Saturday 27th September
(Photos: Geoff Potts)

New Mills 1 - East Manchester 4

New Mills crashed to their heaviest defeat of the season at Church Lane on Saturday, Darren Green, Graham Burns, Brian Thomason and Brian Evvicon on target for the visitors. Billy Craven scored Millers consolation on his debut.

No full report this week. However, some excellent shots by Geoff Potts of the East Manchester keeper foiling Millers action - well worth enlarging this stunning photo >

Kieran Lugsden was getting good service early on and sent a fine ball through to Stacey Wild, who shot across goal but wide of the mark.

The home side were often on the back foot during the opening twenty minutes but did break down the right wing forcing Kelvin Lugsden to defend admirably. Cheadle handed the ball into the net, the goal disallowed, a yellow card resulted, while at the other end the Millers continued to press for a second. Kieran Lugsden took the ball on from outside the box, his instinctive left-footed drive beat Whittle but was agonisingly close to the wrong side of the upright.

Adam Blackburn scored 4 for the home side, putting Millers second string through to the next round of this season's Open Trophy at a sunny Church Lane.

New Mills had won this competition two seasons ago and signalled their intent from the kick off, Scott Jones jinxing his way into the box to distribute a fine cross in front of goal, the back of the net remained intact, mainly due to lack of support from his team mates who failed to capitalise from the left-back's vision.

Ross Cooney in goal for Springhead smothered Blackburn's drive from deep, the visitors keeper also saved an excellent curling free kick from the inspirational Steve Worrall who entertained the crowd throughout, but after the visitors had forced Bob Crossland to head clear from his line, Bomber Blackburn opened his account with 21 minutes on the clock, the lively young striker shook off his marker to fire the ball low and hard beyond the reach of Ross Cooney in goal.

Within a minute, the advantage was doubled, Blackburn appeared to be offside as he received the ball 30 yards out, but no compassion was allowed as Cooney watched helplessly as Blackburn calmly took the ball around him to walk unchallenged into the gaping net.

Blackburn has been a phenomenon since his introduction just 3 weeks ago, but it was debutante Kyle Brown who excelled down the right flank to set up Blackburn for his hat trick. Cooney must have felt a sense of daja vous as Blackburn calmly rounded him again to walk the ball home for his penultimate goal of the day.

The rampant striker scored his 4th within a mesmeric fifteen minute spell, chipping Cooney en route to goal, grateful to an incisive pass from Kyle Brown (left) on his impressive debut appearance.

The second half went flat for long periods, the visitors pressed hard to reduce the deficit, Millington, Brown and Crossland were competent in their defensive duties but Worrall's trickery on the left wing allowed him to find Blackburn lurking at the far post, his header was at full stretch, no problem for Cooney in goal.

New Mills completed the rout five minutes from time, Worrall crossed to Blackburn who in turn laid the ball off to Scott Moore, the manager had come off the subs bench and sent a perfectly-weighted ball through to Ben Hall (seen left), who showed immense strength and determination in his quest for goal. Hall took the ball along the by-line, nimbly cut outside the six-yard box, the inside of his left boot was to provide a classy strike from a midfielder of the highest possible calibre.

Boswell headed away, the ball grazing the post on its way out for a corner kick.

Millers keeper Ben Candlin made a string of fine saves throughout the match while at the other end Stephen Littler's determination allowed Julian Dowe to curl an effort at goal which sailed well over the bar.

Town's keeper Alistair Fisher was forced to make a good save from Chris Lees ferocious drive, but excellent defending from Kelvin Lugsden denied Dukinfield from taking the lead midway through the half - the visitors had broke down the left wing, a decent strike forced Candlin to save, the ball fell invitingly to Daley Rothwell who looked favourite to fire into the gaping net but Lugsden heroically flung himself across goal at the crucial moment to block on the line.

Ben Candlin continued to deter the visitors after the break, making numerous double saves to repel the visitors intent, while at the other end Chris Lees was supplying many a fine cross, one which sailed over Fisher to find Danny Thomas running in from deep, who struck while in full flight, close, but not enough.

Millers: Candlin, Land, Ignotus, Pickering, Lugsden KL, Thomas, Littler, Buckley, Lees, Dowe, Lugsden KR, Sub: Smith.

The Reserves lost the away fixture 4-1, Bob Crossland was Millers solitary scorer.