Louis Downs Two But Eagles Fail To Swoop And Conquer

And so to the ProSeal Stadium on Norbreck Avenue in Cheadle Heath for a North West Counties Division One encounter between newcomers, Cheadle Heath Nomads FC, and relative veterans Eccleshall FC.

Cheadle Heath Nomads FC was formed in 1919 and a group of individuals began a fundraising project to reach £1000 to buy the piece of land ‘on the other side of the bridge’ in Cheadle. Success saw the creation of a sports club for the area and in 1921 the club opened with Cheadle Heath Nomads at its core, although there were facilities for cricket, tennis and hockey.

Nomads joined the Lancashire & Cheshire Amateur Football League and, after a brief break in 1927, stayed there until 1994. The club struggled that badly in the 1930s that they changed club colours from green and yellow quarters to white, and every player had to bring their own white shirt !!

Fortunes improved over the years and Nomads contemplated moving to the Mid Cheshire League, but were constrained by a corner of the football pitch forming part of the cricket outfield. With the demise of the cricket section (tennis and hockey had already gone) the club stepped up to the Mid Cheshire League Division Two, and were crowned as champions in their first season.

Nomads consolidated in the First Division until they merged with Linotype FC in 2004. Linotype were in the same division of the now Cheshire League but were having problems retaining their facilities at The Silver Wings Club in Timperley. As a consequence the club changed its name to Linotype Cheadle Heath Nomads.

The merged club then prospered, winning the Cheshire League with a final day of the 2013/14 season 2-0 home win against Eagle Sports (yes I was here !!). Then, with the restructure of the North West Counties League for 2018/19, the club successfully applied for promotion to Division One South. It also provided an opportune time for the club to change its name back to Cheadle Heath Nomads FC in readiness for its centenary next year.

Eccleshall Town FC was established in 1908 but the most successful local team of that era was Eccleshall Comrades, set up in 1918. The Comrades' most famous player was the FA Cup Final scorer and winner (for Wolves), and England amateur and full international, The Reverend KRG Hunt. The club also featured in a curious incident when Stone Christ Church were defeated 5-0. The game ended 10 minutes early when first one ball burst, then another and there were no more available.......

Both clubs became defunct and the current club was reformed in 1971 as Eccleshall Town Old Boys, the team made up of locals and staff from Eccleshall Secondary School, where they played their home games.

The Eagles joined the Staffordshire County League (North) in 1979, moved to Pershall Park in 1982 and ascended to the Staffordshire Senior League in 1984. As Eccleshall FC championships were won in 1990 and then consecutively in 2001/02 and 2002/03. With work complete on the stadium the club moved up to the North West Counties Football League in 2003, but several seasons of inconsistency followed before two dreadful campaigns.

2015/16's 16th place finish owed much to the ineptitude of the two clubs below them - Atherton Laburnum Rovers and Whitchurch Alport. The following season the Eagles finished 21st with 18 points from 42 matches and conceded 145 goals. Relegation was only avoided because of an injury time equaliser in the 3-3 draw away at bottom club Ashton Town, who finished one point below Eccy, and the fact that only one club met the league's promotion criteria.

A much improved season last time saw a below midtable finish and safety, and a bit more pride in their boast of 'We Play For The Badge & The Oat Cakes - We Are Eccy !!!' This campaign has been dominated by the suicide of 21 year old player Jake Standbridge, an 11-3 home defeat in the league to Wythenshawe Town and an 11-2 away defeat in the Cup to Carlisle City the week after a 5-1 away win at New Mills.

So on a bitterly cold December afternoon it's out onto a busy Manchester Road and not long to wait for the first of this afternoon's registration plates GL11GGY - the other two today are LO53RSS and S50OLD.

Into Sale and past Indigo Sun, offering Ruby Collagen Boosters (?), the partially demolished Trafford Magistrates Court, TanZo-Go travel agents and then TOILETORIES. ELCTRICAL. at the long since closed T & T Pound Plus.

Joining the M60 it's five junctions till I pull off at Cheadle and turn down Carrs Road at Human Appeal. Then an absolute rabbit warren of a housing estate where I always get lost (today is no exception !!) before I reach Norbreck Avenue and Cheadle Heath Sports Club.

It is readily apparent that a huge amount of work has been done in the summer to allow Nomads to fulfil the promotion criteria. For a start there is now a substantial car park complete with some clueless parking !! Then there is a brand new turnstile - last season free, this season £5 admission. Inside fencing and railings have been installed, more of which anon.

The near side supports The Harrison-Welsh Pavilion, made up of the changing rooms, a serving hatch and two short rows of covered seats. To my left is another full size football pitch and there is a small Astroturf surface as well.

Opposite is a freshly constructed small all seater covered stand in between the two dugouts, and behind which lies residential houses. The top end is fenced off but in the corner is a shipping container, with a large flag draped over it - Stanno In Our Hearts, a tribute to Jake Standbridge.

Behind that is a wooded area and above it the railway line connecting Altrincham to Stockport. No passenger trains today as it's yet another Northern Fail strike day, instead a solitary freight train midway through the second half.

Nomads are in maroon and sky blue, Eccy in change red and white trim; the Eagles can only name three substitutes and come into the game on the back of a 9-4 cup mullering in midweek. So a goalless draw then ? It's a very youthful triumvirate of match officials too, with the linesman patrolling the touchline next to the main stand wearing gloves.

The opening quarter is dominated by Cheadle, forcing Eccy into a defensive switch. Leon Grandison goes closest for the home side, before a recycled corner sees Eagles' keeper Owen Wyatt make a superb point blank stop only to see Joe Hare tap home the rebound on 20 minutes.

However Nomads are operating a very high back line and have already survived a couple of tight offside calls. Third time lucky for Eccy as on the half hour Louis Downs races through unchallenged and dinks the ball over Aaron Tyrer to put the visitors level.

Shortly after we learn that this afternoon's half time raffle prize is a bottle of red wine, but that there will be big prizes for the home Boxing Day derby clash with Cheadle Town - maybe two bottles of red wine ?? In addition the railings next to the dugouts start to disintegrate under any sort of pressure, and the sole falls off one of the begloved linesman's boots.... Half time is reached at 1-1.

There is only one winner in the second half - Storm Deirdre. Horizontal freezing rain and a strong icy wind make conditions horrendous. The seven of us huddled in the stand are the only ones afforded any protection, with the Pavilion open to the elements.

The Eagles are playing against the wind and rain, but organise themselves well with one man up front, George Burslem, and nine behind the ball, hoping for scraps. Nomads struggle to break down the two defensive banks, creating only a chance for Keiran Herbert that is well saved by Wyatt and a 30 yard effort from Hare that hits the outside of the post. Then on 68 minutes Eccy break and a one two puts Downs in and he sweeps the ball past Tyrer to put the Eagles 2-1 up.

Nomads huff and puff but become more and more frustrated at their inability to carve out chances, and it seems inevitable Eccy will hold out and take home the three points. That is until the second minute of injury time when the Eagles concede a wholly unnecessary free kick by the corner flag. The ball is whipped in and sub Andy Simpson, on debut, heads in an unlikely, and probably unwarranted, equaliser.

Shortly after the referee blows for time, and the seven of us brave the weather. There are 20 paying spectators today, and 9 programmes, 2 lapel club badges and a lot of Bovril sold !! 

Rylands In Seventh Heaven - Ellesmere In Fowl Up

And so to Orford and the outskirts of Warrington and Gorsey Lane for my final North West Counties port of call, the Division One South clash between Rylands and Ellesmere Rangers.

Rylands Recreation Club was formed in 1911 as a local wire manufacturer works team. In its early days the club played in the Liverpool County Combination, before joining the Warrington & District League, where they won successive Premier Division Championships from 1955 to 1959.

Steady progress prompted the club to look to higher levels and Rylands moved to the Mid Cheshire (now Cheshire) League in 1969. Championships followed in 1981 and 1984, but thereafter the club suffered barren times.

In 2008 the club amalgamated with Crosfields to form a new club, Crosfields/ Rylands FC. Prior to the start of the 2012/13 season the club reverted back to Rylands FC, with the backing of a new sponsor, Triple S Sports & Entertainment Group – led by former Rylands player Paul Stretford.

Stretford, Wayne Rooney’s agent, now owns the club. It was his investment in ground improvements that saw the club promoted this summer into the North West Counties Division One South, notwithstanding an 11^th place finish, out of 15, in the Cheshire League. However the club have adapted well, sitting second with 12 wins from 16 and a goal difference of +36.

The away side in its present form was established in 1969 following a meeting in The Railway pub and was initially known as Railway Rangers; there have been football teams in the town of Ellesmere since the early 1900s.

Railway Rangers played in the Oswestry & District League but, after moving headquarters to the Market Hotel, changed name to Ellesmere Rangers FC in 1974. In the first season under their new name promotion to the Shrewsbury & West Shropshire League was achieved.

Rangers moved up to the Shropshire County League in the 1980s and, through winning the league in the 2003/04 season, earnt promotion to Division Two of the West Midlands (Regional) League. Promotions in consecutive seasons saw the club into the Premier Division and as champions in 2009/10 they secured promotion to the Midland Alliance.

Three years later Ellesmere were relegated back to the West Midlands where they remained until being transferred laterally to the North West Counties League Division One South at the end of last season – a move that Rangers have struggled to cope with, currently propping up the table with 6 points from 18 games.

Their club nickname is ‘The Meresiders’ referring to The Mere in the centre of Ellesmere (part of Shropshire’s ‘Lake District’), and the club badge depicts a swan to represent an affinity with the large number of these birds and the waterfowl that inhabit the local waterways.

And so on a grey, dreary Saturday afternoon it's an earlier start for the 2pm kick off. Over Altrincham Bridge (built 1765, widened 1850, widened 1907, rebuilt 1935) and a bridge still supporting an advertising hoarding for Kevin Junior 'Proffesional Barber' - yes indeed !!

Then past The Old Market Tavern, where rumours of its closure last night prompted a very necessary visit. In the event the pub's keys were handed over today, it will trade through Christmas but make way for housing - possibly for the homeless according to the rumour mill.

Then the haunted Orange Tree Inn next door and down to the M56 where I come off at Lymm Truck Stop. A brief foray up the M6 and a becalmed Thelwall and off at Woolston, still missing its Tree of Lost Soles. Registration plates this week are BU11YGN (Bullygun Bull Terriers), BL11NDS (Interior Curtain Centre) and OOO 321.......

Beyond Paddington House Hotel and then a right at the late and much unlamented Chevy's, going beyond Kwality Printer and The Button Boutique before parking up. A swift walk down Elaine Street brings me to Gorsey Lane and the attractions of Evolution of Man Barbers and ABC Guitars.

Rylands Recreation Club is on the right with the football club reached first. Beyond is the clubhouse, outside the ground, with a rather magnificent pavilion. There are several other grass and artificial pitches for football, cricket and rugby - the club is also home to Rylands Sharks RLFC.

£4 at the gate and inside the pitch resembles a mud bath; the walkway and surrounding rough ground faring not much better !! On the left are The Snack Shack and the Ian Finchett Pavillion (sic) - the latter actually housing the changing rooms. The top end is now fenced off, behind it waste land then the Liverpool to Manchester railway line. Only East Midlands Trains today because of yet another Northern Fail strike.

To my right is the small all seater covered Ron Stretford Stand with terraced housing in the background. The near end is open with car parking and an apartment block backing up to it. On both sides there are three bases installed, ready to accommodate the floodlights that will be erected eventually. Hence the 2pm start and the reason for Rylands being thrown out of the FA Vase, definitely their lowlight of the season......

As the rain begins to spit, Rylands are in all blue, Ellesmere in all yellow. The Meresiders can only name three substitutes, and the home team four, the latter because of a late injury. Matters are presided over by a very young referee and two elderly linesmen.

We also learn that the 76 year old groundhopper on the back row of the stand is notching up his 456th ground and is hoping for a 9-0 home win - his highest score so far an 8-1. I dare not mention the Barnton 11 Whitchurch Alport 1 match I attended three years ago....

It takes only six minutes for Rylands to move into the lead. Jay White easily outmuscles his defender and scuffs home past Rangers' keeper, Richard Cowderoy. White is sponsored by Knox Funeral Directors - presumably because he's good in the box ??!!

However it is another half an hour before Ellesmere concede again. Liam Moran wastes two good chances, dallying and then shooting straight at Cowderoy, and Tom Freeman plants a free header at a corner over the bar. Cowderoy makes a superb tip over from a Warren Gerrard strike, before Stu Wellstead gets in on the left and his gorgeous cross is headed home by White. The roles are reversed six minutes later; White's cross volleyed into the roof of the net by Wellstead for the goal of the half.

Bang on half time the Meresiders receive another blow as their captain, Seth Ellis, is shown a straight red card, twice, for a dangerous challenge (serious fowl play anyone ??!!) Confusion reigns and it all gets a bit ugly for a short while, so the referee whistles to bring the first half to a close.

Playing against ten men and three goals to the good, Rylands take a while to get going in the second period. We are just short of the hour when Freeman's lovely cross is headed in at the far post by White for his hat trick. Wellstead then contrives to balloon over a sitter from six yards but atones shortly after, laying the ball off for Ste Boardman to sidefoot into the corner for 5-0.

With nine minutes left sub Brad Williams gets wrong side of his man and is wrestled to the ground. Penalty kick and Rangers' defender James Furman lucky to escape with a yellow card. Cowderoy saves Boardman's spot kick, but Moran retrieves the rebound and squares for Williams to tap in, as the Ellesmere side stand and watch.

Just time for Fraser Ablett, son of Liverpool FC's Gary, to have a fizzing shot crash down from the underside of the crossbar before the game's final goal. Williams' floated free kick is glanced in by Boardman in injury time for a final score of 7-0, with the Meresiders failing to register a shot in the entire match.

A slightly disappointed groundhopper too, but the rest of the crowd of 76 went home happy as Rylands stay second, two points behind Abbey Hulton with three games in hand. Ellesmere remain rock bottom and appear doomed.

The Joy of Six - Daisies Cut Down To Size

And so to Gillford Park to the south east of Carlisle for a North West Counties Division One North clash between Carlisle City and Daisy Hill.

Carlisle City FC was formed in 1975 by two former Carlisle United players, George Walker and Ron Thompson, 'to give local lads somewhere to play'. The Sky Blues joined the Northern Alliance and were runners up three times before finishing bottom of the league in 1987, and dropping into the Northern Combination. At the end of the following season, the Northern Combination merged with the Northern Alliance and City became founder members of the new Division One.

As champions in 1992, the club was promoted to the Premier Division where they were runners up on five occasions. Having finished third in the 2015/16 season their application to join the North West Counties Football League was granted.

This was not least because they had taken over the lease at Gillford Park in the city in 2015 from Celtic Nation FC. (Yes that Celtic Nation - millionaire throws money at the Northern League club to buy promotion, club finish second, millionaire withdraws support, club goes bust: all in two years). City's first season was one of consolidation, finishing 14th in the expanded 22 club league and then 11^th last term. This time around they sit second behind Longridge Town.

The Daisies, or The Cutters, were established in 1894 playing in the Wigan & District League. By the time of World War 1 the club had moved to the Leigh & District Senior Sunday School League and then the Westhoughton League, playing at New Sirs. The club folded before World War II, but reformed in 1951 playing again in the Westhoughton League but now based at (the adjacent) St James Street & Cricket Ground - they moved back to New Sirs in 1957.

The Daisies then joined the Bolton Combination, which they won four times, before moving to the Lancashire Combination for 4 seasons and then becoming founder members of the North West Counties Football League in 1982.

The club was renamed Westhoughton Town during the period 1989-94, thereafter reverting back to Daisy Hill FC - they have never been promoted or relegated from the North West Counties, but only escaped demotion in 2014 because Leek CSOB and Formby resigned from the league, and last season because of the league restructuring, having finished bottom of the pile. This season the Daisies have fared little better and only two recent victories has seen them move out of the relegation zone.

So on a grey afternoon, the forecast rain not yet having materialised, it's past the six foot aluminium silhouette of a First World War Tommy outside Altrincham Town Hall and right at Riddles Liquor & Sundries. Then the M6 and Thelwall, Haydock Park, Wigan Pier and Martin Mere.

What seems like a herd of Buffaloads More lorries on the opposite carriageway, and that 'CANED' graffiti at Preston. Two car registration plates this week - DR13NKY and H3EHO and no I'm not having a laugh !!

Then Katy Cropper Sheepdogs at Shap, signs for Ullswater Steamers before coming off at Junction 42. Onto the A6 through Carleton and a wry smile at The Nosey Cow Inn and The Tipsy Tomato as I turn into Petterill Bank Road and down a dirt track to the D Marks Carpets Stadium, aka Gillford Park.

I park up and pay £4 on the turnstile; it takes an eternity to get my £1 change as the gateman works out that I am spectator 37. The final attendance today is 69....and a dog (from Daisy Hill !)

Inside the stadium is a king to most other grounds in this league, reflecting the money spent in its Celtic Nation days. To my right is a covered stand with green seats in the middle and on the right hand side, but they didn't get around to putting them in on the left !! Next to it is the Railway Social Club.

At the open top end is a small concrete standing area, screened by trees and the River Petterill beyond. Opposite the green, not quite finished, stand is a covered terrace running along virtually the whole of the touch line.

Then behind the near goal is another (completed !) all seated stand, this time in white. Above is the bar and clubhouse, and behind is the car park and railway line. Virgin Trains today, a severely truncated Northern Fail service (forcing me to drive rather than get the train from Settle), a monster freight train becalmed for a good 15 minutes and Black 5 45212 on a steam excursion.

The Sky Blues are, not surprisingly, in sky blue and the Daisies in change red and black. There is a minute's silence in recognition of Armistice Day and then we're underway. It doesn't take long to see why the two sides are in their respective league positions with City bossing it but unable to capitalise.

Against the run of play the Daisies take the lead on the quarter hour, Jack Iley heading in a Jamie Ramwell corner. Ramwell is then denied by Stephen Townsley's legs as the locals grow restless and the rain starts to tumble down – not much blue sky for the Sky Blues !!

Inevitably the Sky Blues equalise on 22 minutes, Jake Simpson's glorious cross headed across Joe Leather in the Cutters' goal by Michael Slack. City turn the screw and move in front with Marc Shiel's effortless/ speculative (depending on your viewpoint) half volley that beats Leather all ends up.

The Daisies wilt in the face of continued home pressure, with David Renyard scoring with a crisp finish to the corner four minutes from the break. Tyran Taylor heads home unchallenged from a corner bang on half time and the Sky Blues go in 4-1 up at the interval.

Daisy Hill start the second half brightly with Iley heading over and Ashley Stott defied by Townsley's shins. However normal service is resumed on the hour, Renyard getting on the end of a cross and his shot having just enough power to go under Leather and creep over the line - a goal emanating from a quickly taken long throw from Simpson.

Five minutes later City inexplicably switch off at a free kick, leaving Stott unmarked and he sidefoots home to make it 5-2. Then on 70 minutes Macaulay Farrington's magnificent 30 yard volley into the top corner, Townsley motionless, makes the game interesting as the deficit is cut to two. Straight from the kick off however the Sky Blues attack and, after a bit of penalty area pinball, Robert McCartney blasts home for 6-3.

That we don't see any further goals is a surprise to everyone. Sub Kieron Blair hits the post for City, Leather (who saves the Daisies from a real leathering) makes tremendous stops from Blair, McCartney and Simpson, and the Sky Blues have one cleared off the line.

Still, £4, 9 goals and a fabulous afternoon's entertainment !!

Saints Go For A Burton - Ammies Hang On

And so to Hollyhedge Park in Wythenshawe for today’s North West Counties Division One South clash between Wythenshawe Amateurs and St Martins.

The home team was founded in 1946 as Wythenshawe Lads’ Club by a local window cleaner and was based in Daine Avenue, Rack House. In 1949 as the lads grew to maturity Henry Dalton developed them into ‘The Ammies’ to provide football for all ages. (Dalton was a Sheffield Wednesday fan hence the Ammies’ royal blue and white striped kit)

They became members of the South Manchester and Wythenshawe League, racing through the divisions, and securing the 1^st division championship in 1953. After a year in the Altrincham & District League they climbed the pyramid to join the Lancashire and Cheshire League, winning the First Division in 1962.

The Ammies established themselves in the Manchester League in the 1972/3 season, going on to win the Premier Division three times and finishing runners up 10 times, including the last two seasons. They were also three time winners of the Lancashire Amateur Cup and record winners (7) of the Gilgryst Cup.

The club led a somewhat nomadic existence playing at Cleveland playing fields, Wythenshawe Park, The Christie playing fields, Federation of Lads’ Club Ground at Chorlton, and then in 1983 they became tenants of Wythenshawe Cricket Club at Longley Lane. However after 32 years the relationship became strained and the Ammies were evicted by the cricket club in May 2015, necessitating short term stays at Flixton FC and St Paul’s High School.

However the club struck gold in 2013 when they won a £50,000 grant from the Budweiser Club Futures Programme in the North West, followed by a further £100,000 in a public Facebook the following year in the national awards. In July 2016 the club secured further funding from the Premier League, the FA and the National Lottery.

This allowed the Ammies to commence work on a new ground at Hollyhedge Park, with the first match being played there in September 2017. The facilities also led to promotion to the North West Counties League Division One South in the summer, with new floodlights being unveiled last Tuesday before a record attendance of 308.

The visitors from the village of St Martins in the North West of Shropshire with the Welsh border just a few hundred yards away, St Martins FC, need no introduction having featured last week.

The club was established in 1897, competing in the Oswestry & District League, before changing name to St Martins United in the early 1930s and then Greyhound Rangers in 1935, with matches played in the field next to the Greyhound Inn. A successful venture across the border into the Cefn & District League, winning the League Cup in 1936/37 was met with indifference and no further organised football was played until the side was reformed in 1945 after World War II.

The revived club joined the North Shropshire League and were champions three times, following the last of which in 1955 the team joined the Whitchurch League. That league folded in 1972 so Saints transferred to Division 3 of the West Shropshire League, rising up the divisions and winning various cups – the Syd Roberts, Reg Lawrence and Graham Edwards Memorial Trophies and the Tyre Cup (!!)

The Saints then moved up to the Shropshire County League and won the Premier Division in 2009/10 to be promoted to the West Midlands (Regional) League Division 2. In their first season the side won the Second Division, earning promotion to Division 1 where they stayed until this summer – 4^th place last time earning St Martins promotion to the North West Counties League Division One South.

Oh and that club badge – the miner’s helmet is a nod to nearby Ifton Colliery where many of the players and committee members worked, with the pit closing exactly 50 years ago in November 1968.

And so the 4.9 mile journey begins with a carved brown wooden bear at The Rowans, Sugar Couture and an advertising hoarding concerning gentlemen's barber Kevin Junior who is 'proffesional' - maybe not !! Then past Marvel Guitars, Cheshire Clocks and the Frank Sidebottom statue. This week's car registration plate is W33NDY matching the grey, mild and very breezy weather conditions.

Beyond Wythenshawe Town FC, then Wythenshawe Park, The Open University to Altrincham Road, The Pines Hospital and to Sharston 'One of Manchester's greenest places'. The football ground is opposite the Hellermann Tyton factory on the Sharston Green Business Park, and it's immediately obvious that what little parking the club have has already been taken. We park on a side street and pay £3 at the gate, the lowest price in the league - the gate is an encouraging 134.

Immediately before us is an impressive clubhouse and busy bar, with photographs of the club's historic moments. To the right is a mini kids soccer pitch next to the small covered standing area. At the top end is the main Hollyhedge Park, a council park that both teams use for their warm up. The area behind the goal banks steeply upward, and all four sides are tree lined. The other side has a walkway with housing behind the trees. In the background is a constant thrum from the nearby airport added to by the odd firework.

A minute's silence is impeccably observed, with Ammies in their blue and white stripes and Saints in those yellow and black chequerboards. Their vertically challenged goalkeeper, George Austin, is in all orange.

The match takes a while to find its feet and it is 17 minutes before Ammies' left back Alan Dolan has a fierce drive in the box beaten away by Austin. Four minutes later Jordan Burton cuts in from the left and rifles his shot into the bottom left corner and Wythenshawe lead.

Jimmy Green sees his shot just whistle wide but, as last week, Saints improve. Brendon Price has a dangerous free kick flash across the penalty area and then Tawanda Melusi's persistence beats three challenges before being denied by a brave block from Martin Blain. Again Melusi is wearing gloves and as last week he dispenses with them at the interval. There is a pitch invasion at half time - by a dog…..

The second period is again All Saints (sorry, sorry !) as they dominate the park. Some last ditch defending from the Ammies, well marshalled by Richard Gresty, limits Saints to half chances but Wythenshawe drop deeper and deeper, and cannot retain possession.

There is a brief respite as David Wright has his shot fingertipped to safety by Austin, but it's soon back down the other end. Sub Jordan Davies sees his effort heroically cleared off the line by Chris Howard in their best opportunity.

In the last ten minutes Saints continue to press but it's not until the final minute of injury time that they threaten. A real kerfuffle in the home area sees Karl Bailey and Dave Easthope have shots kicked off the line, just, and Ammies cling on to win 1-0 and go second.

Images courtesy of Dylan Photography

Old Boys Pay The Penalty - Mike and The Mechanics March On

And so a return to Wellbeing Park, formerly known as the Springbank Stadium and the Flip Out Arena (!!), in the village of Yarnfield, the home of Stone Old Alleynians FC for their Macron Cup First Round clash with AFC Blackpool as North West Counties Division One South meets North.

Stone Old Alleynians Football Club was founded in 1962 by Dave Bonnet, a teacher at and former pupil of Alleyne’s Grammar School (now Academy) in Stone. The club received a donation from the Old Alleynians Society initially to purchase shirts and pay league fees.

The Old Boys entered the Stafford Amateur League (later to become the Mid Staffs League) Division IV, progressing up the league before becoming Division I champions four times in the 1970s. The club joined the North Staffs Alliance in 1980 then the Staffordshire League before entering Division Two of the West Midland League in 2007.

At the end of the 2009/10 season they were promoted to Division One and then in 2014/15 a runners up spot sealed promotion to the Premier Division. After three unspectacular campaigns the Old Boys were moved laterally this summer to North West Counties Division One South.

The away side was founded as Blackpool Metal Mechanics in 1947 before changing name to Blackpool Mechanics FC. Walter Jepson, after whom Jepson Way where the team play, was a founding member and long serving club secretary.

The Mechanics started out playing in local Fylde leagues but in 1959 took the decision to move up and join the West Lancashire League. After being crowned champions in 1960/61 and 1961/62 the club moved to the Lancashire Combination, with a best finish of runners up in 1975.

With the formation of the North West Counties Football League in 1982 they were placed in Division Three. The Mechanics were promoted as champions to Division Two in 1985/86 and enjoyed a solitary season in Division One in 1991/92.

In May 2005 Lytham St Annes FC, having resigned from the West Lancashire League, merged with the Mechanics. Then in May 2008 the club merged with Squires Gate Junior FC, with the club renamed AFC Blackpool. The nickname 'The Mechanics' or 'The Mechs' was retained, and the stadium was renamed as The Mechanics in a nod to the club's heritage. The club badge curiously shows a squawking seagull…..

The Mechanics' best ever season saw them promoted as First Division champions in 2010/11 to rise to the Premier Division. After four seasons they were relegated to the First Division having finished bottom. Last time around they finished one place outside the play offs.

So on a gorgeous sunny afternoon it's past the two homeless people living in a tent outside St George's Church, the number of plastic bags supplied by the public containing provisions on the grass alongside multiplying all the while. Before I hit the A556 there's two car registrations C11 RTN (Interior Curtain Centre) and JOS13S (no explanation needed).

The Pies graffiti has been replaced by 'SICA DIE' on the overhead bridge as I move onto the smart motorway and a far smoother journey four junctions down to Stone than last time. Lorry trailers parked in adjoining fields, their skirts with varying messages - two scream out 'ARE YOU PREGNANT ?', another is about PartySwan, whatever that is, and finally 'ADVERISE HERE' - oh dear !! And a sighting of the Hobgoblin Unofficial Beer Halloween double decker bus and another numberplate too, BA65 FUN - here's hoping !!

Eventually off at junction 15 and I join the A34, passing Trentham Active Monkey Forest and reaching Tittensor, where Blanc is a very odd name for an Indian restaurant !! Turning at the Darlaston Inn at Meaford takes me through Swynnerton, granted its royal charter in 1306 by Edward I, and the magnificent Swynnerton Hall. Then the village of Cold Meece before I reach Yarnfield with its Labour In Vain pub.

Wellbeing Park and the football complex are the other side of the village and, as promised, there is plenty of parking. I walk through Vinny's Gates to find four giant dominoes which when the dots are added up spell out 1987, referencing co-tenant Stone Dominoes – Founded on Truth according to the sculpture. Next to these are a clubhouse and two football pitches and beyond are further full and mini pitches. Tunstall Town also use this venue according to posters at the entrance – they of the 171 game run without a win !!

A sign points me to the sole turnstile and £4 in brings me to a pitch that seems to have been hewn out of the earth. Both ends are screened by banking covered in green vegetation and the opposite side has a grassed banking side with the M6 behind. The main railway line runs past the far end - Cross Country and suburban trains at a much more regular frequency today. The near side is fully covered, terracing at either end and two rows of seats in the middle. Confusingly the roof is adorned with 'Welcome to the Mway Stadium', but it's Stone Old Alleynians’ name on the hoarding between the two dugouts.

The Old Boys are in white shirts and black shorts, the Mechanics in tangerine (naturally) shirts and shorts....and bright blue socks. They can only name three substitutes. The second Macron Cup tie in 24 hours at Wellbeing Park (Stone Dominoes lost 4-2 to Ashton Town on Friday night) kicks off in warm sunshine with just a wisp of cloud. AFC's Tin Army seems to consist of just two spectators today and no drummer, in a crowd of 46 – far lower, as expected, than the record crowd last Wednesday of 126 for the local derby with Eccleshall.

Alleynians are easier on the eye and play the more composed football, the Mechanics relying on an offside trap that is anything but well oiled !! Midway through the half comes a catalogue of errors. The Old Boys' Jack Tomlinson is clearly offside when played through but is waved on by the linesman. As he is about to shoot his legs are clipped - penalty but astonishingly the referee produces a yellow card for a red card offence. Stone's Matt Thomas smashes the penalty kick against the crossbar and out.

Tomlinson misses dreadfully from within the six yard box at a corner shortly after, the ball still rising as it leaves the ground. The Mechanics' captain Danny Pickering has their first meaningful effort but it's well over the upright.

Then with six minutes to half time Steve Betteridge finds Conah Bishop completely unmarked on the right and his shot is deflected over the diving goalkeeper, and AFC lead. Ben Bradley is denied their second with a fine save from his header just before the break.

Within four minutes of the restart the Old Boys are level. Tomlinson, with a lovely piece of skill, lifting the ball over the head of his marker before sidefooting calmly into the corner. After that it's fairly even although the Mechanics mess up a three on one, with Alleynians struggling to create against a well marshalled Mechanics led by Mike Hall.

With penalties becoming an ever increasing possibility AFC retake the lead with just over a quarter of an hour to go. Bishop is given far too much time to deliver a cross and Bradley nips in between two defenders to head/ shoulder the ball home.

Jacob Vernon has a goal disallowed, contentiously, for the Old Boys and play swings from end to end as Stone seek an equaliser to take the tie to sudden death. Instead a breakaway in injury time sees Bishop cross again for Bradley to tap home and make it 3-1 to the Mechanics – and the Tin Army goes wild !!

Wonder Strike Makes Yuille But Saints Send Nomads Home Dis A Point Ed

And so to The Venue at Park Hall, the home of St Martins, who share facilities with The New Saints (and FC Oswestry Town), for the North West Counties League Division One South clash with Cheadle Heath Nomads. The Venue is two and a half miles away from the village of St Martins, which nestles in the North West of Shropshire with the Welsh border just a few hundred yards down the road.

St Martins FC was established in the 19^th century and the club was playing in the Oswestry & District League by 1897. They were league champions in 1919/20 and won the Village Cup in 1931, before changing name to St Martins United in the early 1930s and then Greyhound Rangers in 1935, with matches played in the field next to the Greyhound Inn.

Saints made a successful impact across the border in the Cefn & District League, winning the League Cup in 1936/37 but interest declined and no further organised football was played until the side was reformed in 1945 after World War II.

The revived club joined the North Shropshire League which became the Oswestry & District League and were champions three times, following the last of which in 1955 the team joined the Whitchurch League. That league folded in 1972 so Saints transferred to Division 3 of the West Shropshire League, rising up the divisions and winning various cups – the Syd Roberts, Reg Lawrence and Graham Edwards Memorial Trophies and the Tyre Cup (!!)

The Saints then moved up to the Shropshire County League and, after a period of rebuilding in the West Shropshire Alliance, won the Shropshire County League Premier Division in 2009/10 to be promoted to the West Midlands (Regional) League Division 2. In their first season the side won the Second Division, earning promotion to Division 1 where they stayed until this summer – 4^th place last time earning St Martins promotion to the North West Counties League Division One South.

Cheadle Heath Nomads FC was formed in 1919 and a group of individuals began a fundraising project to reach £1000 to buy the piece of land ‘on the other side of the bridge’ in Cheadle. Success saw the creation of a sports club for the area and in 1921 the club opened with Cheadle Heath Nomads at its core, although there were facilities for cricket, tennis and hockey.

Nomads joined the Lancashire & Cheshire Amateur Football League and, after a brief break in 1927, stayed there until 1994. The club struggled that badly in the 1930s that they changed club colours from green and yellow quarters to white, and every player had to bring their own white shirt !!

Fortunes improved over the years and Nomads contemplated moving to the Mid Cheshire League, but were constrained by a corner of the football pitch forming part of the cricket outfield. With the demise of the cricket section (tennis and hockey had already gone) the club stepped up to the Mid Cheshire League Division Two, and were crowned as champions in their first season.

Nomads consolidated in the First Division until they merged with Linotype FC in 2004. Linotype were in the same division of the now Cheshire League but were having problems retaining their facilities at The Silver Wings Club in Timperley. As a consequence the club changed its name to Linotype Cheadle Heath Nomads.

The merged club then prospered, winning the Cheshire League with a final day of the 2013/14 season 2-0 home win against Eagle Sports (yes I was there !!). Then, with the restructure of the North West Counties League for 2018/19, the club successfully applied for promotion to Division One South. It also provided an opportune time for the club to change its name back to Cheadle Heath Nomads FC in readiness for its centenary next year.

Setting out on a cold but sunny afternoon it’s past the giant carved wooden eagle at the dental practice on Manchester Road and through Altrincham town centre with its £16,000 4 metre monolith aka vanity project that tells us Altrincham has been a market town since 1290, complete with spelling mistake.....

On to the M56 past the Stretton Fox and Stanlow refinery belching fumes and the wind turbines going like the blazes. Then the M53 which becomes the A55 and a turn onto the A483 before nine miles down the A5 – with this week’s numberplates M UN173D (I think we know who he supports) and the truly dreadful CR11SPZ.

Beyond Lion Quays, the Lord Moreton and over the Llangollen Canal, past Artillery Business Park and ignoring the signs for the Firework Spectacular at Chirk Airfield, it’s down Burma Road to The Venue at Park Hall. Disappointingly the former Grandad's Cafe advertising 'Ugly Staff, Beautiful Food' has closed – to be replaced by the Lone Dog Layby Cafe L

The Venue at Park Hall, in Whittington just outside Oswestry is a ten pin bowling and gym complex with a hospitality suite that leads through to a large balcony and seats overlooking the half way line. Next to it is a poor neighbour stand that covers the rest of the touchline, but the Black Hawk Laser Games behind it looks enticing.... less so the Pyjama Drama advertised outside; indeed the Welsh Guards Museum just down the road appears more attractive.

It’s a fiver in and at the far end is another stand that begins at the corner flag, continues behind the goal and then stops rather abruptly at the 18 yard line. Bizarrely, opposite the main stand, there is a further narrow mini grandstand that houses the press box on the second tier, the subs' benches on the first tier and the technical area on the ground and, er, that's it. The rest of the ground is flanked by trees - we are in the countryside after all !

Saints are in yellow and black, their shirts resembling a black and yellow chequerboard. Their diminutive keeper, George Austin, all 5' 6" of him and the smallest player on the park, is all in orange. Nomads are in maroon and pale blue, their stopper Aaron Tyrer in all white. There's another very overweight linesman this week too....

As the game kicks off one side is bathed in glorious sunshine, the other is bitterly cold - cold enough for Saints' Tawanda Melusi to be wearing gloves, but strangely he ditches them for the second half.
The stand behind the goal houses just two spectators and the poor man's stand has a single occupant - today's crowd is 35 with the vast majority on the balcony.

Nomads have more of the possession but Saints look the more incisive. Brendon Price's diving header brings a fine save from Tyrer and Karl Bailey fires wide when he should have hit the target. Saints also have two goals disallowed.

Then Nomads come more into the game as Kieran Herbert lifts the ball over before on 34 minutes Philip Yuille launches a thunderbolt from 30 yards that strikes the top corner of the net. A goalkeeper of more stature might have had a better chance of saving it....

There is a lengthy injury delay while Austin is treated for a hand injury sustained in not saving Yuille's shot. In the five minutes of injury time Nomads' Leon Grandison cuts inside to shoot and this time Austin tips it on to the bar. From the ensuing corner Yuille's header is smuggled off the line.

The second period is All Saints (sorry!) as, bafflingly, Nomads choose to sit back and have what they hold. In a three on two Saints' Dave Easthope opts to square instead of shooting and the ball is cleared but in the main Nomads' defence is well organised and holds firm; their attack is conspicuous by its absence.

The match becomes increasingly tetchy, Nomads falling deeper and deeper and Saints have a series of free kicks just outside the box, which are dealt with comfortably. Into the last ten minutes sub Jordan Davies appears to be tripped in the penalty area but the referee waves play on, to the fury of the Saints' coaching team.

Finally with two minutes to go Melusi skips down the right, beats two men, and rolls the ball across the box to Bailey who smashes home the equaliser. Nomads belatedly press forward but, despite seven added minutes, fail to create a chance and leave with one point instead of three.

Wythy Go To Town - Another Fowl Performance From The Meresiders

And so to Ericstan Park (more of which anon !!) in Baguley and another meeting of two sides new to the North West Counties Division One South – Wythenshawe Town and Ellesmere Rangers.

The home team was founded in 1946 as the North Withington Amateur Football Club and was the idea of some young men who attended St Crispin’s Church on Hart Road in Fallowfield – the first committee meeting was held in the lounge of a house in Garswood Road.

The club played at Hough End Field, Princess Road in Withington and initially joined the South Manchester & Wythenshawe League. Twelve years later in 1958 they were subsequently transferred to the Lancashire & Cheshire Amateur League, working their way up the divisions before winning the First Division in 5 consecutive seasons. Then in 1972 the team applied for and were accepted into the Manchester League.

In June 1974 the club’s headquarters were moved from the Princess Hotel in Withington to the newly acquired ground at Timpson Road, Baguley where 3 prefabricated houses were purchased and turned into a clubhouse and changing facilities. It was decided to name the ground in honour of the then Chairman, Stan Hahn, and Club Secretary, Eric Renard (one of the original club founders), and thus Ericstan Park was born.

Additionally the club commissioned a new badge incorporating a cockerel and a fox – the cockerel relating to Stan Hahn (the German word for cockerel is Hähnchen) and the fox to Eric Renard (the French word for fox is Renard). Not long after, in the early 1980s, the decision was taken to change the club’s name to Wythenshawe Town to reflect their new home.

In 2014 Town moved to the Cheshire League Division Two and during that season won all 39 matches across 4 competitions, earning national headlines as true ‘Invincibles’. The winning streak continued the following season, ending at 49, but promotion as champions took Town to the Premier Division.

After two seasons the club ‘secured promotion’ in the summer to the North West Counties League Division One South, despite only finishing 7^th out of 15. This campaign has been a mixed one, the highlight being an 11-3 victory at Eccleshall and the lowlight, literally, being expelled from the FA Vase for failing to meet floodlight criteria…..

The away side in its present form was established in 1969 following a meeting in The Railway pub and was initially known as Railway Rangers; there have been football teams in the town of Ellesmere since the early 1900s.

Railway Rangers played in the Oswestry & District League but, after moving headquarters to the Market Hotel, changed name to Ellesmere Rangers FC in 1974. In the first season under their new name promotion to the Shrewsbury & West Shropshire League was achieved.

Rangers moved up to the Shropshire County League in the 1980s and, through winning the league in the 2003/04 season, earnt promotion to Division Two of the West Midlands (Regional) League. Promotions in consecutive seasons saw the club into the Premier Division and as champions in 2009/10 they secured promotion to the Midland Alliance.

Three years later Ellesmere were relegated back to the West Midlands where they remained until being transferred laterally to the North West Counties League Division One South at the end of last season – a move that Rangers have struggled to cope with, currently propping up the table with 3 points from 12 games.

Their club nickname is ‘The Meresiders’ referring to The Mere in the centre of Ellesmere (part of Shropshire’s ‘Lake District’), and the club badge depicts a swan to represent an affinity with the large number of these birds and the waterfowl that inhabit the local waterways.

And so as Storm Callum blasts its way through a wild afternoon it's the shortest trip of the season - all 2.3 miles of it to Timpson Road. Past Turkish Grill, formerly owned by a convicted drug smuggler, now on the run, to an eclectic parade of shops featuring, amongst others, Dog Beauty, Marvel Guitars and Cheshire Clocks - quite the bizarre bazaar !!

Then into Timperley Village, left at the Frank Sidebottom statue, beyond Pinwheel Haberdashery and to Brooklands roundabout, which is where this week's car registration plate comes into view. This time it's SO0 6LAD, maybe an omen but definitely more money than sense again......

Ericstan Park is a short way down the road on the right next to Tesco's Baguley superstore, with access via the car park or the cul de sac of Timpson Road round the corner after the new Lidl superstore. The impressive wrought iron gates are wide open and a fiver in leads to the car park where the Ellesmere Rangers minibus is parked up.

Straight in front of me is the well appointed clubhouse and dressing rooms, behind which runs a freight railway line (just the two diesels this afternoon). Across the way is the Billy Moore (Mini) Stand with 32 seats spread across 2 rows which afford some cover from the blustery conditions, and behind is a thick hedge and ex council housing stock.

This side is fenced off half way down next to the dugouts as is the top end which supports trees, undergrowth and a tall fence screening the A560 we arrived on - just one ball today is hit that inaccurately to land on the busy road. So just a 2.5 sided ground this week !

The near side has a similar mini stand, but this time with only 31 seats, as one has gone astray.... Then a single row of blue seats takes us to half way leading to a walkway down to the corner flag. Tree lined again with the Tesco filling station directly adjacent.

And I mustn't forget the floodlights - 6 newly installed floodlights erected on 1 October in readiness for the following night's match with Barnton. A match that was postponed - due to ' floodlight problems' ....

The match kicks off in very blowy conditions, the sun making a brief appearance and thankfully the heavy rain holding off. Wythenshawe are in all blue, Ellesmere in change all yellow with contrasting dugouts - Town's hugely overcrowded, Rangers sparse, naming only 3 substitutes including their manager, Kevin Sandwith. The game is overseen by a very young, very tubby linesman (boy?), a very young, very attractive lineswoman (girl?) and a bald referee, old enough to be the grandfather of both.

The Meresiders elect to play with the wind at their backs and force some early pressure but particularly wayward shooting means they fail to take advantage. Indeed Joseph Imlach's cross cum shot cleared almost on the line is their only notable effort of the half.

Wythenshawe start to fashion opportunities with Liam Crellin-Myers shooting straight at Rangers' stopper Jack Matthews on 11 minutes. A minute later Brad Byrne is clipped from behind in the box, and Grant Spencer slots home the penalty.

The rest of the first period is all about spurned chances for Town. Ben Steer hits the inside of the post from a half cleared corner, and Crellin-Myers and Ste Yarwood are denied by excellent Matthews saves. Byrne also misses, unbelievably, from four yards.

The police are called during the interval, not to investigate whether it's a crime that Wythy are only 1-0 up at the break, but to view some lazy, selfish Chelsea Tractor parking that is blocking emergency vehicle access. Strange this as the club car park is not full and there are plenty of spaces further down the street.....

With the wind to their advantage Wythenshawe open the second half, well, like a whirlwind. Crellin-Myers flicks in Spencer's cross on 50 minutes, Yarwood taps in a rebound three minutes later and within 60 seconds Byrne scores excellently at the near post - 3 goals in 4 minutes !!

Crellin-Myers is thwarted by the save of the match from Matthews just before the hour. Then a flurry of substitutions and Town get sloppy. Rangers come more into the game, and Conor Hughes and Aaron Davies have long range efforts just past the upright - the small group of away fans continually encouraging their players even though the game is lost.

Finally with five minutes to go Steer breaks Wythy's torpor by, err, steering home in the six yard box for 5-0. The Meresiders respond, trickery on the wing from Gerardo Fernandez providing a consolation for Anwar Olugbon. Olugbon then hits the bar and Jake Aldred in the home goal is almost embarrassed by a shot that goes through his legs, only to retrieve it on the goal line, but it remains 5-1 to Wythenshawe at the death.

(Images courtesy of Dylan Photography)