Millers Reserves lost their twelve match unbeaten League run which had stretched back to mid-September, when they conceded two goals in as many minutes right at the start of the second half, both to close range headers. Millers put out what looked like a strong team on the team sheet against Ashton Athletic Reserves who were struggling near the foot of the league, but it was the lower placed team who seemed least affected by the two week lay off due to the adverse weather.

Following a minute’s silence in remembrance of the untimely death of the young Flixton player last week, Millers kicked off with a strong wind behind them, which was blustering across the pitch from corner to corner. Millers camped out in the Ashton half for the first ten minutes, winning three corners and a free kick, all of which came to nothing as the players adjusted to the strong wind. Ashton then managed to get out of their half and played a couple of hopeful balls over the Millers defence, but keeper Chris Fidler, who played most of the match as a sweeper, was out to clear any danger from the edge of his area.

Back upfield went New Mills. Danny Dignan was finding some space out on the right wing, but it was proving difficult to provide any meaningful crosses in a swirling wind. Millers won a couple more free kicks but couldn’t put any pressure on the Ashton goal. On eighteen minutes Ashton finally managed to mount an attack down the left wing, but this amounted to nothing as the referee blew up for offside.

On twenty-five minutes, Millers mounted another attack down the right and the ball was played across field to the left side of the Ashton area. Their keeper advanced from goal but then realised Matt Zajac was going to be first to the ball, and he hurriedly backpedalled towards his goal. Matt controlled the ball and played a cross low into the Ashton danger area, which the retreating keeper spilled straight to the feet of Adam Blackburn who made no mistake from the edge of the six yard box. 1 – 0 Millers!

For the remainder of the half neither side managed a serious threat on goal. Ashton were awarded two free kicks, the first of which was well claimed by the Millers keeper, the second was easily cleared. Adam Blackburn created a chance for himself but the end shot was weak, and following a foul on Matt Zajac, Danny Carter’s free kick from 30 yards, beat the wall but was straight at the Ashton keeper. Ashton finally managed a shot on target in first half injury time, which was straight at the Millers keeper.

Millers created two early chances in the second half. First Danny Dignan found some space on the right and put in a good cross, which Mike Ward hit first time from the edge of the area, but the Ashton keeper made a good save low at his right hand post. Danny then created a bit of space for himself, but his shot was straight at the keeper. Then five minutes into the second half and the game turned on its head. Ashton now playing with the wind at their backs, won a throw-in half way inside the Millers half. The throw in was taken upfield to a player who controlled the ball, turned and his first time cross was met on the edge of the six yard box with a firm header back across goal, 1 – 1. Kick off, Ashton won the ball back, played it up the right, a long cross hanging in the wind fell to an unmarked Ashton player standing on the far post who easily netted to make it 2 – 1.

This prompted the Millers team into action, but chances came and went, and even though they dominated play for the next twenty minutes, and Ashton mounted a desperate rearguard action, the equaliser just wouldn’t come. Ashton could have extended their lead with a couple of breakaway chances, but these ended up high over the Millers goal. Steve Jackson came closest to pulling the scores level on seventy six minutes when his thirty yard free kick cannoned off the Ashton crossbar, but the final few minutes were played out in the Millers corner as Ashton held the ball up and ran the clock down.

So a scrappy game, played in a strong wind, finished in only Millers fourth defeat of the season, but I am sure Gareth will be looking for a response from the team next week when they take on Kirkham & Wesham at Church Lane in Round 2 of the Reserve Division Cup.

Millers Team:
Chris Fidler (GK), Stephen Land, Stephen Jackson, Adam Brindle, Chris Sibson, Joe Ingham, Danny Dignan, Mike Ward, Adam Blackburn, Matt Zajac, Danny Carter. Subs: Joe Mallalieu (GK), Jake Taylor (75minutes for D. Dignan), James Elmore (75 minutes for D. Carter), Elliot Marshall (88 minutes for M. Zajac), Daniel Kitchen

Millers Reserves Edge Cup Comp

Seven goals, a freezing wind, a pitch soaked by overnight rain, a sending off, what else would you expect for a December 1st Cup game. Well two good teams and a referee who didn’t know one end of the rulebook from the other contributed to an entertaining open game seeing New Mills Reserves beat Oldham Town Reserves by the odd goal. Millers were in for a difficult game they were told on arrival, as Oldham were playing an ex England U18 International goalkeeper, just released from Oldham Athletic. Well he kept a clean sheet for three minutes so Oldham must have been pleased with the start! After Stewart Kay had looped a shot over the bar in the first minute, Aji Khan fared better two minutes later when his shot from the edge of the box looped over the keeper and in for 1-0.

After Oldham had fired wide and a neat one two down the right between Jake Taylor and Aji Khan had found the side netting, the scores were level on ten minutes. Oldham played a ball into a huge gap wide on the right, a cross to the edge of the box wasn’t cleared and an Oldham forward toe poked the ball across goal and in at the far corner. Then came the first warning signs that the referee wasn’t going to have the best of games. He penalised Millers several times for offside because an Oldham supporter was shouting at him to do so, yet when a ball played over the Millers defence found two Oldham forwards at least five yards offside it was left to the Millers keeper to win the race for the ball and clear the danger.

Oldham upped the pressure with two easily gained free kicks, but from a long clearance, Adam Blackburn latched onto a through ball and hit a good shot back across goal from a wide angle to restore the Millers lead at 2-1. Some end-to-end stuff followed culminating in what would have been the goal of the game when David Silcock met a Stephen Land cross and rifled his shot against the crossbar and away to safety. Back came Oldham and from a long throw into the box, Millers keeper Chris Fidler made two good blocks to maintain the lead. Then came another piece of refereeing gold. Another through ball to Adam Blackburn saw the Oldham defence shouting for offside, they stopped waiting for the whistle, the referee waved play on, Bomber carried on round the goalkeeper and it was 3-1 to New Mills. Cue mayhem, as Oldham players, management and supporters voiced their disappointment to the referee who calmly walked back to the middle ready for the kick off.

Back came Oldham again and after a stoppage following a clash of heads after the Millers keeper cleared both man and ball, the ball fell to an Oldham forward who fired a shot from 20 yards round a Millers defender and in at the far post for 3-2. Three minutes later and Oldham thought they had levelled when a free kick was launched into the Millers six-yard box and bundled in by an Oldham forward who was adjudged by the referee to have controlled the ball with his hand, and so a breathless first half finished, advantage Millers.

Millers started the second half at a frantic pace and the Oldham keeper was called into early action to make a double block from Jake Taylor, and then a parried save from Aji Khan. Adam Brindle made a superb tackle at the other end to stop the Oldham forward being through clear on goal, but then Millers started to take control of the game. A New Mills free kick for a foul on Stewart Kay, was well hit over the Oldham wall by Steve Jackson, but the keeper failed to hold the shot and Aji Khan followed in to make it 4-2. Despite Millers seeming to have control of the game and creating the better chances, play carried on moving from end to end, Chris Sibson and Steve Jackson made some strong runs up the left and Jake Taylor and Stephen Land kept probing up the right flank, but the Millers keeper had to be alert to make a close range save on 79 minutes following an Oldham break. There was nothing he could do though a minute later when another Oldham free kick wasn’t cleared to safety and an Oldham forward fired the ball past a crowd of players and in to make it 4-3.

Another refereeing headscratcher followed a few minutes later when Adam Blackburn surged into the box and was clearly hauled down by an Oldham defender for a stonewall penalty, only for the referee to wave play on again. Play carried on from end to end as Oldham searched for the equaliser and Millers looked to put the game out of sight, but this all became too much for the Oldham manager in the last couple of minutes, when following a stoppage he marched onto the far side of the pitch using some colourful language to implore the referee to get on with the game. Finally the referee had heard enough and walked over for a word and a yellow card, but the warning obviously wasn’t enough as the verbal onslaught continued as the referee walked back to re-start the game. This time the referee came back and showed a straight red for foul and abusive language, and as the manager walked off his final act was to throw water in the referee’s direction.

An exciting end to an exciting match when the referee finally blew for full time a few minutes later, and Millers had edged a hard fought victory in a game played in difficult conditions by two good teams. So Millers progress to Round 2 of the Reserves Division Cup and will hope for a home tie after being drawn away at Glossop in the quarter finals of the Derbyshire Cup.

Millers Team:
Chris Fidler (GK), Stephen Land, Stephen Jackson, Adam Brindle, Scott Dignan, David Silcock, Jake Taylor, Aji Khan, Adam Blackburn, Stewart Kay, Chris Sibson. Substitutes: Luke Smith (GK), James Elmore (72 minutes for S. Kay), Chris Prodromis (82 minutes for C. Sibson), Elliot Marshall (86 minutes for A. Blackburn), Billy Gallagher.

Millers Reserves have no game currently scheduled for next week, and therefore will return to League action at home to Cheadle Town Reserves on Saturday 15th December.

Millers Reserves played their second away game of the week and fourth in a row, on Wednesday night at Flixton FC, and as on Saturday at Chadderton the last 15 minutes decided the game, however on Saturday it was definitely a point won whereas tonight it was two points lost. The positives to be taken from the game were that New Mills Reserves extended their unbeaten run to eight games, and tonight’s draw lifted Millers to the top of the Reserve Division, albeit on goal difference from Glossop North End who Millers play in their next league match a week on Saturday.

Flixton was always going to be a difficult place to come midweek on a wet and windy evening, and it appeared it was going to be even more difficult when despite a firm and even playing surface, somebody seemed to have forgotten to mark out the pitch with any white lines! The ref decided that he had good eyesight and could see the faintest of markings and the match got underway.

The game started at a frantic pace. Flixton kicked off, Millers won the ball back and Jake Taylor set off at pace down the right wing, only to be crudely taken out by the Flixton number 6, and this was after only 10 seconds. Stephen Land took the free kick straight onto Adam Blackburn’s head and just wide. Flixton goal kick, which Adam Brindle met and knocked straight back towards the Flixton goal, Matt Zajac neatly flicked a header to Adam Blackburn who slid the ball under the keeper to make it 1-0 and one minute gone. The same two players combined two minutes later only to see the shot easily collected by the Flixton keeper.

Flixton had their first chance on nine minutes, when some neat play up the right wing finished with a one-two that took the ball deep into the Millers area and keeper Barry George had to be alert to steer a close range shot away with his foot for a corner. For the next fifteen minutes the ball was steered around the midfield area with neither side creating any clear cut opportunities, but on 24 minutes the ball was played out wide on the Millers left to David Silcock who played a great cross field ball to an unmarked Jake Taylor at the far post who despatched his shot with ease to double the Millers goal tally.

Millers continued to press for a third and dominated the remainder of the half, creating another five clear-cut chances, which they were unable to convert, and the half finished with Millers leading 2-0.

New Mills started the second half as they had finished the first. Some neat passing through the team from one side of the field to the other resulted in a corner. The ball in was cleared for a second corner, which Adam Blackburn headed back across goal to an unmarked Adam Brindle, who failed to keep his shot down and fired well over the bar. Two minutes later and Matt Zajac who had looked lively all game, fired in a snap shot which the Flixton keeper fumbled and just managed to steer past the post for yet another Millers corner.

It wasn’t until the 59th minute that Flixton managed to get another shot on target, which was easily collected by the Millers keeper. Millers continued to push forward and James Elmore played the second of two lovely floated probing passes into the path of Steve Jackson up the left wing and his superb cross was well met by David Silcock with a firm header which flew agonisingly past the far post.

Then with 20 minutes to go Millers seemed to take their foot off the pedal, sat back a bit and started to allow Flixton a bit more space and possession. Mild panic set in when Stephen Land who had been superb all evening steered a back pass past the oncoming Barry George but managed to get back to clear, before the Flixton forward could capitalise on the mistake. A minute later and nobody was alert to a quickly taken Flixton corner, which was headed on by an unmarked Flixton forward just past the far post.

Right on the stroke of 75 minutes, Millers fell to the classic sucker punch. A strong Jake Taylor run up the right wing led to him cutting into the box and chipping the ball over the advancing keeper only to see it pass the far post and just evade Matt Zajac’s foot. The resulting clearance up the right wing was controlled by the Flixton winger who cut back inside the Millers area, and placed an unchallenged shot with the outside of his right foot into the far corner of the Millers net to bring it back to 2-1.

This lifted the Flixton team and five minutes later they again worked the ball into the Millers box, and the ref spotted a trip on a Flixton forward and had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. The Flixton players seemed a bit hesitant in who was going to take the kick, but eventually somebody stepped forward and as Barry George took a gamble on which way the kick was going, he blasted it high down the middle to level the scores at 2-2.

This stung the Millers team into action, and they were denied a penalty two minutes later for what looked a carbon copy of the kick just awarded to Flixton when Steve Jackson was brought down in the area, but this time the referee waved play on. Deep into injury time and Millers were awarded a free kick about 25 yards out which Steve Jackson hit low and hard and the Flixton keeper just managed to divert round the post.

So the game finished 2-2 and Millers will look back on a game they dominated for the best part, but switched off and allowed the opposition back into the game. However on the positive side they were creating chances which just need a slightly better conversion rate, and have come through four successive away games unbeaten.

Millers Team:
Barry George (GK), Stephen Land, Stephen Jackson, Tom Byrne, Adam Brindle, David Silcock, Jake Taylor, James Elmore, Adam Blackburn, Matt Zajac, Chris Prodromis. Substitutes: Luke Smith (GK), Aji Khan (67 minutes for J. Elmore), Stewart Kay (76 minutes for A. Blackburn), Joe Ingham, Daniel Kitchen.

Millers Reserves have no League or Cup fixtures this weekend but will be likely to arrange a friendly. Their next league game will be away again at Glossop North End on Saturday 17th November.

Millers Reserves looked decidedly out of sorts on Saturday, when they put in a lacklustre performance, which looked destined to defeat, until an injury time equaliser produced a late draw at Chadderton. This result extended Millers unbeaten run to seven games, and proved that if you keep going to the end you may get lucky!

Millers kicked off down the slope and with the sun at their backs, and for the first ten minutes looked the better team. David Silcock hit a shot over the bar, Aji Khan clipped a ball wide under pressure from the defender, and Rhys Nevins saw a weak header easily saved by the Chadderton keeper after a good cross from the left by Adam Blackburn.

Then Chadderton started to play their way into the game, and seemed to be finding too much space and time to probe the Millers defence. The Chadderton number 10 should have broken the deadlock on 13 minutes but was denied by a smart save low to his left by Millers keeper Chris Fidler. The resulting corner found its way to an unmarked Chadderton forward, who was denied again by Fidler who tipped his point blank shot over the bar. From the second corner the ball did find the back of the Millers net, but the goal was ruled out by the referee, who had seen some pushing from a Chadderton player.

Millers hadn’t learnt their lesson about giving Chadderton too much space, when a few minutes later their number 10 played a ball into the penalty area, and the unmarked number 7 blasted his shot over the bar. Millers did then create a couple of
chances. Some good work by Nevins down the right won Millers a corner. James Elmore took the kick, which was cleared back to him, and his first time cross was headed over by Chris Sibson. Jake Taylor then won a free kick near the corner and James Elmore played a one two with Aji Khan whose cross flew right across goal with no Millers player on hand to take the opportunity.

Play then switched back to the other end and the Millers keeper had to be alert again to save two Chadderton chances at his near post. But the deadlock was finally broken in the 35th minute when the Chadderton goalkeeper made a poor clearance, which found his number 7 in his own half. There looked to be no imminent danger as he set off on a run up the left wing, but he made it all the way to the goal line and played in a low cross which the Millers keeper cut out but failed to hold, and the ball fell to an unmarked Chadderton player who prodded the ball into the Millers net. Chadderton looked to extend their lead but the last chance of the half flew over the Millers bar, and it remained 1 – 0.

Chadderton started the second half where they left off, and in only the second minute the Millers keeper had to be smartly off his line to collect a ball on the edge of his area at the feet of a Chadderton forward. Eight minutes later and the Chadderton left back was unmarked on the edge of the Millers area and hit a crisp half volley which Fidler saved well away to his left and then saved the follow up shot at point blank range.

Millers were failing to find any form, passes were going astray, opposition players were being left unmarked and no penetration into the Chadderton half was being made. Daniel Kitchen created a half chance just past the hour when a cross shot hit with the outside of his foot narrowly flew past the post. However in the last fifteen minutes the Chadderton team appeared to tire, and Millers finally started to create a few chances. The equaliser seemed to have come on 76 minutes when the Chadderton keeper flapped wildly at a well-hit volley, and somehow managed to knock the goal bound shot into the air and catch it on the way down. He was on hand again seven minutes later when he managed to scramble another goal bound effort away from the foot of the post with his leg. Millers were now upping the pressure and they were winning corners and free kicks as the Chadderton team looked happy to waste time and run down the clock. But into injury time and just after the referee had indicated there were two minutes remaining, substitute Chris Prodromis picked up the ball on the left advanced up the wing and fired in a low cross, which fellow substitute Stewart Kay met in the middle of the goal, and fired it past the Chadderton keeper for the equaliser. Seconds after the re-start and the final whistle went to confirm the draw.

Sometimes you play well and get nothing. Other times like today you play poorly but manage to salvage something from the game, and move on to the next match knowing it was a point won rather than two lost.

Millers Team:
Chris Fidler (GK), Daniel Kitchen, Chris Sibson, Tom Byrne, Adam Brindle, David Silcock, Jake Taylor, Aji Khan, Adam Blackburn, Rhys Nevins, James Elmore. Substitutes: Luke Smith (GK), Stewart Kay (60 minutes for J. Elmore), Stephen Land (66 minutes for C. Sibson), Chris Prodromis (70 minutes for A. Blackburn), Joe Ingham

Millers Reserves continue their away day excursions with their fourth consecutive away game at Flixton Reserves, this Wednesday 7th November, 7.45pm kick off.

New Mills Reserves recorded their sixth straight win on Saturday to maintain second spot in the league, and move just one point behind current leaders Glossop, who were involved in the Derbyshire Cup this weekend. It was an early return fixture with Colne, who Millers beat 6-3 only a few weeks ago in the first of their six match unbeaten run.

With a few regular faces involved with the First Team this weekend, and two of those making their debuts, it gave manager; Gareth McClelland a chance to use the depth of squad he has built up since the start of the season, and there were 5 changes to the starting line-up that faced Colne at the end of September.

In what turned out to be a tight game against mid-table opposition, Millers played the first half down the slope, and the two best chances fell to Danny Carter, with both opportunities clearing the bar.

In the second half Millers started to take a bit more control of the game, with the back four in particular holding firm to repel the Colne attacks. Adam Blackburn had a clear cut penalty shout waved away by the referee, when he emabarked on one of his mazy runs, beating four Colne players before being upended in the box, but the referee somehow seemed to miss the incident and waved play on.

Millers finally took the lead with about 20 minutes remaining. David Silcock stepped up to take a free kick which he drilled low and hard, and with the aid of a slight deflection off a Colne defender, the ball found its way into the back of the net. It was hearts in mouths time with only a few seconds remaining when a Colne chance glanced off the crossbar, but Millers Reserves held out to gain another valuable three points, and continue their fine unbeaten run.

Millers Reserves continue their away day marathon next Saturday with a tough looking trip away to Chadderton, and will be hopeful of gaining more than just the point gained at Church Lane against the same opposition in the second game of the season. This will be closely followed by a fourth straight away game at Flixton the following Wednesday 7th November.

Millers Team:
Luke Smith (GK), Daniel Kitchen, Chris Sibson, Tom Byrne, David Silcock, James Elmore, Jake Taylor, Aji Khan, Mark Allen, Adam Blackburn, Danny Carter.Subs: Stewart Kay (for M. Allen), Billy Gallagher (for J. Elmore), Joe Ingham, Chris Prodomis, Andy Street.

Millers Reserves travelled to Daisy Hill and ground out a hard fought victory in a game that the referee tried his best to ruin for both teams. The game was not allowed to flow, saw some head-scratching decisions and resulted in two sent off in a game that was never really bad tempered.

New Mills created their first chance in the first minute, with the home keeper off his line quickly to cover a ball over the top. Daisy Hill responded with a chance of their own a few seconds later when a 25-yard free kick was blasted high over the bar. Millers then kept up a period of pressure when first Danny Carter put a telling cross into the Daisy Hill box which just fell behind the New Mills forwards, and then Mike Ward blasted wide following up a blocked Phil Ainscough free kick.

On 12 minutes New Mills got their first attempt on target when some good work by Jake Taylor wide on the right, resulted in a great cross that saw Danny Carter’s looped header caught under his crossbar by the Daisy Hill keeper. Two minutes later and the deadlock was broken. New Mills won a free kick 25 yards out and Adam Brindle stepped up to fire a low shot past the despairing dive of the keeper and in the far corner to make it 1 – 0.

More New Mills chances came and went with the best falling to Chris Sibson who blasted an Adam Blackburn cross over the bar. Adam had two chances himself on the half hour mark when put through one on one by a precision Danny Carter ball, but his first touch let him down and the keeper gathered. This was followed by another Carter cross which was turned onto the bar by Blackburn, with Phil Ainscough just failing to turn to put the rebound goalwards. Danny Carter also hit the crossbar on 37 minutes when his intended cross hit the bar and was blasted out for a corner by the Daisy Hill defender. The half time whistle came with the score still 1 – 0 to the Millers.

New Mills started the second half brightly with Jake Taylor just failing to direct a header goalwards in the first minute, and a minute later a long clearance upfield by the Millers keeper, was glanced on by Adam Blackburn to Phil Ainscough, who rounded the keeper but could only find the side netting.

Daisy Hill got their first chance of the second half on 52 minutes when the referee started his pattern of confusing decisions. He offered Daisy Hill a free-kick on the half way line for an incident that even the home players appeared puzzled about. The ball was played to the edge of the area, and a snap shot from their forward was comfortably saved by the Millers keeper Chris Fidler away to his left. However two minutes later a simple throw-in on the right hand side found its way to an unmarked player on the left hand edge of the area and he made no mistake in finding the roof of the Millers net to make it 1 – 1 completely against the run of play.

A quick response was needed and was found. Substitute David Silcock slid a through ball to Phil Ainscough whose shot was deflected into his own net by a Daisy Hill defender to restore the Millers lead. On 65 minutes another long clearance by the Millers keeper was glanced on to Jake Taylor whose shot was blocked and rebounded to Aji Khan who hit a stinging drive just past the far post. A minute later and the lead was extended further when a Danny Carter free kick found Chris Sibson’s head and he made no mistake in making it 3 – 1.

Daisy Hill refused to give up and when they had a corner cleared by the New Mills defence a ball was played back over the advancing defence who were clearing their area and fell to one of three clearly offside forwards who made no mistake in giving the Millers keeper no chance as the referee happily waved play on. 3 – 2. A minute later and another New Mills free kick was played high into the Daisy Hill area by Adam Brindle, and their advancing keeper dropped the ball over his head to give Adam Blackburn an easy second goal to make it 4 – 2.

New Mills scored the goal of the game on 72 minutes when a ball played to Jake Taylor was hit first time with the outside of his foot and bisected the defence to find Adam Blackburn on the edge of the area who squeezed a first time shot between the outstretched keeper and the post to make it 5 – 2.

The referee had completely lost the plot by this time and was stopping the game every few seconds for no particular reason and then allowing play to continue when clear fouls had been committed. On 81 minutes an innocuous looking challenge led to words between Richard Gresty and the Daisy Hill number 9. The banter continued for a minute and with the players in close proximity the Daisy Hill player directed an elbow into the New Mills player’s face, who responded by pushing the Daisy Hill player away. This looked as though it could escalate into a major incident as players raced across to remonstrate and calm the situation. Enter the referee who red-carded the Daisy Hill player – correct decision, and then also red-carded Richard Gresty – incorrect decision, but both teams were down to 10 men.

Both keepers made good saves in the last few minutes. The Daisy Hill keeper was out well to save at Millers sub Stewart Kay’s feet, then at the other end a ball over the top saw the Daisy Hill player one on one but Chris Fidler got a strong hand to his shot to clear the danger and then followed this up by coming out of goal quickly to clear a through ball and ended up making a mazy run up the left wing to set up a final New Mills attack.

The final whistle came, and the game finished 5 – 2 to the Millers. Referees have a difficult job especially without linesmen, but today’s game was spoilt for both teams by some very poor decisions, so New Mills will feel happy to return home with the three points.

Millers Team: Chris Fidler (GK), Daniel Kitchen, Chris Sibson, Richard Gresty, Adam Brindle, Aji Khan, Jake Taylor, Mike Ward, Adam Blackburn, Phil Ainscough, Danny Carter. Subs: Luke Smith (GK), David Silcott (49 minutes for M. Ward), Stewart Kay (60 minutes for P. Ainscough), Matt Zojac (76 minutes for A. Blackburn), Matthew Cotton

Millers Reserves next game is at home to Padiham Reserves this Saturday 6th October, kick off is at 3:00pm.

New Mills managed to secure three points despite putting in a less than convincing performance against a Colne team who played 54 minutes with only 10 men following an injury to their keeper. In fact this game could turn into a quiz question: When was the last time a New Mills team scored six goals in one game against three different keepers, who let in two goals each?

Gareth McClelland made another 5 changes to the team who lined up against Glossop earlier in the week, and it was the Millers who started the game brightly with Phil Ainscough finding some space on the right in the first minute, and playing a lovely ball across the area which failed to get the attention it deserved from a New Mills forward. A minute later and Chris Sibson put in a good cross from the other side of the pitch, only for Matt Zojac to steer his side-footed effort wide of the near post. This was quickly followed up by a New Mills corner, which eventually came to nothing.

However in the 4th minute, Colne pushed forward for the first time and played a hopeful ball into the Millers area only for the referee to see a bit of shirt pulling and had no hesitation in awarding Colne a penalty. Millers keeper Luke Smith dived away to his left and managed to block the penalty kick, but was unable to push the ball to safety, and the follow up from the Colne forward found the back of the net to make it 1 – 0.

Two minutes later and two strong challenges brought the first booking of the game. The first challenge from a Colne player went unpunished, but the referee saw fit to bring out his yellow card and book Joe Ingham for a similar tackle. This was followed by another New Mills chance when Daniel Kitchen played a lovely floated ball over the Colne backline to see the ball land at the feet of forward Matt Zojac and the Colne keeper, who just managed to scramble the ball to safety.

In the 10th minute the New Mills team failed to close down the Colne number 9 in midfield and he had all the time in the world to advance on goal and pick his pass through the Millers defence to his strike partner who calmly slotted the ball through the advancing Millers keeper’s legs to make it 2 – 0.

Millers kept up the pressure and were finally rewarded on 18 minutes when Aji Khan showed some brilliant close control skills on the left touchline to take the ball past three Colne players, leaving two sat on the floor wondering where he had gone. He advanced on goal and played a neat one two collecting the ball back in the area, and just as he was about to pull the trigger he was bundled to the ground. There was no doubt about this penalty decision and Khan picked himself up to send the keeper the wrong way and bring the score back to 2 – 1.

Four minutes later and Colne’s two goal lead was restored when their number 8 saw the Millers keeper off his line and hit a speculative 30 yard effort which flew over his head and into the top corner to make it 3 – 1.

On 31 minutes New Mills pulled another goal back when Adam Brindle hit a shot from 25 yards which cannoned back off the post, and Jake Taylor stooped low to head the rebound past the Colne keeper to make it 3 – 2.

Five minutes later and Colne were down to ten men when the Colne keeper signalled that he was unable to continue with a back problem, and the scorer of their third goal took the gloves whilst the keeper went off for some treatment. Three minutes before half-time and some good work from Phil Ainscough out on the right flank, saw a ball crossed into the Colne area and Daniel Kitchen made a determined run to side foot the ball past the sub keeper and off the post to make it 3 – 3 which it stayed to half time.

With Colne down to 10 men and with their keeper unable to continue for the second half, New Mills felt confident that they could add to their score tally and this mood was justified only two minutes into the half, when a Jake Taylor corner was floated into the area and Phil Ainscough rose at the near post to place a powerful header past the sub keeper and put Millers into the lead for the first time in the game 4 – 3.

Colne decided that their number 8 who had been playing well earlier was wasted in goal and he was brought back to play outfield and they changed to use their third keeper of the game. This decision was justified and it was Colne who enjoyed the most pressure over the next 15 minutes, culminating in a long clearance upfield which their forward controlled and hit a first time lob over the advancing Millers keeper, only to see the ball bounce off the crossbar and out for a goal kick.

Two Millers substitutes were involved to create the next chance. Sub Adam Blackburn made a strong run through midfield and played a ball to Phil Ainscough who played a poor first time ball straight to a Colne defender. However he made up for his error by winning the ball back and the ball eventually found its way to second sub Stewart Kay whose first effort was blocked, but he made no mistake with the follow up to play the ball under the second sub keeper and make it 5 – 3.

Millers couldn’t capitalise on their superior numbers with several good chances being wasted until six minutes from time, when Aji Khan latched on to a clearance from a corner, and hit a long range effort which took a deflection and sent the keeper the wrong way to make it 6 – 3. The final minutes were played out with a game of how many times the referee could catch sub Stewart Kay offside!

So the game finished 6 – 3 to New Mills, and fair play to Colne who despite their injury problems made a game of it and made New Mills fight for the win. This was the reverse of last Monday when Millers played well and lost, today the performance wasn’t as good but they won, and as they say, three points is three points!

Millers Team: Luke Smith (GK), Stephen Land, Chris Sibson, Tom Byrne, Adam Brindle, Joe Ingham, Daniel Kitchen, Aji Khan, Phil Ainscough, Matt Zojac, Jake Taylor. Subs: Chris Fidler (GK), Stewart Kay (55 minutes for M. Zojac), Adam Blackburn (60 minutes for J. Taylor), Matthew Cotton (70 minutes for S. Land), Billy Gallagher

New Mills started the game like Brazil with some lovely play down the right hand side, but the Millers should have seen how the game was going to unfold when the ball arrived into the Kirkham area, and two shots both hit a New Mills player and bounced away to safety. This was closely followed by a great cross field ball to Adam Blackburn who hit a first time shot on the run across goal and past the far post. Kirkham had their first chance on 7 minutes when a free kick from the touchline sailed across goal and fell to one of two Kirkham players unmarked at the far post, but fortunately the shot was blazed over the bar.

Blackburn then got another chance seven minutes later when some good tackling by Lee Bromley robbed the Kirkham defender, and his cross found Blackburn's head but his efffort went wide of the far post. Some frantic play up and down the pitch followed, but a Kirkham ball over the top finally worked on 25 minutes and with the player racing goalwards Luke Smith was sharply out of the Millers goal to make a good block, and the ball bounced away to safety. Four minutes later and Phil Ainscough had a similar chance at the other end, only to see the Kirkham keeper make an equally smart block. Millers won a free kick on 34 minutes and again Lee Bromley's kick fell to Blackburn's head, but again the header flew wide.

The turning point of the game came five minutes later when a long ball played into the Miller's area seemed to be bouncing away to safety, but with Lee Bromley and a Kirkham forward both chasing the ball, Bromley gave the Kirkham player a shove who had no hesitation in falling to the turf, and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot, despite the Miller's players protests that the forward would never have reached the ball in any case. Up stepped the Kirkham number 9 to take the penalty and despite Luke Smith in goal going the right way, the ball evaded his fingers and into the net for Kikham to lead 1 - 0, and thats how it stayed to half time.

Kirkham & Wesham started the second half the brighter with a long range effort just past the post in the first minute, and a little while later a clearly offside but not given Kirkham player fired his shot against the post. On 62 minutes another Kirkham chance was not wasted when another shot hit the Millers post, but this time it was followed up and the player found the back of the net to make it 2 - 0. This fired New Mills into a bit of life and substitute Matthew Cotton had a shot well saved by the Kirkham keeper on 65 minutes. Ten minutes later and Millers got theselves back into the game when a Lee Bromley cross was flicked on into the Kirkham area and the first shot was blocked, but ran free to Matthew Cotton who had no hesitation in firing his shot into an empty net to bring the game back to 2 - 1.

Kirkham then had a couple more chances to seal the game with first their forward latching onto a headed backpass to the Millers keeper, and fortunately lofting the ball over the keeper and the bar, then the Kirkham substitute making a mazy run into the Miller's area only to fire his shot past the far post. With three minutes remaining, New Mills thought they had been given a chance to level the match, when the Kirkham defender clearly handled the ball inside the penalty area, but the only person inside the ground not to see it was the referee, who only stopped play to book a New Mills player for protesting. With that chance gone the final whistle came to seal Miller's second defeat of the season.

Millers Team: Luke Smith (GK), Lee Bromley, Adam Brindle, Tom Byrne, Luke Gale, Michal Biczysko, Jake Taylor, Aji Khan, Phil Ainscough, Matt Zojac, Adam Blackburn. Subs: Jamie Fitzpatrick (51 minutes for M. Biczysko), Matthew Cotton (63 minutes for L. Gale), Stephen Land (77 minutes for L. Bromley), Stewart Kay, Daniel Kitchen.

New Mills reserves will be in action again this coming Saturday when they entertain Colne Reserves, kick off is at 3;00pm and all are welcome. Report courtesy of Gloveman.

Millers travelled North to Nelson, and enjoyed their first win of the season in a game which they totally dominated and played some excellent football. They scored four, had two disallowed for offside, and but for some magnificent one on one saves by the Nelson keeper towards the end of the game, Millers could easily have finished with a double figure score line.

Manager; Gareth McClelland was forced into making a few changes from the first two games, but everybody settled in and played well as a team, with the front two of Jake Taylor and Matt Zojac looking lively all afternoon.

It was Nelson who had the first chance of the game in the first minute, when a free kick for handball flew wide of the Miller's right hand post. In the third minute Danny Carter showed his intention to give the Nelson right back a tough afternoon, when he made a strong run down the left wing to fire an inviting cross low across the Nelson goalmouth, which managed to evade everyone homing in on goal. Five minutes later and another lively Carter run brought a throw in which was quickly taken into the Nelson area, and Aji Khan was first to react to curl a right foot shot over the keeper to make it 1-0.

Millers had a couple more close chances in the next ten minutes, but on twenty minutes Nelson won a corner, which was curled into the Miller's area, and a flying header from the Nelson skipper was glanced just wide of the far post.

This miss, kick started the New Mills team back into life, and a period of pressure led to a corner on 27 minutes, which Danny Carter played in towards the near post, a half clearance saw the ball fall to Adam Brindle who rifled his shot back across goal and past the keeper to make it 2-0.

On 35 minutes New Mills won a free kick which Carter played into the Nelson area, and a half clearance by the keeper was pounced on by Matt Zojac, who finished from close range. However the referee who had chosen to ignore several Miller's appeals for Nelson offsides, decided that this was the time to blow his whistle and disallowed the goal.

Four minutes later though and the Millers keeper made a long kick upfield which was collected well by Aji, and a ball was played into the Nelson area which Matt Zojac collected well and turned to thunder his shot past the Nelson keeper to make up for his earlier disappointment. This made it 3-0 and that's how it stayed to half time.

The second half started with both sides creating chances and both keepers making good saves, but on 57 minutes a mistake by the Nelson skipper on the edge of his area, saw Matt Zojac pinch the ball off him and run across the area to fire a low shot back across goal to make it 4-0.

The Nelson number 10 who never stopped running all afternoon had three second half chances. His first on 73 minutes when he was one on one with the Millers keeper, saw a weak cross shot easily saved. Six minutes later the same player saw a strong header from a corner, acrobatically tipped over the bar by Miller's keeper Chris Fidler, who then rode his luck eight minutes later when the Nelson number 10 again through one on one on goal saw his shot brush off Fidler's leg, hit the post and bounce back into the grateful keeper's arms.

Apart from these chances Millers completely dominated the second half, and at times it was like shooting practice when the Nelson keeper managed to deny several Miller's players from scoring again. He was finally beaten in stoppage time, but the referee again saw fit to wipe out Jake Taylor's goal for offside.

An excellent performance in a game which Millers thoroughly deserved to win, saw some fine individual performances, too many to mention, but pleasingly this meant that the team played well and dominated the game.

Millers Team:
Chris Fidler (GK), Stephen Land, Chris Sibson, Tom Byrne, Adam Brindle, Luke Gale, Daniel Kitchen, Aji Khan, Jake Taylor, Matt Zojac, Danny Carter. Subs: Luke Smith (GK), Michal Biczysko (45 minutes for L. Gale), James Elmore (55 minutes for S. Land), Joe Ingham (71 minutes for D. Kitchen), Billy Gallagher.

Millers Reserves next game is at home next Saturday 8th September, against Ashton Athletic 3.00pm kick of