Sandbach United 3 Cheadle Heath Nomads 0

After losing their opening game of the season at Oswestry on Saturday, Sandbach were looking to get back to winning ways against league new boys Cheadle Heath Nomads on Tuesday night.

The game started slowly with both sides guilty of some wayward passes and dreadful shooting. The first meaningful attack came on the half hour mark when last years player of the season Ryan Allcock played he ball over the top to another post season award winner James Kirby. Last seasons top scorer ran beat the offside trap and ran onto a ball that was beautifully weighted by Allcock, Kirby ran clear of the chasing defenders and found himself one on one. However in un-kirby like fashion he blazed the ball well over the bar and spoiling a golden opportunity that his side has worked hard for.

Four minutes later the Allcock-Kirby partnership was in full effect yet again. When a deep Ledwards free kick from their left was cleared as far as Allcock on the edge of the box, he found Kirby who had perfectly timed his run into the box, as the ball fell to Kirby’s he did what he does best and lifted the ball over the onrushing goal keeper to put his side in the lead.

James Kirby was running the show for Sandbach and it was his good ball round the corner on the stroke of half time that allowed Kieran Knapper to use his blistering pace and drive down the right wing. After leaving his marker in a cloud of dust he played the ball to Kirby who had continued his run from Midfield. The ball was perfect for Kirby to strike first time from the edge of the box, unfortunately for the Sandbach man Aaron Tyree in the Cheadle goal stuck out a leg and managed to guide the ball past the right-hand post and out for a corner.

As the first half came to an end, Sandbach were looking in good form. They should’ve been 3 nil however a mixture of good goalkeeping and poor finishing meant that they only had one goal to their name at the break.

Five minutes into the second half it was Knapper who was again using his pace to full effect. He raced into box and unleashed a shot from the right side of the box, unfortunately for him this strike went the wrong side of the right post.

Cheadle looked more threatening in the second half, they seemed to be keeping the ball more efficiently and getting into the right areas. Their first shot of anger came after 56 minutes when Kayla Power unleashed a strike from range that flew well over the bar.

United looked to double their lead and give them a bit of breathing space between them and their opposition. On the 67th minute Sandbach substitute Aidan Haughton danced his way into the box, he then unleashed a left footed shot from the left of the box looking for the bottom right corner of the goal, unfortunately for him though his shot flashed wide of the goal as it trickled across the goal.

As the clocked ticked down Cheadle looked more and more threatening as they pushed for an equaliser, However it was Sandbach who got the vital second goal, when they caught Cheadle on the break with 5 minutes of the game left, the goal came from good work from Adam Clayton down the left who managed to cut inside and put in a low cross that found Kirby on who slotted the ball into the bottom right corner from 12 yards out.

With five minutes left Sandbach looked to have the game under control and looked like picking up all three points. They made things sure in the 5th minute of added time as they made it 3-0 when a long ball over the top from Billy Buckley was missed by the defender on half way, this allowed Kirby to run through on goal and then slot the ball past the goalkeeper and secure his hat trick and the three points for his team. After picking up the three points attentions now turn to Saturday as Sandbach take part in the FA cup for the first time as they travel to Parkgate.

Match Report: Jack Beresford

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