Saturday 26th January
Millers Back to Winning Ways: New Mills 3 -  Stone Dominoes 1

New Mills returned to winning ways at Church Lane and in the process extended their lead at the top of the Vodkat North West Counties Second Division to 11 points. With their nearest rivals Kirkham and Wesham continuing their superb run in the FA Vase a big crowd was present to see if Tony Hancock’s men could put behind them their first and only league defeat of the season two weeks prior and this the Millers duly did. The Millers were also fielding two debutants in their starting line-up. Firstly Shaun Doxey who had signed from Alfreton and Matty Taylor from FC United. Indeed, Taylor won FC United’s supporters player of the season award last year. The game started brightly for New Mills and they dominated the first 45 minutes completely and it was something of a surprise when they went in at the interval only two goals to the good. There was a set back for New Mills when goalkeeper Barry George had to leave the field of play on 15 minutes with what looked to be a knee injury.

Shaun Doxey controls the pass

The first goal came after 24 minutes when an excellent piece of work down the right hand side saw Anthony Bingham race past the defence and send over an excellent cross which was met by leading scorer Carlos Meakin to nod them in front.

Carlos Meakin heads in goal number 1 - select pictures to see enlargement above

Mike Ryan puts keeper Richard Stone under pressure

New Mills now face a period of some five weeks before they are again at home in the league. Next Saturday they are at Bootle in a quarter-final tie of the Second Division Trophy – which they are the holders.

Tony Hancock commented after the game that he was relieved to have got the three points and paid tribute to the opposition. He did also rightly claim that the Millers should easily have wrapped the game up earlier. He also thanked the excellent crowd of 202 for their support.

Shaun Doxey blasts the ball past Danny Young and Michael Byrne

Carlos Meakins shot brings a full stretch save from Richard Stone

Adam Edwards blocks Danny Jackson on Millers corner

NEW MILLS; George, Taylor, Mather, Lomax, Ryan, Jackson, Shaw, Knight, Meakin, Bingham, Doxey. Subs; Williams, Hooper, Kharas.

STONE DOMINOES; Stone, Edwards, McKinney, Flood, Byrne, Baird, McGuire, Curley, Skellern, Brown, Mathews.

Minutes Silence

The reserves went down to their first league defeat in 13 games when they were beaten 2-1 at Ashton Athletic. This Saturday they are at home to Kirkham and Wesham reserves in the league cup with the game starting at the usual time of 3pm.

Saturday 12th January
Millers Stumble - But Still Top: New Mills 2 -  Oldham Town 3

New Mills slipped to their first league defeat of the season at Church Lane when an impressive looking Oldham Town edged them out in a five-goal thriller.

Indeed, it was the first time they had lost a league game on their own pitch for 14 months and the last side to beat them was…. Oldham Town!

It was a real top of the table clash with the Millers two places ahead of their Lancashire rivals who occupied third position.

New Mills were straight out of the blocks and took the lead in only the 2nd minute when a rehearsed set piece led to Joe Shaw scoring from close range. Oldham replied almost immediately and it was no surprise when they levelled four minutes later through Ryan Baldwin.

Joe Shaw shoots

The home side came straight back again and could have scored almost immediately. They did regain the lead on 12 minutes though when an individual goal by Anthony Bingham who held off a challenge before firing into the net – one of the best goals so far this season seen on the ground. Bingham had his best game so far in an amber shirt and was easily the best home player.

Anthony Bingham under pressure

Oldham Town were not to be denied and they scored after the referee or the linesman mysteriously did not stop the game for an offside and the player concerned headed back for Centre back Timothy Buxton to nod home. The home crowd became incensed after further decisions, which were highly questionable, came and went.

New Mills then continued to press forward and they looked the more likely to score. The deadlock was broken on 58 when prolific marksman Darren Scanlon scored from close range and home custodian Stuart Williams trying to prevent him from converting sustained an injury. Barry George immediately substituted him and the Millers began to pile on the pressure in search of that elusive equaliser. They had two fine chances in particular when Danny Carter burst through and elected to shoot instead of squaring for two unmarked team mates and Carlos Meakin fired over with ten minutes remaining. The Oldham goalkeeper Matty Blair displayed good handling during the second period and the Oldham players and supporters celebrated at the end. This was not a good display by the standards New Mills have met this season. The first two

Matty Blair beats Anthony Bingham and Adam Mather to the ball

Lee Bromley takes the ball past Leon Melia - mouseover

As for the Millers it is a difficult game for them this weekend when they travel to much fancied Bootle. Manager Tony Hancock was keen to stress that it was an ideal place for his players to bounce back and he was looking forward to the game.

NEW MILLS; Williams, Bromley, Lomax, Ryan, Dempsey, Jackson, Meakin, Shaw, Kharas, Bingham, Mather  subs; George, Ward, Carter.

OLDHAM TOWN; Blair, Deakin, Matey, Scofield, Buxton, Landregan, Melia, Baldwin, Scanlon, Curley, McGill sub; Murphy.

Garry Kharas and Damien Schofield up for cross

Saturday 5th January
Miller's Second String in Seventh Heaven:
New Mills Reserves 7 -  Nelson Reserves 3

Millers Reserves started the New Year in style with a goal fest to maintain their current status as the highest goalscorers in the Reserves Division. A Nelson team who looked a much improved team from the side Millers played at the beginning of September, played a full part in an entertaining game that finally finished 7 – 3 in Millers favour, the second time they have scored seven at home this season.

New Mills man of the match, Danny Carter made the first threatening attack of the game with a strong run down the left in only the second minute, finally resulting in an early corner. It was Millers though that fell to the counter attack, as the ball was played up field from the resulting goal kick, Nelson’s number 7 who was probably their man of the match played a through ball to their number 10 who looked offside, but carried on his unchallenged run at the Millers goal, and as the Millers keeper came off his line and went to ground, lifted it over him and into an empty net for 1 – 0.

A fifteen-minute period followed, which saw chances at both ends. Danny Carter continued to cause havoc down the left flank, firing in some great crosses that couldn't be converted. Adam Blackburn had a run at goal but took one touch too many and lost the chance to shoot, Daniel Kitchen fired wide after a great chest down by Matt Zajac from Steve Jackson’s cross. At the other end the Nelson goalscorer missed the opportunity to double his tally, firing wide after being found unmarked on the left side of the Miller’s area.

On eighteen minutes Millers were awarded a free kick for a push way out on their right hand touchline. Danny Carter whipped a superb curling left footed cross into the Nelson six yard box which the Nelson keeper did well to make a reaction save to as the ball arrived at him with pace over a mass of heads, but he could only divert the ball upwards and Matt Zajac was on hand to head the ball into the top corner to level the scores. Joe Ingham was staring to take control of midfield and was finding his forwards with some telling balls, but it was Stephen Land who had to be alert on 23 minutes as he sprinted over from his right back position to block a shot on the left side of the Millers area from Nelson’s lively number 10.

Five minutes later and Millers took the lead. Joe Ingham found Danny Carter on the left flank, and he galloped forward to the dead ball line and fired in another telling low cross that flew past the Nelson keeper finding Adam Blackburn charging into the six yard box, and he duly passed the ball into an empty net to make it 2 –1. Ten minutes from half-time and the Nelson number 10 again found himself through on goal, but Millers keeper Luke Smith made a good block at his near post. More chances fell to both sides to increase the goal tally, but it remained 2 – 1 to the Millers as the half time whistle blew.

Nelson started the second half the brighter, creating a couple of chances, the second of which Chris Sibson did well to stay with and challenge their lively number 10 as he again looked to be through on goal, but he only managed to take a knock which saw him have to be substituted. It looked as though it was going to be an uphill struggle for Millers in the second half, as the referee who had obviously enjoyed his mince pies at Christmas, clearly hadn't told the New Mills bench that he had promoted the Nelson linesman to assistant referee. All this lad needed was a whistle to confirm his status as every Millers attack was called offside, throw-ins were all blue and he even started flagging for fouls which his assistant on the field seemed only too happy to award.

Millers finally managed to beat the officials, when Adam Blackburn made a strong run up the right wing from Adam Brindle’s pass leaving the linesman for dead, and played a superb crossfield ball to Danny Carter free on the left who took a couple of touches, and fired a stinging shot that the Nelson keeper did well to force over the bar, drawing applause from the assembled masses in the crowd for both shot and save. From the resulting corner the ball fell to Chris Sibson in the Nelson area and he danced past a couple of challenges to fire back across goal and back into the far corner for 3 – 1.

Hardly had the Millers celebrations died down, when Nelson had a shot cleared off the line by Daniel Kitchen, but the ball was played back to the right and a good cross was played back across goal to the far post and was easily headed in by a Nelson forward to make it 3 – 2. As in the first half chances came and went at both ends. On 69 minutes Adam Blackburn won another New Mills corner, from which Danny Carter played another great ball over the Nelson keeper straight onto Mike Ward’s head and he powered the ball into the net to make it 4 – 2 to the Millers.

Nelson pulled another goal back with fifteen minutes to go in the strangest fashion, when their left back finding himself near the Millers corner flag fired the ball back goalwards, and as the Millers keeper came to the near post it flew over his head and cannoned into goal off the far post, 4 – 3.

From then on it was all New Mills, four minutes after the Nelson goal, Millers won another free kick out on the right hand touchline and the impeccable Danny Carter played in another telling ball into the near post which saw Adam Blackburn’s glancing header make it 5 – 3. Blackburn completed his hat-trick four minutes later when another crossfield ball from Matt Zajac found him unmarked and he fired home from the edge of the area for 6 – 3. A minute later it was Matt Zajac who found himself one on one with the keeper and he too finished well from the edge of the area to complete the scoring at 7 –3.

So Millers took their league goal tally past the 50 mark for the season and remain second in the League, but will face another tough away game next week against Oldham Town, who they knocked out of the Reserves Division Cup in another seven-goal thriller at the beginning of December. Best wishes for a speedy recovery to Aji Khan and Chris Fidler, who were both injured in the Glossop cup game before Christmas, and who both have hospital appointments next Thursday to see if they might be available again by the end of the month, and also to Jake Taylor who needs to rest after chipping a bone in his leg last week against Bootle and David Silcock also injured in last weeks game.

Millers Team:
Luke Smith (GK), Stephen Land, Stephen Jackson, Adam Brindle, Chris Sibson, Mike Ward, Daniel Kitchen, Joe Ingham, Adam Blackburn, Matt Zajac, Danny Carter. Substitutes: James Elmore (74 minutes for M. Ward), Chris Prodromis (84 minutes for D. Carter), Elliot Marshall (85 minutes for D. Kitchen), Billy Gallagher, Chris Thornley.

New Mills A.F.C. saw their game at Ashton Town postponed due to an unplayable pitch, but will be back in action at Church Lane this coming Saturday when they entertain Oldham Town, kick off is at 3:00pm, and all are welcome.