Atherton LR 4-0 Cheadle Town

Well, another pre-season defeat for the Cheadle last night at Crilly Park. Here's hoping we break the duck at Padiham tomorrow when the serious stuff starts. A million thanks to Cheadle full-back Ben Roberts who provided me with the following breakdown for the match...with the teams and all! Cheers, Ben - you shall go to blog heaven.

5 mins - Cheadle started the game a little lethargic, a few ex-Winsford players featured for LR

10 mins - Cheadle go 1-0 down to a goal by Birmingham a scramble in the box, a neat turn and finish resulting in Mellor picking the ball out of the net

15 mins - Cheadle struggled to get into the game and created few chances

20 mins - Cheadle find themselves 2-0 down after a penalty was conceded for a high foot offence by a Cheadle defender, the penalty neatly converted by Hughes

30 mins - On the half hour mark, Atherton LR were awarded another penalty after an LR striker was pulled down in the area by a Cheadle defender, once again Mellor had no chance as Hughes neatly converted

40 mins - Cheadle stepped up a gear and went close with a strikes from Hussain and Myers.

45 mins - HALF TIME, Atherton LR 3-0 Cheadle Town

50 mins - The whole back four is changed and the new-look Cheadle begin the second half

60 mins - Cheadle looking more lively up front with Thirkle making a nuisance of himself and coming close on several occasions only to be kept out by LR's keeper

70 mins - Number 4...after some good passing by LR, Birmingham was given space to run with the ball and from 20 yards out, curled a great effort into the top corner of the goal leaving our young keeper Adam helpless.

80 mins - Cheadle managed to take control of the game and created some good chances, McDonagh coming close and Carpenter was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet.

90 mins - FULL TIME, not many positives from tonight's game, just nice to play our first game on grass this season.

TEAM (first half): Mellor, McDonagh, A Roberts, Cotterill, Flanagan, Riley, McDonald, Brocklehurst, Carpenter, Hussain, Myers
TEAM (second half): Adam (unsure of surname), Clarke, Logan, Rory (unsure of surname), B Roberts, Gavin, McDonald, Smith, Carpenter, Thirkle, McDonagh

Tomorrow's Opponents: Atherton LR

Unfortunately I can't make this one tomorrow night because of other committments, but Atherton LR - short for Laburnum Rovers - deserve a dose of The Pole's research and homework as much as any other team....

ALR were established as recently as 1956, entering the fun and games of the football league pyramid in 1980 after being accepted into the Cheshire County League. Like Cheadle, they were one of the founder members of the NWCFL in the 1982-83 season.

Despite finishing 17th in an 18-team Div 2 during the 1986-87 season, their facilities at Crilly Park saw them elevated to Div 1, where they then stayed for the next 7 seasons; this really should have been 6 seasons as they won the Div 1 championship outright in 1992-93 but fell foul of the dreaded ground-grading committee.

In the ultimate act of defiance, they then had the best season in their recent history. They won the Div 1 championship again and also reached the FA Vase semi-finals where they lost to eventual winners Diss Town.

They then had two good seasons in Unibond Div 1 but then fell into financial trouble in their third, culminating in their relegation back to the NWCFL Div 1. They were relegated again in 1999-2000 but stormed back into Div 1 after just one season...where they have remained ever since. There is a more-detailed history on their excellent website if you click here.

So, the final run-out before the serious stuff starts at Padiham on Saturday. No silly tackles, lads, and no bloody injuries, please...oh, and if somebody would be so kind as to let me know the score, I'd be most grateful. Ta.

Come on Cheadle!