Cheadle Town 0-2 Chadderton (Match report no.2)

And now for Paul Lynch's match report - thanks Paul!:

If you want excitement then come down Park Road to Cheadle Town! I've just witnessed four sendings off (all Cheadle players and management!), plenty of bookings, a referee that lost the plot and completely spoiled the game, an alleged 'spitting incident', a penalty claim for Cheadle turned down, 2 goals for Chadderton, oh, and a football match in there somewhere!

The game started brightly enough and it was 'even stevens' for the first quarter of an hour, with both sides having openings but little to actually trouble the keeper's with. But that was to change on 23 minutes when Paul Ashton scored for Chadderton from a mix-up in our defence which gave Mellor, in our goal, no chance.

That gave us a bit of a jolt and we battered 'Chaddy' for the rest of the half, but their keeper - who must get a special mention - was absolutely outstanding and kept the score 0-1 for them. First he saved from a tremendous strike from Rob Brocklehurst, then Andy Lindon beat two players and tried his luck but another save this time tipped round the post, last but not least, Andy Mcdonald skipped past a couple of defenders and blasted towards the top corner only to see his shot tipped over the bar! Tremendous stuff!

Then just before half time, Trev and 'Hillsy' had to make our first substitution, with Brad Fallows coming on for Mike Myers; just after this Arron Riley headed over from a corner and Andy Mac shot wide and the ref blew his whistle for half-time.

The calm before the storm. We kick off the second half and we started as we had finished with Andy Lindon shooting at the keeper and him making another very good save! This time the ball rebounded to Dean Martin but he stumbled and the ball was cleared.

Just on the hour it was our keeper who had to be at his best to keep out a strike from 'Chaddy's' number 7, then at the other end Arron Riley went through on goal but slipped on a divet at the vital moment and the ball rolled through to the Chadderton keeper.

Then in the 80th minute, we were denied a penalty when Deano was pushed in the back in the Chadderton box; Deano called the ref a something or other and ended up being sent off! So we're 0-1 down and now have ten men.

Trev and Hillsy now bring on Scott Clarke for Adam Roberts who has a groin strain and just to make things worse, 'Chaddy's' number 12, Taylor (who looked well offside!) goes through unchallenged and chips Mellor into our net to make it 0-2.

This is where all hell broke loose as allegedly (and I didn't see the incident - but quite a few did!) the number 8 from Chadderton spat at one of our players and this incensed our club captain Barry Cotterill, who went over to remonstrate with the linesman, who he thought must have seen the incident, and ended up being sent off by the referee! Down to nine men and 0-2 down!

Then this spilled over to the other players and the Cheadle dugout, who then had Trevor, our manager and Scott Flanagan, one of our substitutes, both sent off by the referee, whom by this time had completely lost the plot and the game and by the shoving and pushing that was going on, had lost the players as well!

A real shame, because what had started as a bright but physical game, had developed into farce, as he blew the final whistle, he left behind a rather bemused crowd, who felt that there were no winners today and this game will not be one to remember in the history of both clubs I shouldn't think!

And by the way, the 'match' finished 2-0 to Chadderton.

TEAM: Mellor, Heath, Cotterill, A Roberts (Clarke), Hussain, Brocklehurst, Lindon, MacDonald, Riley, Myers (Fallows), Martin. Subs; Flanagan, Fallows, Clarke.

Scroll down for links to the pictures and Polardin's words of wisdom.....