Cheadle Town 1-3 Irlam

Irlam got their revenge for the First Division Trophy defeat by running out 3-1 winners on a Baltic night at Park Road.

Despite the defeat, there's one major positive from tonight: we have won our appeal to have our three points re-instated. What a shame we couldn't supplement it with another three!

This match opening quarter was played at a furious tempo with both teams notching a goal apiece in the first 15 minutes. It was Irlam who struck first after just 5 of those minutes; a corner from the left was headed in at the far post. Cheadle replied ten minutes later when Pat O'Brien went on a mazy run, his cross spinning up in the air for Arron Riley to nod home from a yard out at the far post.

If records serve me right that's Arron's 50th goal for Cheadle Town; we'll get that confirmed....

There could have been more goals soon after thanks to two glorious chances for each side in the space of 60 seconds: Irlam having a shot cleared off the line and Kerim Alan seeing his powerful header blocked at point-blank range by the 'keeper.

That was pretty much that as the half died a slow, painful death until the restart which Irlam began with real brio. Their work paid off on 55 minutes when their number 7 evaded a handful of our defenders on the edge of the box and drilled a delicious left-footed shot into the roof of the net. It should have been 3-1 two minutes later but their striker was wasteful from 6 yards out, allowing his shot to be hacked off the line.

Cheadle's best chances in the second period fell later on to Sams Hall and Willans (pictured above with his 'Player of the Month' Award) in that order, Hall blasting over from 6 yards out and Willans stroking wide after working himself into a good position on the left.

The match looked to be slipping away from us anyhow when Irlam wrapped it up good and proper 5 minutes into stoppage time; a jinking run by the touchline on the left saw the ball cut back and then swept home with ease.

One down, eight to go this month. Onwards - and hopefully upwards - to Eccleshall this Saturday....

TEAM: O'Keefe, Hall (Makin), B Roberts, Logan, A Roberts, Hussain, Riley, McCormack, Alan (Clarke), Willans, O'Brien. Subs: Clarke, Makin.