This defeat leaves the High Peak outfit around mid table. This weekend they will entertain Pernrith in the FA Vase and they will be hoping to improve on this showing. Lee Wright who has signed from Abbey Hey came off the bench for and immediately made an impression on the game. He certainly looked promising and may well start on Saturday. In the end the score line was just about right.

The Reserves bounced back to form with an emphatic 5-2 win at Bacup Borough to put them back on top of their respective league table. They will travel to Colne on Saturday.

Gavin Hunter attacks but is foiled

Packed goal-mouth for Miller's corner

The return of several players to the side helped New Mills to a welcome three points, with a deserved victory at Daisy Hill on Saturday. The Millers have had a bad run of injuries, holidays and suspensions and this has blighted the excellent start they made to the current campaign.     

There was little to choose between the sides in the first period, but the Millers looked the more likely. The home side went in front after a quarter of an hour, but the leveller when it came was the result of a fine run down the left hand side by Stacey Wild, whose fine cross was deflected into his own goal by the home defender.    

After the interval New Mills began to get on top and it was no surprise when Danny Jackson put them ahead. The win was sealed on 86 minutes when Scott Dignan converted from the penalty spot. The arrears were reduced as the game entered the 90th minute. Daisy then applied a fair mount of pressure with the referee adding on over five minutes of extra time, but in the end a third victory of the season was recorded.     

This Saturday New Mills are at home to Eccleshall. This is the most important month of the season so far for the Church Lane outfit. The following week they will entertain Penrith in the FA Vase, and as well as having a home tie in the League Cup they also have to travel up to the Silverlands where they will face an in-form Buxton side in the Derbyshire Senior Cup.     

The Reserves went down to their first defeat of the season when they were beaten at home by Nelson by the only goal of the game. They will travel to Bacup Borough on Saturday.

Saturday 17th September
New Mills Res 0 - Nelson Res 1

Adam Hughes takes high shot

Matt Bell shoots as Nelson keeper has it covered

Neil Benney's piledriver shot made Nelson keeper pull off the save of the match

The job of selecting two teams at New Mills last Saturday turned into something of a nightmare for the respective managers of the Church Lane club.

There were no fewer than 15 regular players who were unavailable for selection mainly due to injuries, suspensions and a couple on holiday. Three of the Sheffield-based first team squad players for instance Ryan and Alex Radford and Gavin Hunter were involved in a road accident close to the ground on Tuesday evening and are recovering from the injuries they sustained. We wish them a speedy recovery.

And so three players made their debut's at Nelson. Goalkeeper Matt Johnson, Calum Clarke and Czechoslovakian Dave Gois. The Millers went down by four goals to nil, and everyone who witnessed the game are still wondering how that score line happened.

From the start the visitor's dominated possession, and played some lovely passing football on what is one of the best surfaces in the league. Numerous clear-cut chances were made and sadly not taken.

The home side scored from what was their first serious attack on 23 minutes when a fast counter attack by the Lancashire outfit down the right hand side saw a great cross into the penalty area where Chris Ridehalgh put the home team ahead.

It was New Mills who resumed their territorial advantage and further gilt-edged chances went begging both sides of the half time interval. The supporters who travelled over from the High Peak were wondering if the men in black and amber would pay for these misses and they were when Ridehalgh got his second on 55 minutes.

The visitor's then piled even more pressure on the home defence and hopes were still high if only they could convert the chances they were still making - but sadly they were squandered.

It was Michael Holt who made it three with just 12 minutes remaining, and Paul Barrett completed the scoring on 88 minutes. A lot of positives came out of this game, not least the quality of football played that has been missing in recent weeks. However, the number of chances not taken was in double figures. Compare that to just five shots from the home team, of which four were taken, speaks volumes. Credit to Nelson who played a similar style last year when New Mills travelled to Victoria Park where they also picked up the three points.

The first team management team will be hoping that there squad will be significantly strengthened when they travel to Daisy Hill on Saturday.

The reserve team were forced to play a very young and inexperienced team at home to Flixton. Despite going behind three times they clawed there way back to secure a 3-3 draw. This result leaves them still on top of the league table. This weekend they are at home to Nelson Reserves.

The Reserves go from strength to strength with a third successive win to leave them top of the table. Adam Blackburn played his last game before a lengthy suspension and scored a find double. The other goal came from Paul Fox who made a welcome return after suffering a broken leg last season. This Saturday they are again at home to Flixton and the game will kick off at 3 pm .

Adam Blackburn slots the ball past Daisy Hill's keeper for Millers first goal

Neil Benny - one of several new players for Reserves

Matt Johnson penalty save

Adam Blackburn tackled

Cross deflected as Gareth Morley runs in for shot

Saturday 3rd September
Sorry Millers Lost to the Old Boys: Leek CSOB 2 - New Mills 0

The first half of last season was very much a case of a Jekyll and Hyde affair as far as the supporters of New Mills were concerned, and after a dismal performance at Leek CSOB on Saturday they must be wondering if those days have returned.

The Millers had made a good start to the current campaign and were lying in 5th place in the league table. Their opponents were rooted to the bottom of the table, without a win or even a point.

In fairness to the men from the High Peak they were without five regulars due to injuries and holiday commitments. Andy Hewlett returned but Ryan Radford failed a late fitness test. Also absent were Kaleem Ahmed, Scott Dignan, Stacey Wild and Mike Ward.

However, hopes were high of continued success and all the chances fell to the visitors in the first period with both Danny Dignan and Craig Senior having only the goalkeeper to beat, but wasting the opportunity.

After the half time resumption New Mills - goalkeeper Steven Lyons had to come off, but fortunately Adam Hughes his deputy was on the bench – the home side suddenly lifted their game. They began to cause some alarm in the heart of the Millers defence and when the goal came to separate the sides it was not unexpected. The ball was not cleared and after bobbing around the penalty area it was prodded home by Bradbury on 62 minutes.

There then followed a bit of an onslaught on the home goal with Simon Ignotus coming on as an emergency centre forward. It very nearly got New Mills off the hook, but in the dying seconds, with everyone pushing forward, the lead was doubled. Richard Haddrell lobbing over Hughes to send the home supporters into ecstasy.

This Saturday the Millers travel to Nelson for what is bound to be a tricky game. They will have three of the missing five players back, and will be hoping to get back to winning ways.