calmly stab it home from close range. Absolute delirium.

In the blink of a footballing eye we have gone from despair to utter joy. Moments like that have been all too rare this season and it was good to see that we can go on to win a match having conceded first; this was only the second time that we have done so this season.

Eccleshall come to us next Monday evening. Beware the wounded animal, Cheadle. They will be hurting.

Next up for us? It's mid-April so therefore it must be Daisy Hill away. Oh yes, so it is....

TEAM: Whiting, Nield, McLaughlin, Delaney (Russell), Shaw (Ratican), Harrison, Ambrose, Wood, Cotton (Collinson), Whyatt, C Sherrington. SUBS: Russell, Ratican, Collinson, Piggott (gk)