The holiday football programme certainly brought little to cheer about for New Mills Football club. Their first game was at local rivals Cheadle Town and they lost out by a solitary goal scored by Aaron Riley.

The Millers fans that turned up at Park Road must still be wondering just how they did not win a game in which they were totally the dominant side. In the second half particularly they could and should have scored at least four or five goals. Instead some woeful finishing was punished by the home side that netted after a mistake with their only serious shot at goal in the whole game.

On Bank Holiday Monday 2nd Jan they slumped to a 5-0 defeat at home to highflying Flixton. The first half saw the Millers edge out the promotion favourites with a sterling display of grit and tenacity. However, they were punished just before the interval when Dean Butterworth pounced.

Butterworth then added further goals in the second period on 66 and 71 minutes. Further goals came from substitutes Patrick Shaunessy and in the last minute by Matt Haley.

The second half display was particularly disappointing as the team from Manchester seemed to stroll around at will, and it could have been an even more emphatic score line.

The Church Lane outfit have now gone some 298 minutes since they last scored a goal, and this lack of goals is now becoming somewhat alarming. They have a difficult game this Saturday when they travel to Blackpool Mechanics.

At least the second team started 2006 in the right way with a convincing 3-0 win at Flixton. They are at home this Saturday when they entertain bottom club Ashton Town. They will be looking to complete a double as they won at Ashton earlier in the season.

Adam Blackburn runs in and crosses	Craig Hall pushes ball forward
Mick Ward beaten to ball by Flixton #5	Scott Dignan gets to the ball 1st
Simon Ignotus in action	Simon Ignotus defends high ball

New Mills produced their worst 45 minutes of football since joining the North West Counties League some 18 months ago. They travelled to Darwen on the crest of a wave after beating Daisy Hill the previous week, and they were still being held at 0-0 with just a couple of minutes of the first half remaining.

Indeed, the Millers had looked the more likely team to break the deadlock until Neil Almonds opened the scoring for the Lancashire side after 42 minutes.

The lead was extended after 50 minutes when Ian Zarac scored after Matt Johnson had parried a shot. It was the other Zarac, Neil, who then added the third just ten minutes later. Brian Fogarty who netted after 65 and 68 minutes respectively dashed any hopes of a recovery with a brace of goals.

By this time the New Mills confidence was completely shattered and the loss could have been much heavier as the home side poured forward. They hit both the bar and the post and there were a couple of bad misses by their forwards as well as Johnson making two fine saves.

The Derbyshire side were without four regular players, but this was a bad result in terms of the league position of Darwen. However, the Millers have come back on a number of occasions after suffering a heavy loss and they will be aiming to collect something on Boxing Day when they travel to local rivals Cheadle Town .

The second string who were without a large number of regulars also went down this time 2-1 to Nantwich Town at Church Lane .

New Mills recorded their biggest home win of the season on Saturday with a fine performance in a game in which they were totally dominant.

It was an ideal way to erase the memory of the defeat to FC United of Manchester a week before. The first half in which the Millers kicked down the slope was a very one-sided affair indeed. Firstly Stacey Wild had a great chance when he ran in on goal only to be denied by visiting custodian Gareth Williams. Further chances went begging for Wild and Craig Hall and it was a mystery as to how the game was goalless at the interval.

The opening goal came on 53 minutes when Craig Hall ran into the penalty area and from a slight angle slotted the ball perfectly in the bottom right hand corner of the net. This set the signal for an all out onslaught and the lead was doubled when Mike Ward advanced into the area with 68 minutes on the clock. He feigned to shoot and steadied himself before unleashing a terrific shot, which flew past Williams and into the net to give him his fifth goal of the season. The cheering had barely died down when substitute Danny Dignan finished off a fine move to expertly flick the ball into the goal from six yards out. There were further chances created and were not taken, but this was a satisfying performance from New Mills. They have now won three out of their last four league games and on Saturday they travel to Darwen where three points could well lift them up as high as fifth position in the league table. The second team battled well, but went down to second placed Formby 2-0, and they will be at home on Saturday to Nantwich Town and the game will kick off at the usual time of 3pm.

Andy Hewlett defends

Craig Hall turns ball away

New Mills were sent tumbling out of the second round of the League Cup at the Moss Rose ground in Macclesfield on Saturday, and there were few complaints about the emphatic score line. It was the second time in just ten days that the new boys had put the Millers to the sword, and on this form they look unstoppable in their quest to win silverware at the first attempt.

The game was switched to the bigger ground in anticipation of a big gate, but a combination of things including the atrocious weather and the funeral of the late George Best meant a crowd of just under 1500.

The Reds were ahead after just ten minutes when Simon Carden turned brilliantly to fire the ball high into the roof of the net. The lead was doubled after 38 minutes when Steve Torpey burst through to coolly slot the ball past Steven Lyons into the bottom corner of the net.

The first ten minutes after the break saw the “home” side enjoy the bulk of possession, but on 55 minutes Torpey ran down the left wing and sent in a high cross, which deceived the Millers goalkeeper and flew into the top corner. It was a bad goal to give away and with it went any hopes of a comeback. That man Torpey rounded off another fine display by completing his hat trick on 67 minutes from close range, and the scoring was completed deep into stoppage time when Phil Power scored.

New Mills will be glad to get back to league soccer this weekend when they entertain Daisy Hill at Church Lane. Although the two results against FC United have been disappointing, they have never the less been a credit to the Manchester team who are playing football in the old fashioned cavalier way and are providing superb entertaining soccer.  Added to this the terrific amount of noise generated by their supporters, it was a great experience for the New Mills players and their supporters who were truly magnificent in both games themselves. A big thank you to them all form everyone connected with the club.

Tribute of applause for George Best

Simon Ignotus flanked by 2 United players

Gary Morgan clears

Lyons saves corner covered by Land & Radford

Miller's goal packed for corner

Video of clips from match