Cheadle Town 1-3 Padiham

Two goals in the first ten minutes were the deciding factor as Cheadle fell to their second successive home defeat against promotion-chasing Padiham.

Without a handful of first-team regulars such as Arron Riley, Dean Martin, Barry Cotterill and Adam Roberts, Cheadle Town would have it all to do. They didn't make their case much easier after finding themselves a goal down after about 15 seconds! The curse of the returning player struck as Vinnie Braine netted with a header.

Five minutes later and Cheadle were almost level. Adie James latched onto a through ball and poked it past the oncoming 'keeper, only to see his effort cleared off the line. After eight minutes, though, Padiham were two up. Vinnie Braine sent over a cross to the left to a Padiham striker who lashed in a fiercely-struck shot; unfortunately the Cheadle 'keeper couldn't keep hold of it and it spun off his hands and looped into the net.

Cheadle then started to find their heads and gradually got themselves going with some good play, carving out some decent chances. The most notable of which was an 11th minute turn and shot by Scott Flanagan on the edge of the box that was superbly saved by the Padiham 'keeper. Said 'keeper kept Flanagan at bay again on the stroke of half-time.

Not that it was all Cheadle, however. Every time Padiham went forward they looked very threatening with ex-Cheadle forward Vinnie Braine alert to everything and having a very strong game. Half-time, Cheadle 0-2 Padiham.

Cheadle gave a much better account of themselves in the second half. Adie James - who had an excellent match - was unlucky again on 47 minutes as a header rolled across the top of the crossbar.

Padiham weren't as fluid as they were for the first 45 minutes, but still garnered some excellent chances. On 55 minutes a header was flashed in from a corner; it found the feet of a Padiham striker about two yards out, but he somehow put it over the bar. Two minutes later and they put the match out of Cheadle's reach with a converted penalty. On the hour mark they could have made it four but Vinnie Braine missed from two yards out with the net gaping.

To their credit, Cheadle kept motoring and got their reward after 62 minutes, albeit in slightly strange circumstances. Brocky's free-kick looked like food-and-drink for the Padiham 'keeper but he somehow managed to let it slip out of his firm grasp. I'm not really sure who ended up bundling it into the net but seeing as how it was he who came out running with the ball in his hands for the re-start, I'm giving it to Johnny Hussain...until the NWCFL website proves otherwise!

Cheadle then had some chances to narrow the deficit in the last 20 minutes of the match but the Padiham 'keeper was equal to shots from James and Hussain.

Credit to Cheadle who kept going in the face of adversity and were good value for their goal, despite the defeat. Make no doubt about it, this game was lost in the first ten minutes, but that's not taking anything away from a Padiham side who Polardin and I have been very impressed with this season. You can see why they're third in the league.

TEAM: Smith, Heath, B Roberts (Street), McDonagh, Logan, Brocklehurst, Lindon, Flanagan, James (Brokenbrow), Hussain. Subs: Brokenbrow, Street, Hawse