Atherton LR 1-6 Cheadle Town

As responses to previous misdemeanours go, this was perfect.

The memories of last week's horror show at Maine Road were swept away by a tide of punishing, attacking play that brought a deserved hat-trick for Rhys Clooney, a brace for Rhys Webb and one for Liam Delaney.

We were making inroads into the LR box as early as the opening minute, forcing their defence into a series of key blocks before Liam Delaney stabbed an Abreu cross just wide a couple of minutes later.

Rhys Webb then had a go straight after, shooting just wide after cutting inside from the right before another foray into the box brought the opening goal on 11 minutes; Clooney meeting a right-wing cross with a pinpoint header into the corner of the net.

Tom Russell

The two Rhys' combined on 22 minutes when Webb put Clooney through with the latter's finish just lacking the legs to take it over the line before we stretched our lead just a minute later: good work by Ruben Abreu down the right saw him cut the ball across for the waiting Liam Delaney to drive home.

LR's best chance of the first half came just before the half-hour mark when they raced clear and looked set to round Danny Whiting but a slip at a vital moment - not his fault as the surface was on a greasy side - allowed us to hoof the ball clear.

On 35 minutes we went 3-0 ahead when the two Rhys' combined once more. This time it was Clooney feeding Webb with a threaded ball to the edge of the box where the latter took his time to pick his spot and place it into the roof of the net.

An LR free-kick did give us something to think about just before half-time which we had to hastily hack clear but we looked comfortable and very good value for our 3-0 lead....

....a lead that was extended even further on 53 minutes with an absolute beauty from Rhys Webb. 

Receiving the ball a good 35-40 yards out he advanced on goal but didn't look to have many options as he had three LR defenders for company. A few twists and turns later he opened up enough space for himself to curl a shot into the top corner that left the keeper stranded. 

Rhys Webb curls it home for Cheadle's fourth of the match

Four became five on the hour mark. A sweeping move forward made up of one-touch passing set Rhys Clooney free on the right. With the LR keeper bearing down on him he kept his head to slide the ball wide of him into the unguarded net.

Rhys Clooney about to score our fifth...

LR got themselves on the scoresheet on 67 minutes thanks to a penalty (that Danny Whiting almost got his hands to) with them also forcing Danny into a neat save at his near post on 73 minutes.

The final ten minutes of the match saw us create multiple chances to go even further ahead, all of them falling at the feet or head of Rhys Clooney.

He stabbed a Callum Knight cross inches wide and then did the same with a header from a Joe Neild cross before he finally got his hat-trick deep into stoppage time, sweeping home a cutback from Tom Ratican.

The next round sees us travel to Sandbach United on Saturday 6th October after they administered a similar hammering to New Mills. We will be able to get a feel of Sandbach this Wednesday as they come to Park Road when the bread and butter of league matters returns.

TEAM: Whiting, Neild, Wallace, Russell (Hewitt), Dunn, Shaw, Knight, Delaney (Hincks), Webb, Clooney, Abreu (Ratican). SUBS: Hewitt, Ratican, Hincks, Morrison (gk).

Job done!

Cheadle Town 3-2 Eccleshall

It's always a good sign in football if you're not truly at your best but can still come away from games with a result. We dropped off the pace at times in this one and perhaps should have put the match to bed earlier on but still came away the victors. Bodes well....

We started well and troubled the Eccleshall defence as early as the 2nd minute when Rhys Webb glanced a header wide from a Ben Christopher free-kick.

Just five minutes later Joe Neild swung a free-kick just over the crossbar with Ruben Abreu then latching onto a Christopher pass on the 18th minute, advancing on goal down the left but managing to scoop his effort wide.

Eccleshall reminded us a couple of times that they weren't here to make up the numbers as we had to clear a couple of dangerous crosses via attacks down our flanks.

Rhys Webb

On the 24th minute we had carved out another opportunity as Tom Russell broke down the right before pulling back for Joe Neild only for the keeper to parry wide.

From the resulting corner we took a deserved lead as James Dunn goal-bound header was turned home from very close range by the lurking Rhys Webb.

Just six minutes later and we were in again. Ruben Abreu down the left this time, sending over an awkward bouncing cross that Remeece Brown looked certain to connect with but he just couldn't get his legs organised in time and the chance was gone.

There was time for Ruben himself to belt one just over the crossbar after some good work on the edge of the box before everybody retired for half-time.

Ruben Abreu, plus company

Within 60 seconds of the restart our lead had gone as Eccleshall caught us horribly cold with the first passage of play, drilling in a low ball from the right that was converted at the far post by Reece White.

We were licking our wounds for just six minutes as we regained the lead thanks to a moment of brilliance from Remeece Brown.

Out on the left wing he cut in sharply and quickly made ground. Everybody was expecting him to perhaps slide a pass into the penalty area but instead he unleashed an unstoppable effort from 25 yards out that the keeper could do nothing about.

"Remeece! Where did THAT come from?"

Not to be outshone, Ruben Abreu got in on the act on 72 minutes to break a period of the match where we had, to be frank, gone quite stale.

Coming in from the right he travelled along the outside of the area before arrowing an absolute pearler into the top corner from around 20 yards out.

As it had at Rylands, the two-goal cushion sparked a period of measured game management.

On 84 minutes great work by Callum Knight down the right saw him lay it off for Clooney with his first-time effort whistling over the crossbar.

With literally the last kick of the match Eccleshall reduced arrears. A lapse in concentration had allowed them to break clear and whilst Stuart Morrison was able to stop the first shot, he could do nothing about the rebound that was tucked home by Ahmadi.

Not that it mattered. Another win and a place at the top of the tree. Just rewards for what has been a solid start.

TEAM: Morrison, Neild, Ratican, Russell, Dunn, Delaney, Brown, Christopher, Webb, Clooney, Abreu. SUBS: Knight, Wallace, Shaw, Whiting (gk).

Reflecting on another job well done

Rylands 1-3 Cheadle Town

As you may or may not know we have had a problem in the past with managing to get results if we have conceded first. Hopefully this match - won on the back of a second-half performance that was in stark contrast to the first - is an indication of us breaking that bad habit on a more frequent basis.

That first half was a truly woeful affair with only the hosts' penalty to speak of. That came on the 39th minute and was converted by Stuart Wellstead.

Up until then very little happened. Stuart Morrison easily stopped a Rylands attack early doors, Remeece Brown could have made something of a pass but slipped at the final moment and Morrison was called-upon again but not really troubled.

Tom Ratican gets his tackle in

It needed to improve drastically - from both teams to be honest - and it was us who grabbed the game by the horns and killed it dead with a three-goal salvo in the space of six minutes.

The signs that we had decided to up our game were there as early as the 50th minute. Callum Knight scampered down the left and pulled back for Rhys Webb only for his effort to be hacked off the line by the keeper's feet.

Five minutes later and we were in front. Liam Delaney sending in a high, hanging cross from the right that found Callum Knight at the far post to head home.

Add two minutes on and Joe Neild would be given the opportunity to keep his scoring streak going after we were awarded a penalty; Joe duly obliged by blasting the penalty home to turn the match on its head.

Add another three minutes and Remeece Brown delivers a teasing cross from the right which is met by Rhys Webb who sends a gorgeous looping header into the far corner to give us a two-goal cushion.

Ben Christopher - seemingly everywhere (except as goalkeeper)

In the blink of an eye the game had changed.

The only work that Rylands gave Stuart Morrison to do in the second half was to collect a header from a corner on 75 minutes.

At 3-1 up we managed the game well and carved out a couple more opportunities of our own. Tom Russell slid Rhys Webb in down the left but his effort was deflected wide and substitute Rick Whyatt had a shot saved when put in by the ever-industrious Ben Christopher.

In the end a comfortable win and a great base from which to launch the Bank Holiday weekend programme. Eccleshall were up next at Park Road.....

TEAM: Morrison, Neild, Ratican, Delaney, Dunn, Devlin (Russell), Brown (Abreu), Hincks, Webb, Christopher, Knight (Whyatt). SUBS: Russell, Whyatt, Abreu, Whiting (gk).

Job done!

Barnton 0-4 Cheadle Town

There can't be many right-backs that can claim to have scored four goals in one game. Step forward Joseph Neild ('e' before the 'i', remember), our leading scorer with five goals, showing our regular strikeforce a clean pair of heels.

If you want to be uncharitable - and there was some evidence of this on social media from those with Barnton bias after the match - then you can pick on the fact that Joe's four-goal haul consisted of a "did he really mean that?" cross-shot and three penalties...and the fact that Barnton were down to nine men by the time the final whistle went.

From a Cheadle perspective it was a well-placed chip that perhaps the keeper shouldn't have misjudged and three well-taken penalties - all arrowed into exactly the same spot in the net - after our front line had got themselves into good positions in the box only to be clumsily upended. If you don't want to give away penalties then don't give away fouls in the penalty area.

Hands up if you scored four goals

This match took a while to get going.

With only a Tom Ratican burst down the left channel (shot blocked) in the opening exchanges to speak of after 21 minutes the match suddenly came to life.

Remeece Brown fizzed a dangerous ball in from the left which was cleared as far as Ruben Abreu, only for him to launch his effort wide.

Barnton then converted from close-range two minutes later only for it to be flagged for offside with an Abreu corner met by the head of Liam Delaney that bounced harmlessly over.

Rhys Clooney's strength and pace allowed him to get two rasping shots in, the second of which brought out the best of the two saves from the Barnton keeper, before Joe Neild got his first of the evening on 35 minutes.

Joe's first penalty on 58 minutes was key, giving us a vital two-goal cushion. Five minutes previous Barnton should have been level as a bounce deceived our back line allowing their forward to rush through on goal.

Fortunately he sent his shot high with the hosts then reduced to ten men two minutes later after Richards picked up a second yellow card.

Ruben Abreu making the challenge

Tom Russell's audacious-but-wide lob on 68 minutes heralded another key moment in the match. Two minutes later Barnton were reduced to nine men when Houghton collected his second yellow with Joe Neild then netting his second penalty of the night - and our third goal - on 73 minutes.

Three goals and two players better off, it was exhibition stuff from us thereafter; possession football with well-timed forays into the Barnton box.

One of those forays resulted in Tom Russell poking just wide after Callum Knight had rolled a delicious ball across for him with another resulting in our third penalty of the evening after Ben Christopher was sent tumbling.

And so onto a busy weekend. Rylands away this Saturday and then Eccleshall at home on Bank Holiday Monday....

TEAM: Morrison, Neild, Ratican, Russell, Dunn, Delaney, Abreu (Knight), Hincks, Clooney (Webb), Whyatt, Brown (Christopher). SUBS: Webb, Knight, Christopher, Whiting (gk).

Cheadle Town 2-0 Wythenshawe Amateurs

If Wythenshawe Amateurs had done their research then they would have known not to have bothered turning up before a ball had been kicked; we haven't lost our opening competitive match since the 2007-08 season (a defeat at Padiham, if you're asking).

That run continued - albeit after a decent test - thanks to two late goals, one from substitute Rhys Clooney and a twice-taken penalty from Joe Neild ('e' before the 'i' - I have been misspelling his name for the past couple of years!).

The teams emerge; Remeece Brown definitely 'in the zone'

A cagey opening ten minutes was broken by the first shot in anger from Rhys Webb who belted one from range to test the Ams' keeper.

Moments later the Ams' no11 tried the same before Rubemn Abreu was sent scampering through down the left, only to be denied by a good stop. Ruben took the resulting corner which was met by the head of Liam Delaney at the far post but to no avail.

Danny Whiting was kept busy, palming away some long-range efforts before we ended the half with two decent chances: Rhys Webb twisting and turning in the box to then punt his effort off the foot of the post before Remeece Brown's tricks got him into good space down the right only for him to shoot over.

A drinks break midway through the first-half (yes, it was that warm!) gives Antony Trucca the chance to get his point across

Rick Whyatt and Remeece had half-chances right at the start of the second half but were thwarted by good defending and bad luck respectively before Liam Delaney headed over another one of Ruben's corners from a good position.

With ten minutes remaining a handful of substitutions had seen Rhys Clooney enter the field and he had already collected a flick-on and fired over before he engineered our breakthrough with only four minutes remaining.

Ruben Abreu had made good progress down the left before checking back and poking the ball square for Rhys who, in one swift movement, turned and angled his drive into the far corner.

Somewhere in the middle of that huddle is Rhys Clooney

With our tails up, we were awarded a penalty in stoppage time when Rhys Webb's weaving and turning in the area drew a foul. Joe Neild had buried the initial kick before he was ordered to take it again, opting for the same side of the goal with his second attempt and thankfully with the same outcome.

All smiles at the final whistle

An interesting contest against one of the many newcomers to this league. A more familiar face in the form of New Mills AFC comes to Park Road tonight for our next home match....

TEAM: Whiting, Neild, Ratican, Russell (Wood), Delaney, Harrison, Brown (Knight), Hincks, Webb, Whyatt (Clooney), Abreu. SUBS: Wood, Allcock (gk), Shaw, Knight, Clooney.

Pre-Season Finale: Cheadle Town 0-2 West Auckland Town...and a Lot More Than That

New kit, new facilities, a new era. Our pre-season finale at Park Road was all about heralding those three things.

Bar a squally opening 10-15 minutes of the match itself the weather held off and the hundreds that turned up to support their local club enjoyed all of the activities on offer, made good use of the new catering facilities and also enjoyed 90 minutes of entertaining football.

The new facilities have been made possible thanks to the Buildbase bursary that we won back in May.

Our new Town Cafe - situated between the clubhouse and the Main Stand - opened for business, complete with a new menu on offer and al fresco seating.

Our new Town Cafe

A wider range of hot food, snacks and drinks are now available at Park Road

For those who prefer to be indoors, our clubhouse has also been refurbished; new furniture and carpet with a wide range of cold drinks and snacks on offer.

Part of our new-look clubhouse

The players have also benefited from the makeover. They were greeted with a new-look changing room incorporating new showers.

Our new-look home changing room.

We also launched our new kit before the match. The players coming out to the pitch in the new red-and-white striped home strip.

All shiny and brand new colours for the club

As for the match itself we came up against a very strong and talented West Auckland Town side who ran out 2-0 winners on the day.

It didn't really get going until the approach of the half-hour mark. Auckland had a shot cleared off the line before an excellent save by Danny Whiting sadly went unrewarded and the loose ball was headed back into the net.

Our first decent chance came early in the second half as Rick Whyatt twisted and turned in the box only to have his shot saved before West Auckland had another handful of decent chances, forcing Ryan Allcock into a decent stop and then smashing a header onto the crossbar.

Ben Christopher's two teasing crosses went unattended before the match ended with a bit of a mixup in our defence, allowing a free shot on goal from the edge of the box to give our visitors an unreachable 2-0 lead.

Many thanks to West Auckland FC for making the trip down from the North East for our pre-season finale. Thanks also to the hundreds that turned up to take it all in and Matchday Supplies for providing us with goodie bags for the squad.

There's lots more pictures of the day in the gallery below....

Pre-Season Finale at Park Road

The eagle-eyed among you won't have failed to notice that there have been a few changes of late.

Most noticeable has been the change in club crest. It incorporates elements of the old crest, namely the bull's head and also the two golden diamonds, representing the two golden wheatsheafs (a symbol of Cheshire).

We recently published a short video on all of our social media channels....

At the end of that video you'll notice a reference to the 28th July. This relates to the special pre-season finale that we are holding at Park Road that afternoon.

Full details can be seen on the graphics below.

Yes, you read that right...free admission for all and plenty going on so why don't you come down to Park Road on the 28th for what should be a great afternoon heralding the first day of an exciting new future for your local football club.

Daten 2-5 Cheadle Town

First of all, apologies for not covering our previous two pre-season victories. We have denied you the feel-good factor of reading about a win over Premier Division opposition and a demolition of a Wearside League outfit. We feel guilty.

But let's put that right by telling you about this 5-2 win over last season's Cheshire League 1 champions Daten.

Chris Sherrington: a smile is never far away

Owed more to a second-half performance that was head and shoulders above that of the first, this win was another precious workout ahead of the start of the serious stuff in August.

Our first shot on target came on 9 minutes and it resulted in us taking the lead; Chris Sherrington's free-kick on the edge of the area taking the slightest nick off the wall, enough to deceive the keeper.

The lead didn't last long. A mis-placed pass in a dangerous area two minutes later found a Daten forward and he simply lobbed a stranded Ryan Allcock for the equaliser.

Then we lost our way a bit. Granted that Jake Ambrose had two decent efforts, one of which he really should have buried, but we were too deliberate, too ponderous in our play and susceptible to being caught in the final third.

The coaching staff providing watching eyes

On 21 minutes the hosts took the lead. A long ball down the right found their no8 who finished smartly to Ryan Allcock's right before yet another careless pass across our goalmouth found a Daten forward free on the right only for him to screw his effort wide. A let off.

The last knockings of the first half showed some glimpses of what was to come in the second.

Tom Ratican was instrumental in the two chances we had, first seeing a fierce drive parried wide and then seeing his cut-back to Liam Delaney tipped over the bar.

Straight from the restart we were on top.

Ruben Abreu worked hard to get himself in down the left only to see his effort saved at the near post with our deserved equaliser then coming in the most bizarre of circumstances.

Jake Ambrose with plenty of Daten company

Having made a handful of excellent saves in the first half, the Daten keeper then made a most horrendous slip on the edge of his own area, allowing Jake Ambrose to steal in and walk the ball home from close range.

A superb combination between Knight, Clooney and Ratican resulted in the latter firing just over before Clooney himself had a chance, heading over from close range.

We were then awarded a penalty just after the hour mark which Joe Nield had to retake, Clooney then poked a loose ball just wide moments later before Joe then supplied a teasing cross from the right for Liam Delaney to thunder home with his head on 67 minutes.

With five minutes to go Reece Clooney then got his just rewards for his efforts, finishing coolly when put clean through on goal.

Plenty to be positive about. Onwards to the next run-out....

STARTING XI: Allcock, Nield, C Sherrington, Delaney, Dunn, Harrison, Abreu, Wood, Ambrose, Whyatt, Ratican. SUBS: Russell, Clooney, Knight, Tom Jones.

NWCFL AGM Round-Up

Last Saturday saw the NWCFL 2018 AGM take place at the Imperial Hotel in Blackpool.

As ever, the event marks the official end of the 2017-18 season and the start of the 2018-19 one.

A lot of new clubs attending meant a lot more chairs at the front-of-house this year

During the main part of the meeting Runcorn Linnets and Widnes - both promoted from the Premier Division - made their goodbye speeches with representatives from the new clubs then entering the room to say their hellos.

Once the official part of the meeting had concluded the draws for the two "domestic" cup competitions - the Macron League Cup and the First Division Trophy - were made.

MACRON LEAGUE CUP
In the First Round of the League Cup we will travel to First Division North side St Helens Town on Saturday 20th October.

The winners of that tie will then host either Bootle or Vauxhall Motors in the Second Round on Saturday 10th November.

FIRST DIVISION TROPHY
In the First Round of the First Division Trophy we will travel to Atherton LR on Saturday 8th September.

The winners of that tie will travel to Sandbach United or New Mills in the Second Round on Saturday 6th October.

As we have said before, the AGM is always a good opportunity to catch up with familiar faces and chew the fat over footballing matters.

None more so this year than Alan Harrison (pictured above with committee member Karl Florczak) from AFC Liverpool. After a torrid time with illness of late it was great to see that he was fit enough to travel to the AGM...and also fit enough to get up to the front of the AGM delegates and express his gratitude at the amount of good wishes he has been receiving.

After killing a few hours around Blackpool - thankfully the early morning rain had eased - it was time for the presentation dinner in the evening.

Sampling the best of what Blackpool has to offer....

After a splendid dinner in the excellent company of fellow representatives from Sandbach United and Barnoldswick Town, it was time for the presentations themselves.

The room where the initial meeting was held was suitably bedecked in time for the evening dinner

All those teams and players that had earned accolades throughout the season were formally presented with their awards; congratulations to all of those that were able to walk away from the AGM with something to take home. Hopefully it will be us one day.

The AGM is a long day - we had an 8.00am start from Manchester and didn't return home until 12.30am - but it is always an enjoyable one. Many thanks to the Imperial Hotel in Blackpool for their hospitality.

New Management Team Structure for 2018-19

Ahead of the forthcoming 2018-19 season we would like to announce a change in the management team structure.

FIRST XI

Anthony Trucca and Chris Seaton will retain their roles as Manager and Assistant Manager respectively but will now be joined by ex-Reserves squad manager Chris Woods who will join the management team.

Steve Piggott will continue as First XI Goalkeeping Coach.

RESERVES

Dave McGreal

David McGreal will step up to the post of Reserves Team Manager to fill the gap vacated by Chris Woods.

He will be joined by the two faces that steered our U21 squad last season: Gary Bilingham and Matt Bradburn. Gary will act as Assistant Manager for the Reserves and Matt will act as Coach.

DEVELOPMENT SQUAD (U21s)

With Mssrs Bradburn and Billingham moving to the Reserves set-up, this means we have had to "start afresh" with our managerial and coaching staff for the Development Squad.

Step forward Paul Jones and Leo Kirk.

Paul will be Manager with Leo as his Assistant Manager.

Both come to us from Wythenshawe Town having previously been on the managerial roster for Witton Albion Reserves and thus bring a heap of semi-professional experience to Cheadle Town's youth set up.

In addition we would also like to welcome Dave Lynch to the Development Squad team who will be acting as Secretary.

Division One Regionalised for 2018-19

At this point we usually have a quick look at the new teams we will be playing next season, be it through relegation from the Premier Division or promotion from one of the Step 7/Level 11 leagues.

For next season the outlook will be vastly different.

NWCFL Division One will be split into two separate divisions next season, North and South, with each containing 20 teams.

The very approximate "cut off" line between North and South was reportedly the M62 motorway; if your geography is up-to-speed then you should have worked out that we have been placed in the South division.

A very approximate guide to the geographical division
Map data copyright Google 2018

The other 19 teams in our South division are made up of familiar faces (that were in Division One with us last season), those relegated from the Premier Division at the end of last season and those promoted from Step 7/Level 11 leagues.

FAMILIAR FACES (that need no introduction)

Abbey Hulton United
Alsager Town
Cammell Laird 1907
Eccleshall
Oswestry Town
New Mills
Sandbach United
Stockport Town

RELEGATED FROM THE PREMIER DIVISION

Barnton
our play-off nemesis from the end of the 2015-16 season

Maine Road
their relegation brings to an end their fourteen-year run in the NWCFL's top-flight; based in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester

PROMOTED FROM STEP 7/LEVEL 11 LEAGUES

Ellesmere Rangers
from the West Midlands Regional League; not based in Ellesmere Port but Ellesmere in Shropshire (it's on the way to Oswestry)

Cheadle Heath Nomads
from the Cheshire League; based just down the road from us in Cheadle Heath, which means we have a proper Cheadle derby to contest next season!

Rylands
from the Cheshire League; based in Warrington

St Martins
from the West Midlands Regional League; based in Oswestry and play at the same stadium as Oswestry Town

Stone Dominoes
from the Staffordshire County League; old friends from NWCFL Division One seasons gone by, it's great to see them back at this level

Stone Old Alleynians
from the West Midlands Regional League; based at the same complex as Stone Dominoes

Vauxhall Motors
from the West Cheshire League; a very famous name in non-league, based in Ellesmere Port

Wythenshawe Amateurs
from the Manchester League; for those of you that know Manchester, based on the border of Sharston and Gatley

Wythenshawe Town
from the Cheshire League; based in Baguley, Manchester

Other Important Stuff to Note

• In terms of the North teams we still may be travelling to our old friends at Daisy Hill, Chadderton et al or new faces such as Garstang or Cleator Moor Celtic as the NWCFL cup competitions will not be regionalised from the get-go.
• Disappointingly there will be no promotion play-offs for Division One after the FA announced that there will be new promotion and relegation methods brought in.
• From next season only the champions from both North and South divisions will be guaranteed promotion. Two second-placed clubs may be promoted but this will be decided on a points-per-game ratio with all of the other runners-up across the Step 6 leagues.

All of the above will be ratified at the League AGM in Blackpool in a couple of weeks' time. Watch this space for further announcements.

2017-2018 Player Presentation Evening

UNDER 21s

Manager's Player of the Year
James Connolly

Players' Player of the Year
Harry Fairhurst

RESERVES

Manager's Player of the Year
Kieran Alley

Players' Player of the Year
Kieran Alley

FIRST XI

Manager's Player of the Year
Richard Whyatt

Players' Player of the Year
Richard Whyatt

SPECIAL LONG SERVICE AWARD
Steve Piggott