Sandbach United 6 New Mills 0

Jack Beresford reports as a brace from James Kirby and Harry Cain and goals from Jordan Davies and Ryan Allcock gave Sandbach the win.

Manager Andy Hockenhull described his sides attacking threat as devastating as his team put 6 past New Mills on Saturday. It only took United five minutes to open the scoring as Harry Cain used his pace to burst down the line before sending a low cross in that seemed to skid off the pitch and over the defenders foot on its way to finding Jordan Davies who was making his first appearance of the season for United. Davies then shifted the ball onto his left foot and then beautifully curled the ball towards the far-left corner and into the back of the net.

As the rain came down Sandbach looked in real control of the game, the early goal seemed to give them the confidence to push on.

New Mills had their first shot on goal after 13 minutes when a free kick from 25 yards from Dennis Sherriff was acrobatically clawed away by Ryan Moss who was at full stretch to dive to his right when stopping the ball from finding the net.

Sandbach had dominated the first half and with 10 minutes to go they looked to double their lead as good feet on the edge of the box from Davies allowed him to find space to play the ball in behind to find Harry Cain but he dragged his shot wide of the far post from the angle. It was a golden opportunity for Sandbach who looked to go into the break with an increased lead.

However three minutes later this lead was almost cancelled out when a cross from the right was cleared as far as Jack McConnell who took a shot from the edge of the box that was brilliantly saved low down by Moss, the rebound fell to Jordan Milne who was 6 yards out, but his shot was superbly saved by Moss again who did well to re-adjust his body.

Sandbach had been defensively solid all season conceding very few goals, it was scoring that was the issue but the inclusion of both Cain and Davies bolstered Sandbach’s attacking presence, with one minute of the half left they both linked up yet again, a cross from left from Cain found its way to Davies at the back post who waited for the ball to sit up and then struck a volley towards the far left corner, it looked destined for the goal, however it was superbly headed off the line by Millers captain Joe Armstrong.

As the first half reached its climax the score was deservedly 1-0 to Sandbach. Sandbach began the second half in almost the same way that they started the first, as Davies on the edge of the box found Kirby who got in behind the defence but unfortunately Kirby’s shot was dragged wide from the right of the box. Sandbach’s attacking three in Harry Cain, Jordan Davies and James Kirby were causing real issues for the New Mills defence which would have pleased Hockenhull who said after the game that he had changed the way his side go forward as he felt that in previous games Kirby was isolated up top on his own, so now with the wingers pushing on and supporting his side are much more threatening.

In the 54th minute Sandbach were forced into making a change when Josh Lane went down injured, it looked a nasty one for the midfielder who looked to have badly damaged his ankle, his replacement was Chris Rowntree who was playing as a defensive midfielder which now gave Allcock more freedom to push on and attack. This tactical change paid dividends on the 66th minute as Sandbach doubled their lead, Allcock found Kirby on the edge of the box who brilliantly turned and raced into the box before opening his body and fired the ball into bottom right corner of the goal.

The New Mills player heads had dropped and Sandbach looked to take advantage of this. Two minutes later it was 3-0 as James Kirby again received the ball on the edge of the box and then unleashed a shot that nestled in the bottom corner left corner. That quick double from last seasons top scorer had changed the game and put Sandbach well in control.

Sandbach were using the width of the pitch to their advantage, in the 72nd minute Billy Buckley sent in pinpoint cross from the left that was perfect for Kirby, however his header from close range was well saved by the keeper but Ryan Allcock was on hand to lash the ball home and score his second goal in as many games.

Sandbach playing some outstanding football and the best goal of the game came in the 74th minute when Rowntree found Allcock with his back to goal, he then let the ball go through his legs, bamboozling the defenders allowing Harry Cain to run towards goal before lifting the ball over the on-rushing keeper to make the score 5-0 to United.

With 13 minutes to go there was still time for more goals, a through ball to Kirby was cleared only as far as Cain who smashed the ball into the back of net from outside the box, leaving the keeper with no chance.

It was a superb ten minutes for Sandbach who had scored 5 goals in that spell. New Mills had been on the back foot all game and at 6-0 down they came close to pulling a goal back in the 80th minute when Jack McConnell played the ball in behind to Max McGreal but his shot was easily palmed away by Moss who had had a quiet game in the Sandbach goal.

With five minutes of the game to go Sandbach were 6-0 up and on their way into the second round of the first division cup, they came very close to adding a 7th when Davies and Kirby linked up in the box, Davies back heeled the ball into the path of Kirby who fired the ball across the goal and out for a goal kick.

Sandbach had been superb in the second half and they had played with such confidence, they looked a real threat going forward and defensively solid.

A delighted Andy Hockenhull said after the game “Its just what we have been doing in training, we have been looking to get the ball out wide and play, that’s why Jordan came in as Knapper-Garner was away. When we get the ball out wide and get round the full back we’re devastating. We set up with Allcock in the hole allowing Lane and Buckley to go forward, in the second half we bought Rowntree on allowing Allcock to go forward and the last 20 minutes Ryan Allcock was brilliant, he just killed them off”, Hockenhull went on to say “everything that we're working on in training is coming together and the confidence is back in the changing room”.

Finally, Hockenhull gave an update on both Josh Lane and captain Bradley Cooper who both picked up injuries during the game “On the negative side Laney’s ankle is a mess and Brad’s ankle is very swollen which is very frustrating”.

Match Report: Jack Beresford

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