Maine Road 2-2 Bootle (Maine Road win 5-3 on penalties)

In the modern-day footballing era where tense and boring cup finals seem to be de rigeur, it was refreshing to witness one that refused to conform.

Maine Road and Bootle treated those who turned up to The Tameside Stadium - although nobody would have got back home until 11.00pm - to a cup final that would have made the onlooking NWCFL officials proud.

The initial 90 minutes' goals panned out as thus: the light blues of Maine Road took the lead after just 7 minutes when Danny Self tapped home a cross from a couple of yards out; Bootle equalised on the stroke of half-time when Jamie Hay headed home from a corner; Maine Road regained the advantage six minutes in to the second period when Mason seized on a cross from the right and drilled home, and with 75 minutes gone, 'Road's 'keeper made a great stop only to see the rebound nodded over his prostrate body by Kevin Black.

Extra-time produced nothing thus forcing the rather uncomfortable conclusion that is penalties. Maine Road's keeper made a crucial save when the tally was at 3-2 in their favour which meant that his outfield colleagues just had to keep netting their spot kicks. They did.

Bootle will feel hard done by. Despite the fact that - up until their equaliser for 1-1 - they didn't look like scoring, they worked their socks off during the second half and were, for my money, arguably the better side during that second 45 minutes of play.

Not that anything should be taken away from Maine Road; their football is a joy to watch at times and their final 4th place in Div 1 tells no lies. As a Cheadle Town fan I'll take some comfort from the fact that we were eliminated from the competition by the eventual winners!

Pictures from the evening can be seen by clicking here

This Week's Matches

Fixture faffage and a cup final will result in me experiencing a first this week: three football matches on-the-bounce.

It's off to Butterworth Park tonight to see if Cheadle Town can pick up only their third league away win of the season - and some much-welcome points - away to Div 2 strugglers Castleton Gabriels. The home match at Park Road ended up in an exciting 3-3 draw and given how both sides are languishing at the wrong end of the table, another goal-fest could be on the cards. Another factor to consider is tonight's potential attendance; Cassy's average home attendance is poor to say the least, something that won't be helped by the Manchester United v Barcelona match....

Wednesday sees us acquainting ourselves with Bootle for the third time in a fortnight as they pit their wits against Div 1 Maine Road in the Vodkat League Cup Final. As well as looking forward to what promises to be another interesting contest, there's another new stadium to visit: The Tameside Stadium, home of Unibond 1's Curzon Ashton.

The tryptych of footballing action concludes on Thursday night at Brocstedes Park with Cheadle's away match at Ashton Athletic. If Cheadle have managed to win at Castleton then this will provide the ideal opportunity to kick-on with another three points, although this task will be that little bit more difficult as Ashton Athletic are gunning for a top-five finish in what has been a royal season for them.

Each match report will be on here the same night - albeit in the late hours - so there'll be plenty of bedtime reading to keep you all busy. Don't say I never treat you.

Come on Cheadle!

Cheadle Town 0-4 Maine Road

Many thanks to Paul Lynch for the words and Polardin for the pictures!

I have to admit I was really looking forward to this game: a quarter-final against a team one division above us...and you know the results that Cheadle have achieved in the past, against teams from a higher division! And although I don't want to admit it, but apart from the first 20 minutes, when we totally outplayed our opponents, the rest of the game belongs to Maine Road, who in the end were just too good for us on the day.

I am not saying we were poor because we weren't! We started the game really well and Maine Road were rocked back on their heels a few times. For example, after only five minutes we could have been 1-0 up when Arron Riley went on a run and beat two defenders before unleashing a great shot that just went over the bar with the Maine Road keeper scrambling.

Then on 10 minutes, Dean Martin puts Andy Mcdonald through but he just couldn't get enough purchase on it to beat the keeper, five minutes later and Jonny Hussain shoots over after good work from Deano and Mac.

Then it all changed! Andy Lindon was injured in a tackle and we conceded a corner from the outcome and Andy had to come off, so we defend the corner with 10 men and guess what? Maine Road score from it! A header from Chris Smith Maine Road's number 8, gets in a good header and we are 0-1 down.

Lindon had to be replaced by Scott 'the wasp' Flanagan and he goes upfront with Deano who shoots over from a free kick on 35 minutes. At this stage Maine Road have ridden the storm and are beginning to put some passes together for the first time in the game, having got the goal against the run of play they have grown in confidence.

Just before half time, Dean and Baz Cotterill both have shots saved but on 38 minutes we are two down! Beckford the Maine Road number 9 shoots and Peter Mellor in our goal injures himself trying in vain to save it, he collided with the post, being Mellor he just got on with it after treatment - he's made of girders! HT 0-2.

Second half begins and Maine Road start the better and Mellor makes a good save to stop a third goal. On 70 minutes Trev and Steve send on Mike Myers for Arron Riley, who has a calf strain. Soon after Ben Roberts sends a 'screamer' towards the Maine Road goal and is unlucky to see their keeper make a great save.

But on 78 minutes our cup dream is over as Smith scores his second by lobbing Mellor and its just not our day. Andy Mcdonald is replaced by Brad Brokenbrow and we are still trying as 'the wasp' makes the Maine Road make another good save but two minutes later and Maine Road tie the game up with a fourth, Beckford gets his second after Cheadle defenders had charged down several shots, his shot just evaded everyone and rolled into the net! This scoreline definitely flattered Maine Road as even the ref said that they were not four goals better than Cheadle.

But let's not be bitter, it was a good cup game played in the right way and we should wish our visitors all the best for the semi finals - so good luck Maine Road. If you are as clinical as you were today you should have a chance.

On a positive note to finish it was good to see Carl Buchanan named amongst the substitutes after his bad injury - welcome back Carl!

Photos from the day can be seen by clicking here

TEAM: Mellor, Clarke, B Roberts, Cotterill, Fellows, Brocklehurst, Riley, MacDonald, Lindon, Martin, Hussain. Subs: Myers, Brokenbrow, Flanagan, Buchanan

Saturday's Opponents: Maine Road

Maine Road the football stadium may not exist anymore but there's still a little bit of Manchester City FC's history in Manchester in the shape of Maine Road FC.

The link between the Chorlton-cum-Hardy-based club and the blue side of the city's Premiership divide doesn't stop at the name, either. Maine Road FC were formed as 'City Supporters Rusholme FC' in 1955, starting off in the local Rusholme Sunday League.

The Manchester League - and with it Saturday football - followed towards the late 1970s with the club moving to its current home of Brantingham Road (also the headquarters of the Manchester FA) in 1980. It was this period that brought the Manchester League championship for four years on-the-trot, with its eventual reward for the 1987-88 season when Maine Road FC stepped up a level and joined the NWCFL Division Two.

It didn't take them long to make a further step as within three seasons (after finishing 5th, 2nd and then 1st) they won promotion to Div 1. They have been one rung higher than Cheadle ever since, bar two short-lived seasons (2002-04) back in Div 2.

They come to Park Road in rude health. Despite them being 10 points off the Div 1 promotion places (assuming two go up), they are in 5th place, so they are a team not to be sniffed at. Mind you, Cheadle have made a rather handy habit of knocking out Div 1 opposition in cup competitions this season...and oafter the frustration and disappointment of last Saturday's result at Holker, it would be the perfect filip.

The match report (and photos) for this match will not be on here until Monday evening, possibly Tuesday morning, so if Cheadle go and manage yet another Div 1 scalp, you might just have to wait for the story!

Come on Cheadle!