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What happened when...

Website Administrator18 Jun 2018 - 16:00
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The Millers faced Cheadle Town in 2003/04 FA Vase

Saturday 20th September 2003

Close, But No Cigar As Millers Exit Vase

Cheadle Town 3 - New Mills 2

Within a minute of the kick off, New Mills applied good pressure on Cheadle's goal forcing keeper Troy Whittle to push the ball over for a corner kick. Matt Buckley swung in an excellent ball to find Simon Ignotus storming in, who headed into the gaping net to give the underdogs a dream start.

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.

After 41 minutes of play, Cheadle equalised, a flowing move down the left allowed Martin McDonald to pick his spot across the face of goal, this unnerved New Mills and the home side soon gained the advantage with Rob Kemton firing home just 3 minutes later.

Would New Mills respond during the second half, not if McDonald or Jones for Cheadle had anything to do with it. Mark Jones in particular made the most of the freedom he was allowed down the left wing to trouble the Millers throughout. Ben Candlin for New Mills was forced to save smartly at his near post as Cheadle applied the pressure while Millers sporadic counter-attacks often broke down in the final third.

Cheadle extended the lead on 65 minutes, Lee Morris twisted and turned inside the box to plant a sweet shot into the top right, giving Candlin no chance. David Bailey spared Millers blushes to block Town's shot into the unguarded net and Danny Thomas was introduced to offer fresh impetuous on the right wing. Thomas seemed to have won the ball cleanly to present Ignotus with his hat trick, but the referee had already blown as the Millers centre-half fired home.

Cheadle were reduced to 10 men following a cynical foul on Lugsden and from this point on the fight-back commenced. The Millers peppered Town's goal with half-a-dozen corner kicks. Bailey had an effort cleared off the line as Town stood firm, but the arrears were reduced following the visitors constant pressure, good work from Kelvin Lugsden allowed Simon Ignotus to volley the ball past Whittle in the 89th minute of play.

New Mills had two chances to snatch a draw during time added on, Julian Dowe fired wide and Wes Gibbons had only been on the field for moments, his chance was from the textbook, headed down with power, but as it also was shy of the post it is Cheadle who progress to the 1st round proper in the F.A. Vase.

Millers : Candlin, Lugsden KL, Ignotus 2 , Bailey, Land, Buckley, Dowe, Lees, Littler, Wilde, Lugsden KR Subs: Thomas, Gibbons.

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