Official view: To follow...

Our View: Redmires good run of form continued with a comprehensive win in their last game of the season against a team that had just avoided relegation the previous Thursday when they had drawn with Stannington Village . Redmires needed a win or draw to ensure fourth place in the League. We didn’t get off to a great start and conceded an early goal when we failed to close their forward down quickly enough. However we began gradually to get into our stride and it wasn’t long before Danny Lindley scored, nipping in to beat the keeper to a pass, following a three man move. We continued to give their defence plenty of problems and following several narrow escapes for their goal, we took the lead when Sean Downing scored with a header. Park were playing quite well at times and belied their lowly position. HALF TIME 2-1. We needed to get on top early in the second half and this we did, again going close. We went further ahead when Dale White was upended in the box and White himself coolly slotted the ball home. We brought on the fit again John Mellor for the energetic Tim Green and he made an immediate impact with his runs off the ball, and added an extra dimension to our attacks. However Park were not laying down and came back to score their second. We brought on Andy Birks for the tiring Sean Downing who had worked very hard up front and following a good pass John Mellor raced into their area only to be brought down by the centre half. Mellor took the penalty himself and made no mistake. A word here for Wayne Beggs, who was having his last game in a Redmires shirt before returning to his native Crewe . His pace, shooting ability and dribbling skills will be sorely missed next season and it was a pity that his last season has been marred by niggly injuries. We wish him all the best. Wayne’s injuries epitomised our season in a way in which we took ten points off the top two in the league and would surely have been challenging for the title if we hadn’t had players missing for longish spells during the season. Fourth place in the League was good considering some of the problems we had. TEAM PERFORMANCE 90/110.

Official view: After Ashleigh Atkins had given Woodhouse West End a first half lead, they slipped to only their second defeat of the season at Redmires. Redmires dangerman Danny Lindley was being well shackled by Anthony Dolan, but Lindley showed his class when he was given a half chance and he levelled . The title still looked set to go West End's way as a point would have as good as given them the title, but with just four minutes remaining, the unfortunate Danny Hooper saw a ball loop off him over his own keeper and give victory to Redmires. 

Our View: On an overcast Thursday evening we arrived to find the pitch with a bit of water on it and there was some doubt that the match would go ahead, but with willingness from both teams to get the match played some of the water was cleared. West End on an excellent run of results which had seen them all but clinch the league title, needing one point from this game, seemed full of confidence before the match. However Redmires were quietly confident they could improve on the 1-1 draw they had achieved in the away match. Although without injured striker Wayne Beggs, we looked to have the pace up front which could trouble their defence and this became evident as the game got into full swing. West End went ahead after about fifteen minutes when the ball fell kindly for their striker who hit a good shot past the helpless Karl Taylor. Undeterred by this setback we took the game to them, and forced several corners. We then suffered a big blow when striker John Mellor had to go off injured, but the value of having a good squad showed with the introduction of the ever willing Sean Downing to take John’s place. We were giving as good as we got and were unlucky when an excellent lob from Dale White hit the crossbar with the keeper looking on. HALF TIME 0-1. Following a good team talk we came out for the second half determined not to let our heads drop and to battle to the end. After about sixty-five minutes we got the break we deserved when Danny Lindley evaded his man marker and hit a superb low shot past the outstretched keeper into the corner. This goal gave us the incentive we needed and we began to run their defence ragged at times. Lindley, Downing and White began to find gaps in their rear guard. With our back four dealing well with their attack, they could not make any headway and they were restricted to only one clear chance which brought a great diving save from Taylor . We on the other hand became dominant in midfield with Luke Siggs, Nick Hickson and Andy Birks well on top. We couldn’t capitalise on our pressure however, despite several close calls and it was inevitable that the game would be decided by a flukey goal. We brought on James O’Connell for the tiring Hickson and a few minutes later Tim Green for the lively White. With about six minutes to go Chris Cotterill hit a rising shot from the edge of their penalty area which was deflected upwards off their centre half and flew over the keeper into the net. They then began to get a bit tired and ragged  in their defence with all the chasing they were having to do and we looked the more likely to score. Green in particular started to link up well with Lindley and we maybe could have stretched the lead. A great game to watch! TEAM PERFORMANCE 93/110.

Official view: Redmires gave themselves a chance of finishing fourth when they came from behind to beat Hemsworth Villa. After a goalless first half it was Villa that broke the deadlock when they were awarded a penalty. Although David Tollerfield saw the spot kick saved, he followed up to put away the rebound, but their lead didn't last long as Danny Lindley netted his ninth of the season for Redmires. It could have gone either way after that, but Redmires grabbed the points when sub Sean Downings run and cross from the right was met by John Mellor.

Our View: Redmires, although without Wayne Beggs and Nick Hickson welcomed back John Mellor for visit of Hemsworth Villa who were just above us in the league. They didn’t appear to have their strongest team out but did have their danger players in the team. The early exchanges were fairly even with perhaps Villa looking the more likely to score. We found it quite difficult to get into our stride with a few passes going astray and we failed to capitalise on several free kicks that were conceded by Villa on the edge of their box. Their goalkeeper was a bit lucky not to be sent off when he fouled Dale White as he was going through and other referees might have sent him off. Common sense prevailed and the keeper only received a yellow. HALF TIME 0-0. We started off the livelier in the second half and one or two half chances went begging and it was Villa who took the lead with a well taken goal. This led to a sustained spell of pressure from us and we got the equaliser we deserved when Danny Lindley hit a great shot from the edge of the penalty area which beat their very good keeper on his right side. The game swung to and fro but we seemed the team that wanted the win most. We brought on another two strikers in Tim Green and Sean Downing to try and win the game and following a good run and cross by Downing down the right hand wing the delighted John Mellor was on hand to force the ball in from close range to seal the win. TEAM PERFORMANCE 83/110.

Official view: Handsworth WMC's keeper was another to take the spotlight as his last gasp penalty save ensured his side took the three points at home to Redmires and make a third place finish almost certain. Redmires suffered a blow when they lost Wayne Beggs to a hamstring injury in the first half and although Paul Renshaw went close for Handsworth, neither side dominated, but early in the second half Renshaw did get his name on the scoresheet when he followed up to score after the Redmires keeper had failed to hold Robert Pratt's free kick. Redmires hit back though as Andy Birks and Dale White combined before Birks steered the ball home, but Handsworth re-took the lead when Ryan Taylor volleyed home David Cawrey's cross. With literally the last action of the game, it looked as if Redmires would go home with a share of the spoils when Lee Johnson gave a penalty away on his debut, but Richardson saved Birks penalty and the referee blew for time.

Our View: On an uneven pitch at Handsworth Redmires made an unlucky start against their challengers for the third place spot. After just five minutes Wayne Beggs who had made a great return last week after a long bout of injury again found himself in the wars when he pulled a hamstring not for the first time this season. Very unlucky for Wayne but a big blow for the team. With Danny Lindley also missing it left us a bit short in the strike division , but it was a big chance for the untried Tim Green to show what he could do. Green tried very hard and his pace did trouble their defence at times. The team responded well to this early blow and with Andy Jones and James Kirkham shackling their danger man we had as many chances as they did in the first half without managing to score. At times we played much the better football without having much luck in front of goal but they were dangerous on the break. HALF TIME 0-0. The second half went much the same as the first, but it was WMC that went ahead when the referee gave a mystifying free kick against Andy Jones who appeared to win the ball cleanly on the edge of our box and with Karl Taylor unable to hold the kick their player jumped in to scramble the ball in. Unbowed by this we put them under a lot of pressure and Andy Birks should probably have scored when right in front of goal, but the bobbly pitch caused him to miscue his shot. Birks made up for this later though when a good move between himself and Dale White resulted in himcoolly slotting the ball past the keeper. We had several chances to take the lead with the new strike partnership of Birks and White, in particular one rasping shot from Nick Hickson which the keeper just touched over. Their keeper was having a good game and the pressure for them was relieved in one of their rare troubling attacks when the ball was struck through a number of legs to put them ahead about ten minutes from the end. We kept pressing and we got the only decision we got from the referee Mr Warner in virtually the whole game, when we were rewarded with a penalty right at the end. Birks took the penalty and struck it well enough but the keeper guessed right and saved it, which was tough on the team who definitely deserved more out of the game. TEAM PERFORMANCE 84/110.

Official view: Redmires produced one of their best performances of the season to end guarantee their place in the top flight for next season with a 4-0 victory over Ecclesfield Travellers. Danny Lindley was a real handful for the visitors defence and he took advantage of a defensive mix-up to put Redmires ahead and he doubled their lead after being set up by Wayne Beggs. Beggs was also causing problems for the Travellers defence and it was his pace that took him past two defenders before making it three after the break and Del Whyte's left foot finish made it four, but they should have also had a fifth, but keeper Karl Taylor missed his moment of glory from the penalty spot.

Our View: Redmires set off in good style against one of the leagues better teams on a sunny day at Phoenix . The players looked up for the game and players from a postponed game on another pitch provided quite an audience. In the first half we had the better chances but had to wait until the 30^th minute when a mix up between the keeper and a defender left Danny Lindley with a clear chance to put us ahead. We continued to press and a fine dribble from Luke Siggs ended with the keeper making a fine save. Most of Travellers good attacks came down the right, but good defending meant that their chances were limited. Wayne Beggs was having a superb game and caused them much trouble with his pace and shooting ability. It was he who made the slide rule pass to a resurgent Lindley to cleverly steer the ball past the keeper to put us two up before half time. HALF TIME 2-0. We knew that Travellers would come at us early in the second half and this they did, but our defence was in great form, along with Karl Taylor who looked determined not to concede a goal. In midfield Nick Hickson was pulling the strings and with our ball possession very good we created a few more chances before we went three up when Wayne Biggs ran across their box and then hit a fine low cross shot past their keeper. This seemed to knock the stuffing out of Travellers aside from one volley from their admired leading scorer Senior which Taylor comfortably held. We brought Tim Green on for the willing Sean Downing and also Dale White on James O’Connell who had had a good game on the right. Following a great move we went further ahead when Dale White latched on to a pass and lashed the ball past the keeper with his left foot. We had a chance to make it five when their defender was adjudged to have handled the ball by the excellent referee David Maloney , but keeper Karl Taylor’s attempt to score his first goal for the Reds put the penalty wide of the goal. This was an excellent performance by the team in a hard fought game in which Travellers played their part. TEAM PERFORMANCE 94/110.

Official view: Redmires eased any thoughts that they could get sucked into the relegation struggle with a narrow victory over a Woodhouse Angel side that is beginning to look doomed for the drop. It looked as if it might be Angels day when a good move saw Gareth Simons produce a well taken finish to give Angel a deserved early lead, but their day started to go wrong midway through the first half when Nick Hickson met Dale White's free kick to head Redmires level. After that Redmires began to dominate and they should have taken the lead when Andy Birks missed a sitter and almost did when Andy Jones hit a post, but the almost inevitable goal came when Wayne Beggs run and cross found James O'Connell and although his shot was initially saved by the Angel keeper, Danny Lindley was on hand to net the winner from close range. Not for the first time this season, referee Matt Walsh drew praise from both clubs for his handling of the game.

Our View: We faced our previous weeks opponents in the return leg at Phoenix , which was passed fit for play after heavy overnight rain which left the ground a bit waterlogged in places. Thanks to a great effort by “sweeper” Luke Siggs and “bucket boy” Tim Green (where were you Mark Hardisty?) we managed to get the pitch cleared by the referee Matt Walsh. Angel started of well and scored on virtually their first attack with a good move. It was obvious we had a game on our hands as they were fighting hard to avoid the drop. It was good to have keeper Karl Taylor back in goal after his suspension and he was called into action several times in the first half. We also had Wayne Beggs back from injury and we had a more balanced look to the line up. We equalised after thirty minutes when Nick Hickson rose to head in a great free kick from Dale White. We began to get control of the game but were unable to get through their defences and went in at half time all square. HALF TIME 1-1. The second half was very much one way traffic and we had several chances that went close including a volley from Hickson that hit the bar, a header from Andy Jones that just hit a post and Andy Birks blazing over the bar when clean through in front of goal. We had one or two other chances which normally we would have finished but it was left until the last few minutes to get the winner, when following a good dribble by Beggs he squared the ball for James O’Connell to have a goal bound shot saved by the keeper but only into the path of Danny Lindley, who had had a quiet game, to prod home. It was tough on Angel who had battled all the way and with any luck may still stay up. TEAM PERFORMANCE 79/110

Official view: Woodhouse Angel's top flight position is looking even more perilous after they slipped to a 4-2 home defeat by Redmires. It started well for Angel when Gareth Simons put them ahead, but Redmires, despite losing Des Pike through injury, hit back to level with Andy Birks' deflected shot. It got worse for Angel when a Redmires took the lead with an own goal and the game was put beyond them with Birks second and one from Danny Lindley. Chris Towey did pull one back for Angel from the penalty spot, but it came too late to mount a fightback.

Our View: Redmires faced the team currently second from bottom in the league table on a sticky uneven pitch at Athelstan School and had to make an early substitution when skipper Des Pike sustained a bad knock to his right eye. Ben Nichols came on in his place. Our football was a bit sketchy and had little pattern to it and we went one-nil down after some sloppy defending. We responded within ten minutes of conceding through Andy Birks and went two-one up when one of their players headed into his own goal following a Danny Lindley free kick. HALF TIME 2-1. We extended the lead early into the second half when Andy Birks scored his second. Angel, particularly their left winger continued to play well and maybe should have scored again, but stand in keeper Luke Siggs kept them at bay. We suffered another blow when Ben Nichols had to come off with what looked like a serious injury and we brought on back from injury Wayne Beggs, Tim Green replaced James O’Connell. The flying Beggs began to stretch the Angel defence and following a good move Lindley was on hand from close in to extend our lead further. In the dying minutes of the game, Andy Jones conceded the third penalty in consecutive games, which for the third time Siggs had no chance to stop. A game we were glad to get out of the way, what with the poor pitch and the injuries we sustained. TEAM PERFORMANCE 76/110.

Official view: Laycock Sports have struggled and started the day with just one point, but after a terrific comeback they shared eight goals with Redmires to double their points tally for the season. Redmires started brightly and midway through the first half Sean downing gave them the lead and a few minutes later James O'Connell doubled it. Laycock's came out for the second half showing more purpose and were quickly rewarded when Scott Wesney found the net, yet their joy was short lived as Nick Hickson scored his second of the season - and both against Laycock's. Back came Laycock's when Chris Chapman hit a beauty from thirty yards, yet it looked all over for them when Downing netted his second of the game to restore Redmires two goal lead with little more than ten minutes remaining. Laycock's had other ideas though and Chris Gill scored their third and when Darryl White upended the Laycock's winger in the box, the experienced Simon Bartles stepped up to grab that point for the visitors.

Our View: Redmires went into this match against the bottom team with no less than seven regular players missing. It did give a chance to new players Rob Hope and Tim Green to start a match. We started off brightly enough and Laycocks were on the back foot for most of the early play and it was no surprise when we took the lead after twenty minutes when Sean Downing scored his first goal since the Merit Cup Final in September. We went further ahead minutes later when a long free kick from Chris Cotterill was nodded past the keeper by Nick Hickson. We were well on top at this point with Danny Lindley causing their defence many problems, however we couldn’t capitalise on this pressure before half time. HALF TIME 2-0. After the break we felt we could knock a couple of goals in which would put paid to Laycocks, but this did not happen and it was they who came in the second half showing a good fighting spirit. They pulled one back after fifty-five minutes and this gave them a real boost. We wasted a couple of chances and they made us pay by equalising after sixty minutes. We got back into the lead when James O’Connell scored from close range and looked to have put the game away when Downing scored his second. Laycocks had other ideas though and our midfield and defence began to quake under the pressure and Laycocks pulled another back ten minutes from time. Within the last minute of the game a reckless challenge from right back Dale White who had had a good game to that point resulted in a penalty which they duly converted bringing the match to all square. In the end we have to take the plus points from the game, one of which was the performance of Ben Nichols who resumed his Redmires career after a long time out injured. TEAM PERFORMANCE 74/110.

Official view: Woodhouse West End lost the top spot in the CBC Premier after Redmires held them to a second successive home draw. Woodhouse West End got the boost of an early penalty at home to Redmires and although he had seen his previous one saved, Rob Cowlishaw expertly put this one away, but after that they were forced to defend as Redmires three pronged attack forced them back. Had it not been for a string of terrific saves by keeper John Badkin West End's unbeaten home record would surely have gone, but he was eventually beaten when Redmires were awarded the games second penalty. Danny Lindley had been a constant threat to them and after he was brought down in the box, John Mellor stepped up to beat Badkin and earn his side a point.

Our View: Luke Siggs replaced the suspended Karl Taylor in goal despite carrying a groin injury for the Reds visit to league champions West End . They also had one of their better players suspended so this levelled things up. A very close competitive game then took place with fortunes swinging one way and the other. In the early spells we had several good opportunities to take the lead but found their keeper in great form. After twenty minutes West End took the lead against the run of play when Andy Birks was adjudged to have brought down their striker near the edge of the penalty area. They made no mistake from the spot kick. Undeterred we continued to attack their defence with Danny Lindley the main threat as he gave their left back a torrid time but again their keeper repelled every effort with some excellent saves. HALF TIME 1-0. Our back four well marshalled by skipper Des Pike seemed to be well in control of their strikers and it was their No.11 who was causing us most problems, they did have a few chances but we had more and the corner count was much in our favour. Eventually we got the breakthrough we deserved when Lindley was brought down from behind in the box. John Mellor made no mistake from the penalty spot. We pushed hard to get the winner and went close on several occasions. They also had one great chance at the end to win the match but their player blasted over the bar from ten yards. This was a good game well handled by the referee Ian Cox who congratulated our players at the end for the way in which we played the game. TEAM PERFORMANCE 98/110.

Official view: Niagara eased their relegation fears as a Simon Staniforth double gave them a 2-0 home win over Redmires. The visitors looked a little rusty after three weeks without a game and Staniforth struck to give Niagara a half time lead and after the break he headed a second to put the result beyond doubt.

Our View: A sunny morning greeted Redmires players for their away match against a rejuvenated Niagara side who had beaten Hemsworth Villa the previous week. Unfortunately our inactivity for three weeks in a row was to show itself in our lack lustre display. Without the injured Wayne Beggs (stupidly injured playing for HSBC the day before the game) we had to rearrange the team at the last minute which didn’t help matters. We set off well enough and gave as good as we got in the early exchanges. However it was Niagara who scored when their centre forward appeared to knock Luke Siggs off balance on a through ball and gave new substitute keeper Marcus Weston (replacing the suspended Karl Taylor) no chance. We pressed hard for an equaliser and forced several corners but couldn’t capitalise on the pressure. HALF TIME 0-1. The second half went much the same as the first, with the game switching from end to end. Our football in midfield was good at times but our final ball was never troubling the Niagara defence and they created a few half chances. We missed the probing of Andy Birks but really it was the inactivity which caused the problems for us. Weston, who has not played a lot of football this season should probably have caught the cross leading to their second goal but we never gave up trying and Danny Lindley tried everything to conjure a goal but it just would not come. Man of the match for us was Andy Jones who had a very solid game at the back. TEAM PERFORMANCE 73/110.

Official view: The leaders were left Red-faced as a Danny Lindley double and a James O'Connell strike saw Redmires complete the double over Blue Ball. Ball had won seven successive games since they were beaten by Redmires in September, but an eighth successive win looked unlikely from the minute that Lindley slammed home a perfect free kick. If that was the perfect free kick, Lindley's second owed a great deal to good fortune a strong gust of wind as his cross was taken off course and into the net. Redmires defence never looked like being breached after that and O'Connell rubbed salt into the visitors wounds with a third in the final minute.

Our View: After last weeks shambolic display it was important to put it out of our minds and get it  right otherwise we could expect a drubbing from the League leaders. The players responded in a magnificent way with everybody up for the game and the Phoenix pitch in great condition. What a joy it was to play on a flat surface without any ruts. We were also able to welcome back Wayne Beggs and Nick Hickson to the squad and we looked to have nearly our strongest squad out for a change. We took the game straight away to Blue Ball who had beaten champions West End 2-0 the previous week, but it was not until thirty minutes that Danny Lindley broke the deadlock with a tremendous free kick from outside the box which rocketed into the top corner. We continued to control the game and Ball did not manage a shot on goal in the first half. With our midfield moving around and giving great support to the willing John Mellor, Ball could not contain them. HALF TIME 1-0. The gusty wind had picked up by the time the second half started and we scored a lucky goal before not too long when Lindley moved onto the left wing for a spell and a cross that was meant for John Mellors head on the far post took a gust of wind on its way over and left the keeper with no chance as it drifted into the net (I am sure Danny will say he meant it as a shot!). Ball tried hard to get their game going but superb tackling at the back and in midfield restricted their players. We managed to clinch the game late on when James O’Connell was in the right place to make no mistake. This was possibly our best performance of the season and all the players in particular Dale White can be congratulated. The passing at times was very good and  a joy to watch, such a contrast to the previous week. The performance is reflected in the player scores. TEAM PERFORMANCE 99/110.

Official view: Redmires chances of climbing the table also took a blow with a 2-1 defeat at Stocksbridge Park Steels. Chris Kelly and a Dale White own goal gave Steels a two goal half time lead. In the second half, after John Mellor was felled in the area Andy Birks pulled one back from the spot, but when Mellor was felled in the area a second time, Birks saw his second spot kick brilliantly saved by Sean Smith.

Our View: Redmires continued with their inability to handle the pitch at Steels ground to turn in their worst performance of the season. It is the same for both teams but the rutted muddy pitch does not make for a good game of football. In the previous two years we have been unable to get a result and have been totally frustrated. Stocksbridge, a very defensive side scored with the only two shots they had in the first half, one a defensive lapse by Tom Lawrence who hesitated before getting a tackle in and the other a cross from the edge of box which diverted off Dale Whites head past the helpless Karl Taylor. HALF TIME 0-2. The second half saw a little improvement initially and Andy Birks pulled one back from the spot after John Mellor was fouled. We were never moving the ball about like we usually do, but it looked like we might get a draw when we got another penalty, but unfortunately for Birks the keeper guessed correctly. We huffed and puffed but could never to grips with the pitch and came off a very frustrated side. It was a game to forget about and try to put things right next week when we play the league leaders. TEAM PERFORMANCE 47/110.

Official view: After the CBC Premier's bottom club Oxspring Lowood folded due to lack of players, their are now four sides level on points at the top. One of them is Stannington Village , but they missed the chance to be clear leaders after drawing at Redmires. They still might see it as a point gained though as they trailed at the break after John Mellor had been brought down in the area and Andy Birks fired home from the spot. It was proving to be a great game of end to end football, undoubtedly helped by the refereeing of Alan Streets, and Stannington eventually gained their reward when former Redmires player Simon Bradbury met Sean Flynn's cross to net against his old club.

Our View: Without several players Redmires were still able to put out a fairly strong team for the match against local rivals Village who included ex Reds players Simon Bradbury and Craig Gambling in their team. From the outset we took the game to Village and they were struggling to match our pace in several areas and with Danny Lindley finding good space we created the better chances in the first half. The danger man for Village was their left winger which made for a lively first half for Dale White, returning from a long lay off. Dale gave as good as he got and with the in form James Kirkham returning from a trip to South Africa and the quick Andy Jones alongside him we looked very capable at the back. The midfield battle was good with James O’Connell, Luke Siggs and in particular Andy Birks controlling things we looked the better side. It was Birks who opened the scoring after twenty minutes when he coolly converted a penalty after John Mellor had been brought down. We went close on a couple of other occasions. A word here for Mellor who obeyed instructions with his unselfish running off the ball which caused headaches to their defence all afternoon and he was unlucky not to score, Sean Downing who also chased everything and kept their defenders under pressure. HALF TIME 1-0. The second half continued in the same fashion with us having most of the play and the better chances. Village found keeper Karl Taylor in great form when they did manage to get past a resolute defence and left back Chris Cotterill kept a tight rein on their other danger man Hague as was the plan. It was the other flank that was causing more problems and from a good move down the left a cross was headed in against the run of play. We had a few more chances to score the winner in particular Luke Siggs hit a volley well saved by the keeper and  Dale White found himself right in front of goal and should have converted but surprise and probably a lack of match practice contributed to him missing. Danny Lindley was possibly our best player in a determined performance against one of the leagues better teams. TEAM PERFORMANCE 92/110.

Official view: Fourth are Handsworth WMC after two Robert Pratt strikes in the second half gave them victory at Redmires. The home side had probably had more of the play, but they couldn't find an end product and they paid for it when Carl Eaton's long clearance was headed on by David Cawrey for Pratt to put Handsworth ahead and it was Cawrey again that paved the way for Pratt's second. Eaton was then called upon to make a terrific save and Eddie Holmes a terrific block to stop Redmires getting back into it.

Our View: With several players still missing we drafted in Mark Hardisty into the team along with Dale White who was available for the first time this season. We started off very well but were unable to capitalise on our possession with again the final ball not being good enough. The back four and keeper looked very comfortable against their attack and they were no trouble at all in the first half .We had several chances to take the lead in the first half but could not seem to find that vital spark in front of goal. HALF TIME 0-0. The pattern continued in the second half with us creating most of the chances with Andy Birks, John Mellor and James O’Connell all missing reasonable chances to put us front. After about seventy minutes WMC scored when a long clearance from the keeper was not dealt with for the first time by the defence and it left their diminutive striker with the chance to lob over Karl’s head into the goal. This was right against the pattern of play and resulted in us going all out for the equaliser which just wouldn’t come. The referee was a big admirer of the play on advantage if there was a foul which to be fair to him he did tell the players about beforehand. He did a lot of this during the match which can be annoying, in fact he did it on every occasion there was a foul. It rebounded on us big time with their second goal when Danny Lindley was clearly fouled on the half way line (which the ref claimed later he hadn’t seen) but we basically stopped playing, waiting for him to bring back play as he had done previously. Unfortunately he didn’t do this and WMC took advantage to fire home a second which was about five minutes from the end. A game we should have won considering the possession we had. TEAM PERFORMANCE 83/110.

Official view: After four consecutive defeats Redmires got back on track with a 3-1 victory at struggling Laycock Sports. After an even start Danny Lindley dribbled through to give Redmires a half time lead, but early in the second half Simon Bartles brought the home side level. Redmires continued to have the better of the game though and only some fine saves by Grant Parkin kept Laycock's level, but when Lindley crossed for Nick Hickson to meet the ball, Parkin could do nothing to stop the visitors going back in front. John Mellor had made a surprise return to the Redmires side and he celebrated by setting Andy Birks up for the clincher.

Our View: Still hit by injuries and players away, we had to make positional changes for this match which included a start for Sean Downing up front alongside John Mellor. James Kirkham made a start at centre back for the first time this season. On a perfect pitch at Warminster Road we played some good football and should really have scored on three occasions early on but it was thirty minutes before we managed to get a goal when Danny Lindley wriggled his way through to score a typical goal. Laycocks were having a few tries themselves and belied their lowly position. They did not seem to have that cutting edge though. James O’Connell having a good game at right back, made a great goal line clearance that saved a certain goal, but in general the defence and keeper controlled most situations. HALF TIME 1-0. Soon after the second half started Laycocks equalised with a penalty which nobody except the referee saw. He said later it was for holding by stand in right back James O’Connell but we were certainly stunned by the decision. Luckily our conviction didn’t waver and we played some good football and were finally rewarded when an inswinging free kick by Danny Lindley was glanced into the goal from the head of Nick Hickson. Laycocks were still battling hard but stout defending particularly by Andy Jones kept them at bay. Another goal was needed to settle the game and it came after 65 minutes when a John Mellor header was only parried out to the enigmatic Andy Birks who gladly accepted the chance. A much needed win to boost confidence after a bit of a bad run. TEAM PERFORMANCE 89/110.

Official view: From the moment Danny Franklin set Matt Hodgett up to lob the Redmires keeper to give Handsworth WMC the lead, the result rarely looked in doubt. They doubled their lead before half time when Robert Pratt crossed for Kieran Gallagher to head home and Handsworth completed a comfortable victory when Hodgett crossed for Pratt to add a third in the second half.

Our View: Redmires still hit by injuries were up against the in form Handsworth WMC in the league cup and had an equal share of the early play. However it was WMC who were the more confident side after their 6-0 win the previous week, whereas we were coming off three straight losses. We didn’t look totally confident in defence and it was an error by Tom Lawrence that led to WMC’s first goal when he failed to clear the ball. Wayne Beggs had to go off after twenty minutes with his recurring hamstring problem which was a big blow and it looks a couple of weeks complete rest is the only answer. We then committed another defensive error when a harmless looking cross from the left was seized on by their danger man at the far post, who got first run on our left back Chris Cotterill to head home. We fought back and made a few chances and Luke Siggs should have headed home a cross from the right but failed to connect significantly to put the ball in the open net. HALF TIME 0-2. In the second half we had many attacks and plenty of corners, but just could not get the ball in the net. Our football was neat enough, but Handsworth looked happy for us to have plenty of the ball then try to counter attack us when it broke down. It was good to see Des Pike back in the team and having a good game, however we could not find the cutting edge to score a goal to lift confidence. Towards the end WMC scored again when James Kirkham got caught in possession towards the edge of our box and we were again punished in decisive fashion. A game of might have beens from our point of view and we need to get our confidence back pretty quick. TEAM PERFORMANCE 73/110

Official view: Scott Moat opened the scoring for Hemsworth Villa at home to Redmires, but after Danny Lindley had levelled for Redmires, Moat went from hero to zero when he received his marching orders. Some teams would have collapsed after such a body blow, but with Dave Thompson inspirational in midfield, Villa kept to their game plan and deservedly won it when Redmires keeper Karl Taylor made a very rare mistake in palming the ball into his own net.

Our View: Injuries and illness were hitting Redmires hard as they lined up to play Hemsworth Villa and were not helped when Andy Birks had to go just before the match with a crisis at home. With Wayne Beggs back following a hamstring pull we started off quite well with Beggs’ pace causing them a lot of problems. However it was Hemsworth who scored first after twenty minutes when their player scored through a crowded goalmouth. The referee, Mr Southam, seemed to be rather officious, and was not taking any form of dissent from anyone. Chris Cotterill got himself booked for querying a decision and luckily our players learnt their lesson. We played some quite good football at this time and we equalised after thirty minutes when Danny Lindley found the net. However we then suffered a big blow when Wayne Beggs appeared to pull his hamstring again with about ten minutes to go to half time. Sean Downing who had been out with a groin strain came on to replace him. Everyone at the ground were then astounded when the referee sent off the Hemsworth captain, for making a comment about a decision.  HALF TIME 1-1. Having an extra man can sometimes be a good thing , but unfortunately for us it disrupted our previously good passing game and also had the effect of Hemsworth rolling up their sleeves and giving all they had. They then got a massive slice of luck when a misunderstanding between keeper Karl Taylor and his player on the post Rob Womack ended with Taylor bizarrely pushing the ball into his own goal. This gave Hemsworth all the incentive they needed and Taylor had to make one or two more good saves. We did have a couple of good chances to level it, but couldn’t  get the ball on target for the third week running, as hard as we tried. Sometimes circumstances conspire against you whatever you do and we just have to keep playing to get through this bad patch. TEAM PERFORMANCE 68/110.

Official view: In the Sunday Senior Cup both our last representatives went out to 3-0 defeats, Redmires, at home to Hemsworth United, and Woodhouse West End, at Westcliffe of Mexborough.

Our View: Redmires went out of the Senior Cup against a good footballing side from Wakefield, Hemsworth Utd. We still had five players unfit to play, including striker John Mellor, and it did leave us with limitations in the team we could put out. Hemsworth surprised with the quality of their passing and with two lively strikers they get our defence on their toes. They scored after about twenty minutes when one of the rare long balls they played caught us out at the back and a slight hesitation by keeper Karl Taylor who changed his mind about coming for the ball, left their forward on hand to score. They continued to dominate the midfield and for us it was only Danny Lindley who caused their defence any problems with his pace. What we needed was a goal, but it just wouldn’t seem to come. Rob Womack had two good chances to volley home but was unable to get his shots on target. In the meantime a through ball by their midfield got through the defence, and although their player looked five yards offside, the referee Mr Warner didn’t give it and they went two up. We had a big chance to pull one back before half time when a great run by Lindley took him into the box where he was pulled down. Andy Birks stepped up to take the penalty, hit it in the corner, but unfortunately the keeper guessed right and saved it. We had a couple of more chances but it looked like it wasn’t going to be our day. HALF TIME 0-2. We changed the system slightly in the second half and did put them under more pressure, although to be fair their passing was far superior to ours and they were always dangerous. It was an end to end match, but no breaks were coming our way. The referee seemed to give a lot of decisions their way and this made it difficult for us to really get going. They kept possession of the ball very well and had us chasing around quite a bit. We had a few more half chances and they also made some chances but Taylor was dealing well with most efforts. However, he was at fault with the third goal when he missed a punch from a corner and their centre forward headed home. We have to put this game down to one of missed chances which  had we been able to get one we may well have found the extra to beat this team. TEAM PERFORMANCE 70/110.

Official view: Redmires seven match winning streak was brought to an end by an Ecclesfield Travellers beginning to find their feet in the top division. Danny Touhey put Craig Senior for Travellers to take the lead and when Kevin Wraith chased a lost cause he was rewarded with a perfect lob over the keeper to make it two before half time. Redmires got back into it early in the second half when James O'Connell netted, but with Chris Frank shackling of Redmires danger man Danny Lindley, Redmires couldn't get going and it was Travellers that restored their two goal lead when Dan Touhey met Paul Bashforth's free kick. Liam Wilkinson's pass then allowed Senior to score his eighth goal in three games before sub Kinsley Nisbeth pulled another back for Redmires, but Travellers stand-in keeper Scott Touhey made certain Redmires didn't get back into the game with some solid work between the sticks.

Our View: We kept the same team as last week following our excellent display against Groves Social last week, but although it was the same faces several players did not seem up for the game with a few arriving late. Having said that we started well enough and had the early pressure. Travellers by contrast were up for the battle and dug in well when they were under pressure and used the long ball and the bright sunshine to bring their big centre forward into play. It was he who opened the scoring after 25 minutes, when he made good space for himself to hit a cross shot past Karl Taylor. A similar long ball resulted in a second goal when first Tom Lawrence then Luke Siggs and Karl Taylor failed to clear the ball leaving their forward with an easy task. Andy Birks went closest for us hitting the bar before half time. HALF TIME 0-2. We decided to switch formation in the second half to get some help to John Mellor up front, bringing on Andy Jones and pushing Andy Birks up front and following a number of attacks and near misses James O’Connell headed in following one of the many Danny Lindley corners. We then laid siege to the Travellers goal and should have scored on several occasions. However on one of their rare attacks Travellers pinched a third ,but we kept trying and John Mellor was unlucky not to score on three occasions. Travellers then scored a fourth against the run of play. We then pulled one back when sub Kingsley Nisbeth scored from close in near the end of the game. This was a game in which several players were off form and others who need to look at their conviction to the team. TEAM PERFORMANCE 65/110.

Official view: Three John Mellor headers saw Redmires just edge out a top class Groves Social. Mellor headed home his first to give Redmires a half time lead and when he headed a second ten minutes into the second half it looked like Redmires would go through without too much trouble, but Groves pulled one back soon after and then levelled from the penalty spot. If they thought Redmires would then buckle they were very much mistaken and when Danny Lindley fastened on to the end of Karl Taylor's clearance to produce the perfect cross, Mellor headed home his third to win it.

Our View: Redmires faced a tough task against the team from Mexborough whose reputation had gone before them. In addition we were without Ben Nichols, Des Pike (both injured) Wayne Beggs and Andy Jones who were away for the weekend. It was a matter of the players who came in to the team performing at their best and this they did. It was obvious that Social were a decent side and had some good players, but with a mixture of excellent concentration by our defence and some stunning attacks by ourselves we were going to be more than a match for them. We certainly had the better of the early play and scored after twenty five minutes when dangerous John Mellor scored with his head following good work down the right. Social were having some attacks of their own but with our back four and keeper Karl Taylor in such good form they were finding it hard to break us down. Luke Siggs who had been drafted in as an emergency centre back because of absentees was marshalling the game from the back along side captain Tom Lawrence and with Danny Lindley and Rob Womack using the wings very well we were a constant threat to their defence and should have gone in at half time further ahead. HALF TIME 1-0. Our midfield trio of James O’Connell, Andy Birks and Nick Hickson got a real grip on the midfield for the first quarter of an hour and we played some excellent stuff and it was no surprise when we scored again when Mellor rose again to head home another good cross, although it did look possibly offside. Play continued and next it was the turn of Groves to score a controversial goal which again looked offside and they scored again when a shot in the box was adjudged to have hit Lawrence’s hand and despite a valiant attempt by Taylor to save the penalty that made it 2-2. Redmires teams of the past would have buckled at this, but this team has a great spirit and we would not be denied. Following more pressure from Social, Taylor made a great save and this gave us the spur to make the effort to win the game and following a series of attacks we came close several times, but finally with five minutes to go, a magnificent pass up the wing from Taylor and a wonderfully controlled first time centre by Lindley straight on to the head of Mellor gave us the win we richly deserved. One of ‘the’ performances of the last few years. TEAM PERFORMANCE 100/110.

Official view: Redmires faced First Division opponents and started briskly with Danny Lindley firing in a low shot to put them ahead. Kingsley Nisbeth struck a second for Redmires after thirty minutes but Pen Nook came back into it when Mark Barraclough scored a fine individual goal. After the break Nook contended for every ball and Redmires found it difficult to get the decisive third goal. However ten minutes from time John Mellor beat the offside trap and then scored again to seal the game.

Our View: Redmires again started brightly against their division one opponents and took an early lead when Danny Lindley hit a low shot into the corner following some interpassing. We continued to dominate the play but had to wait about another twenty minutes before Kingsley Nisbeth nipped in to make it two nil. However Pen Nook’s big centre forward muscled Andy Jones off the ball and whilst his first attempt was saved by Karl Taylor he managed to get another bite at the cherry and scored a good individual goal. This spurred Pen Nook on, but generally they didn’t have the necessary guile to trouble the Reds defence. HALF TIME 2-1. Redmires continued the game mainly well on top and the Nook goal had several narrow escapes, but they were battling well and were giving it all they could. We began to play some of the best football we have played this season and our ball retention was very good. Wayne Beggs was brought on in place of Taylor and Chris Cotterill came on to replace the injured Ben Nichols and it was Cotterill who nearly scored the third goal when he thundered in a shot from the edge of the box from which the Nook keeper made a brilliant save. The score remained the same until ten minutes from the end when John Mellor took advantage of Nook’s defences hesitation to slot the ball home for the third and then scored again near the finish to give Redmires a comfortable 4-1 win. TEAM PERFORMANCE 89/110.

Official view: Danny Lindley's run and cross allowed Luke Siggs to head Redmires in front against Niagara after just five minutes, but Niagara knew it wasn't going to be their day just minutes into the second half when the keepers clearance struck John Mellor and rebounded into the net. Niagara 's stand in keeper Craig Foster made amends with some other saves, but he couldn't stop sub Wayne Beggs finishing off the games best move for Redmires third.

Our View: Redmires had near enough the full squad available (with a couple of exceptions noticeably Chris Cotterill who was doing his bit for charity in the Great North run) for this match against Niagara who were on the back of a 3-0 win last week. We started off very brightly after a good warm up and took the lead after just five minutes following a swift move down the right where Danny Lindley hit an inch perfect cross to leave Luke Siggs with the simple task of heading past the keeper. For the next fifteen minutes we attacked the Niagara defence and went close to scoring a second. Niagara began to get into the game a bit more and played some neat if ineffective football in midfield. There was no further scoring in the first half but it was entertaining stuff to watch and we came off at half time quite pleased with our work. HALF TIME 1-0. The second half started with us mainly on the front foot with our two wide players Lindley and Rob Womack giving their full backs a torrid time and big John Mellor a real handful for their central defenders. Our back four dealt with most things when Niagara did attack and right back James Kirkham again looked highly competent. Des Pike back from injury, Andy Jones and Ben Nichols made up the back four who looked very resilient. It was Mellor who put us two up after their goalkeeper in attempting to clear thumped the ball against him only to see the ball rebound into the goal. We then began to play our football and following several close escapes for the Niagara defence it was substitute, Wayne Beggs, on his return to the team, who combined well with Siggs to fire in our third ten minutes from the end. A good performance that took us another step forward to getting back to our best. TEAM PERFORMANCE 92/110

Official view: Although their hosts Oxspring Lowood made a real game of it, Redmires are once again getting into the groove and claimed their second win of the season. It took until the final fifteen minutes before Redmires broke the home side's resistance as Luke Siggs set Danny Lindley up to score, but Oxspring hit back almost instantly when Phil Cookson levelled. A Lindley free kick again put Redmires in front and John Mellor scored his first for the club to make the game safe.

Our View: Redmires had nearly their full squad available for this League match with  a couple of exceptions and fielded new signing John Mellor up front .They found Lowood in a determined mood and in the first half it was clear that Lowood had come out to battle. With a following wind we could not get to grips with them at all and aside from right back James Kirkham several players looked out of touch. There were few chances at either end and defences were on top. HALF TIME 0-0. In the second half against the wind, we started to play better, and with midfielders Nick Hickson and Luke Siggs beginning to gain control we began to play much better. Indeed it was from a run from midfield by Siggs with the ball when he went past three defenders and laid the ball right in Danny Lindley’s path that we took the lead after twenty five minutes of the half. Lindley lashed the ball past the helpless keeper. This was the spur we needed but Lowood were not out of it yet and too much reliance on the offside trap resulted in a soft goal for them. This had the effect of us turning the screw on their defence a bit more and with sub Rob Womack making some good runs down the left we managed to obtain a free kick on the edge of their box. Up stepped Lindley who had had possibly his most ineffective game since he joined the club. He thundered in a screamer which hit the bar and went into the roof of the net giving the keeper no chance and despite Lowood pressing again to get an equaliser we always looked like we would win from then on. This was sealed when Oxspring left themselves short  at the back and Mellor who had looked a class striker latched on to pass to put the game beyond doubt. A hard fought win, credit to Lowood, for their battling effort which should help them get out of trouble, and a big thank you to the stand in referee who had been very fair. TEAM PERFORMANCE 76/110.

Official view: Redmires cup form stayed with them at the weekend as they went on to complete a 3-2 County FA Senior Sunday Cup victory over fellow Blades Super Draw side Ecclesfield Travellers. Kingsley Nisbeth twice put Redmires ahead only for first Craig Senior and then Matt Clarke to level, but just as extra time looked certain Andy Birks shot through a crowd of legs to put Redmires through.

Our View: On a very blustery day at Phoenix, the conditions made this match a bit of a farce and both teams noted for their football, found control of the ball difficult. We made four changes from the cup winning side, with Ian Gambling and Mark Hardisty placed on gardening duty, Luke Siggs and Andy Birks were also both rested. We made the early running and went ahead after twenty minutes when Kingsley Nisbeth found space to hit a low shot past the keepers right hand. Nisbeth was again on hand to double the lead when he outjumped his marker to head home number two. With neither team playing anywhere near their best it was no surprise when Travellers pulled one back just before half time. HALF TIME 2-1. We continued to have the more chances after the break but failed to capitalise on our pressure. Nick Hickson who has just returned from holiday began to influence the midfield in his usual way when he was brought on to replace the injured James O’Connell, but we just could not get the decisive third goal and as usually happens Travellers were the team to get a vital equaliser. This brought a sense of urgency to the team with extra time beckoning and following some good pressure it was substitute Birks who got the winner about two minutes from time. All in all a performance to forget in bad playing conditions. TEAM PERFORMANCE 75/110.

Official view: A top class Steve Gee Merit Cup Final at the Look Local Stadium, Bracken Moor, Stocksbridge saw CBC Premier side Redmires beat Division One Handsworth Old Boys 3-1. Shaun Downing's early opener gave Redmires the perfect start, but Handsworth then took control of the game and Trevor Jones deservedly levelled just before the interval. The second half saw Redmires take charge of the game with quick goals from winger Danny Lindley and ace marksman Andy Birks and although Handsworth again had their fair share of the ball they couldn't get back into the game.

Our View: Redmires took an early lead against the first division leaders when Sean Downing raced onto a through ball from Danny Lindley to slot the ball past the keeper. In a high tempo game it was Handsworth who adapted better to the big pitch and moved the ball around well. However we hung in there and created a few opportunities to increase the lead. Handsworth were playing very well and had one or two chances to equalise but it was not until just before half time that they did equalise when their striker managed to squeeze the ball past Karl Taylor. They fully deserved their equaliser. HALF TIME 1-1. In the second half we seemed to be by far the team that most wanted to win and bit by bit we started to play good football with Luke Siggs, Andy Birks and Lindley the main instigators, ably supported by Andy Jones who made some searing runs from the back and James O’Connell’s stamina in midfield. Kingsley Nisbeth came on and his pace caused problems for the Handsworth defenders, it was from one of these runs that a loose ball was followed up and driven into the net by the effervescent Lindley. The Handsworth heads seemed to go down then and it was not long before Andy Birks saw an opportunity and fired in a quick shot which caught the keeper out of position. The leagues decision to allow all five subs to be used has to be applauded as we were able to play most of the players that helped the club gain the merit last season. It was a very enjoyable experience for all the players to play on such a good pitch and when club captain Des Pike and Tom Lawrence lifted the cup at the end of the match it was a recognition of what the club has achieved in recent times. TEAM PERFORMANCE 92/110.

Official view: ...while Blue Ball went down 3-2 at home to last season's runners-up Redmires. Paul Marrison gave Blue Ball a first half lead until a five man move was rounded off by Luke Siggs. After the break Rob Womack volleyed Redmires into the lead until Adam Podmore crossed for Danny Mace to level for Ball. John Mellor then had the chance to put Ball back in front from the penalty spot, but his spot kick was brilliantly saved by Karl Taylor and soon after sub Shaun Downing came on to score Redmires' winner with his first touch of the ball.

Our View: Redmires stepped up for their second league match of the season against promoted Blue Ball determined to put a poor performance against Stannington Village behind them. Blue Ball who had won their first match were up for this game and the first half became a good battle. Ball had several quick players in their ranks and a fast pace was maintained throughout the first half. Karl Taylor was the busier but he comfortably dealt with any efforts. However following a defensive lapse, Ball scored the opener after thirty minutes, but we began to pile the pressure on their defence and an excellent five man passing movement led to Rob Womack hitting a wonderful cross from the left wing which Luke Siggs headed home. HALF TIME 1-1. Blue Ball had the better of the first fifteen minutes of the second half but found Taylor in great form and it was the reds who went into the lead when following good work by Danny Lindley, Womack was on hand to put us into the lead with a flying side foot volley. This brought about a good spell for us where we were in control of the game, however Ball were always dangerous on the break and they managed to get an equaliser following some good work down the right. The game then went from end to end, but it looked like Ball were going to get the upper hand when Tom Lawrence tripped a Ball forward and a penalty was given. There then followed an extraordinary ten minute which turned the game. Firstly in our opinion the best keeper in the League Taylor made a brilliant diving save to foil Mellor from the spot. Then an inspirational substitution from Del Siggs was made, where a defender was taken off for striker Sean Downing, who following a lovely clever reverse ball from fellow striker from Andy Birks found himself with the task of volleying the ball home with his first kick of the game to score the winner. There were many good performances in this vintage Reds win, epitomised by the excellent midfield play of Siggs and the brilliant goalkeeping of Taylor. TEAM PERFROMANCE 84/110.  

Official view: Last year's runners-up Redmires didn't get the start they wanted as Robin Elliott and Sean Flynn strikes in each half gave Stannington Village a 2-0 victory over them.

Our View:  A tough fixture saw Redmires lose their opening match of the new season against local rivals Village. Village had added several new faces to their team starting lineup and the mainly young additions seemed to add something extra to their experienced squad. Redmires also had some new players and the first half was a fairly even affair with both sides giving little quarter. Village were playing the fluid passing game more consistently than we were and and we only managed to do this spasmodically. We played the ball over the top a bit too often, bypassing midfield the consequence being that we gave the ball away too often making it easy for Village to counter attack. HALF TIME 0-0. The game remained level until twenty minutes after half time when we left their striker unmarked for the first time and he volleyed into the net. The second half followed the same pattern as the first with Village playing by far the better football and we were struggling to get any kind of hold on the game. The back four, in particular debutant Ben Nichols, were playing well considering the pressure they were under, but much of this was brought on by their inability to find their men with their clearances which meant that the pressure soon returned. Village secured their well deserved win with a second goal about ten minutes from time. We'll have to get better! Team Performance 71/110.