Redmires 1 Ecclesfield 147 2 (League, 26th April)

THEY THINK ITS ALL OVER... IT IS NOW
The last game of the season had arrived after a hard season that had seen our depleted squad reach second place in the Premier league, but with Stannington Village having four games in hand but being five points behind us. A win today could help us establish a lead ahead of them and at least make them have to work hard to overtake us. Unfortunately nobody told 147 who fielded a strong team against us and being in a precarious position themselves they were here to play. Missing training on Thursday did not probably help our cause but we started off meaning business and took most of the early attacks to them, they also looked dangerous on the break with their small nippy players in midfield causing us to work hard. We went ahead after twenty minutes when John Mellor got round their defence down the right and cutting across the goal was brought down by their keeper. Mellor himself took the penalty and taking his tally to seventeen for the season gave the keeper no chance. 147 were not about to give up the fight however and put pressure on the defence but we held out well. In the sixth minute of stoppage time with almost the last kick of the first half they got an equaliser. HALF TIME 1-1. A bad time really to concede a goal and it gave 147 the spur to put us under a lot of pressure early in the second half, however we weathered this early storm and came back to make a few half chances ourselves. Mellor up front was always a threat to their goal and at the other end Andy Jones was having another great game at centre half. We never reached the quality we can show in our passing however and to be fair 147 deserved to take the lead midway into the half. It then became a case of trying to get that vital equaliser and we pushed further forward without really breaking them down and 147 certainly went close to adding a further goal whilst we never looked like breaking them down. At the end it was a case of what might have been but they probably deserved their win on the day. We now have to wait to see if other teams do us a favour but it was in our hands in the last three matches and we may have to settle for third place commendable in a season in which we have been wracked with injuries but have at times played some very good stuff.

Official view: Redmires attempt to be the CBC Premier runners-up were hit by a 2-1 defeat at Ecclesfield 147.

Stannington Village 1 Redmires 1 (League, 16th April)

HAND OF GOD SAVES STANNINGTON
An important match for the team considering the league position and Villages current form straight from a league win against Woodhouse (their first loss). We didn’t have our strongest team out with the injuries we had and Nick Hickson back to visit his relations in Greece . Danny Lindley was also carrying a toe injury and it was touch and go whether he would play. We knew that we would have to give it all and this we did. Stannington have revamped their team and have a lot of good young players replacing some of their older players. We had beaten them earlier in the season but this team was better. They outpassed us to start with but bit by bit we began to get a foothold in the game. When we attacked them they did not look that confident at the back and James O’Connell tested their keeper with a lobbed shot which he turned over the bar. Our corners delivered by Ben Shaw were also causing them problems but they were also testing our defence with quick interpassing. When Lindley came off the wing and began running at their defence they looked vulnerable and in one run he was brought down having gone past three players. A bit surprising the player was not booked. John Mellor hit the free kick just over the bar. All the players were working hard when we hadn’t got the ball in particular O’Connell in midfield. HALF TIME 0-0. We came out very determined in the second half (as did they) and there was no quarter given. Mellor had possibly his best game in a Redmires shirt with his constant harrying of defenders and hold up play with the ball. We were trying to get up to support him as much as we could and it was only fitting that he got the first goal when Lindley on one of his runs through the middle found Mellor on the right of the penalty area and he hit a tremendous shot which flew into the goal and through the net such was the power. Village were stunned by this and came back strongly but found the defence in great form. They did get on top for a while and they equalised when we failed to clear the ball. We still felt we could win the game and Lindley, Mellor and Andy Birks were a constant threat to their defence. A through ball found Mellor on the ball just outside the box and as he chipped the ball goalwards the keeper had to prevent a certain goal by jumping up outside the area to save the ball. The referee Kevin Bridges had no option but to send the keeper off and award a free kick just outside the box to us. With a stand in keeper we should probably have done better with the kick and with the few remaining minutes left we may have snatched the winner against the ten men but it wasn’t to be. A terrific performance by the lads and the attitude was first class.

Official view: Stannington Village knew they had to win to keep any realistic title hopes alive, but after a goalless first half they fell behind to John Mellor's strike for Redmires. Stannington up the pressure after that and grabbed an equaliser when Jack Mylnek headed Sean Flynn's cross home. After that Redmires looked the more likely winners as they sought the victory that would have helped them secure the runners-up spot, but both sides had to settle for a point.

Venue 2 Redmires 2 (League, 12th April)

YET ANOTHER DESMOND
We kicked downhill in the match played at Aurora Sports Ground in the first half and used the slope to our advantage. We were still hit by injuries and one or two of the available players were playing with knocks. Venue were quite up for the game and were not going to be an easy nut to crack but we opened the scoring when Andy Birks turned in the turbo to outstrip the Venue defence to squeeze the ball in. Venue weren’t sitting back and tested our defence with several half chances. The first half came and went with both teams trying to get the ascendency and the referee Ken Nicholson struggling to keep up with play. HALF TIME 1-0. We managed to get on top early in the second half and it was no surprise when we went further ahead when Nick Hickson rose to head in a Danny Lindley corner. We got on top for a while and a further goal looked on the cards but it didn’t come despite several near misses and we paid for this when their centre back battled his way into the box and despite our protestations that he had handled the ball en route the referee was having none of it and he managed to bundle the ball in. This spurred Venue on and from looking very comfortable in defence we looked decidedly shaky. Chris Cotterill who had had a good game was unlucky when a lofted clearance caught under his foot and gave the opportunity to their forward who made no mistake with just five minutes to go. We went close at the other and James Kirkham back from South Africa should really have scored when put through in the last minute. We were despondent after this game as it gave the upper hand to Stannington in the race to be runners up but with them to play in midweek the season was not over yet.

Official view: Current second place side Redmires were held by Venue. Andy Birks beat the offside trap to put Redmires ahead after just ten minutes and when Nick Hickson doubled their lead just after the break they looked certain to collect all three points, but a great solo run by John Brook ended with him pulling one back for Venue and when Steven Marshall headed on for Ryan Cockayne to race clear he made no mistake to leave the scores even.

Handsworth WMC 0 Redmires 2 (League, 2nd April)

HANDSWORTH PAY THE PENALTY
With just four games left and second spot in the league still a possibility we faced one of our bogey teams at their bumpy pitch on Thursday night, but started the game full of confidence following two good wins. We made an early impression and following good chasing by John Mellor their defence got in a bit of a tangle and Andy Birks back from injury gratefully accepted a chance after ten minutes. We kept well on top and it was no surprise that we went further ahead after a further ten minutes when Nick Hickson turned and hit one of his specials from the edge of the box which flew into the top corner. We were playing far better than in the previous match and our defence was dealing well with their spasmodic attacks and our lively forwards were keeping their defence at full stretch. Well into the first half Handsworth were awarded a rather dubious penalty when Luke Siggs was adjudged to have handled the ball although there was no intent on his part. Rather surprisingly  “mouse” did not take the penalty and Karl Taylor made a great save but just spilled the ball. Luckily James O’Connell was alive to the situation and managed to get the ball away for a corner before their player could get to the ball. With our back four playing so well Handsworth were very restricted in the chances they had and it was us that finished the half on the front foot. HALF TIME 2-0. In the second half things continued much the same as the first half with us having more attacks and Handsworth not really penetrating our defence. We were playing with great freedom and the players were enjoying their game. Mellor was unlucky with a couple of efforts and Hickson also went close when a Mellor shot came to him quickly from off the crossbar. With Danny Lindley and Rob Womack springheeled down the flanks we created quite a few chances but could not get that third goal. Andy Jones at the back was solid as a rock and O'Connell was having a great game in midfield foraging for the ball and along with Hickson setting some good attacks going. It would be churlish not to mention the other players but suffice to say that they all played very well from back to front. We couldn’t get any more goals,credit to Handsworth who were sporting in defeat at the end

Official view: Redmires kept their challenge going as Birks and Hickson goals gave them a 2-0 victory at Handsworth WMC.

Redmires 4 Pitsmoor Royal Oak 1 (League, 22nd March)

PITSMOOR ROYAL CHOKE
Playing back to back matches against the same team has never been a good idea and so it turned out to be against Royal Oak who we had beaten 4-1 on Thursday with a fine performance. The blustery wind and bumpy pitch contributed to us not getting into our rhythm and we just could not seem to get going from the outset. In addition to this we had players carrying injuries who maybe should have been resting but the needs of the team came first. Sean Downing had to come off after twenty minutes having apparently dislodged his hip joint and Oak fighting relegation were there for the battle and were not going down without a fight. They took the lead after about half an hour when their striker was not closed down and he hit a great strike from outside the box which wind assisted gave Karl Taylor no chance. We huffed and puffed for the rest of the half but could not get any cohesion into our play. One or two players seemed to be off form and it was a good job Andy Jones was on the ball against his old team. HALF TIME 0-1. We came out in the second half determined to try and show some of the scintillating football of the other night but although we had the wind at our backs we were still struggling to find the target. However it did seem to be a matter of time before we scored and it was from a corner that Luke Siggs managed to get his head to the ball to level the scores. About ten minutes later Rob Womack switched the ball on to his left foot and hit a tremendous shot from about 40 yards which flew into the net with the wind behind it. Oak were still not giving up and the dangerous Davis up front was giving our injured defenders plenty to think about. John Mellor was working his socks off up front for us and a shot from him was only parried by the keeper and gave Chris Taylor an easy task to score his first goal for the club. Oak seemed to wilt then and when Danny Lindley sprung to life he took on two players and hit a great left shot into the corner to give us victory and a scoreline that flattered us quite a bit.

Official view: Second place Redmires completed a four day 4-1 double over a Pitsmoor Royal Oak that now stands just a single point away from being relegated. In both games Pitsmoor took the lead through Gavin Davis, but both times Redmires hit back to win. In the second clash, Pitsmoor lead at the break, but Luke Siggs headed Redmires level before Womack hit a real screamer to put them in front. Mellor then set up Chris Taylor for their third before Lindley beat two defenders as he cut in from the right to score.

Pitsmoor Royal Oak 1 Redmires 4 (League, 19th March)

OH THE OAKEY, OAKEY, OAKEY
Our first match for a number of years under floodlights at Woodburn Road against the leagues bottom team. Although they were bottom they had had a number of close games and one or two good results. Jamie Milnes stepped into his first game of the season in the absence of James Kirkham and Mark Hardisty retained his position in midfield after a good display on Sunday. The game was lively from the outset and played at a good tempo with us doing most of the attacking and we looked very threatening via Danny Lindley who was in terrific form down the left flank. Our corners were causing them problems and Milnes’ heading ability nearly resulted in a few goals for us. He hit the crossbar once and slightly better timing might have resulted in goals for him. In probably the only worthwhile attack Oak had in the first half when their right winger was allowed to cross the ball too easily and they managed to get the ball past keeper Karl Taylor. We didn’t panic with this set back and when Lindley was upended just outside the box he took the free kick with his left foot and curled it over wall past the helpless keeper. We began to then get well on top and the energetic Sean Downing had a couple of decent chances before John Mellor grabbed our second and we went in at half time in front. HALF TIME 2-1. We came out in the second half without Luke Siggs who felt a hamstring pull and was replaced with Nick Hickson. After ten minutes we brought on Rob Womack for Hardisty and the combination of Womack and Lindley down the flanks caused a lot of panic in the Oak defence. With Hickson and James O’Connell pulling the strings it was inevitable that we would score again. Hickson set the ball rolling with a brilliant volley on the turn from outside the box, missed narrowly with an overhead kick and then a well worked corner between Lindley and Womack saw the latter hit a superb shot in from the edge of the box. With Andy Jones having a great game at the back against his old club Oak never had the chance to score again, but it was the flying Lindley who well deserved his man of the match award.

Official view: Second place Redmires completed a four day 4-1 double over a Pitsmoor Royal Oak that now stands just a single point away from being relegated. In both games Pitsmoor took the lead through Gavin Davis, but both times Redmires hit back to win. In the first game, Danny Lindley's free kick and John Mellor's low shot gave Redmires a half time lead and their victory was confirmed by a third from Mick Dixon and Rob Womack's fourth from the edge of the area.

Redmires 2 Ecclesfield 147 2 (League, 15th March)

NO MAXIMUM AGAINST 147
After last weeks deluge just before last weeks match it was a pleasure to start this match in warm sunshine with both teams out to win the game and the excellent Kevin Bridges as referee. With James Kirkham, Nick Hickson and Rob Womack not available we brought in Mark Hardisty in midfield for his first game for quite a while and moved Luke Siggs back to centre back, with Andy Birks returning in midfield. Big Tom Lawrence was also sub after a long absence. Ecclesfield who had scored 26 goals in their last three matches looked to be at full strength and the first half developed into a battle of wits with both teams trying to get the upper hand. We had the better of the chances in the first half and John Mellor went close a couple of times before Ecclesfield went very close when Karl Taylor pulled off a terrific save flinging himself to his right to palm the ball away. They opened the scoring when we didn’t push out quickly enough and the ball found its way to their big striker who made no mistake with his head from close in. HALF TIME  0-1. We were soon back in it after the break however when James O’Connell scored a poachers goal, a ball crossed from the right by Danny Lindley headed towards goal by Siggs and O’Connell following up the goalies fumble to ram the ball into the roof of the net. Their classy strikers whilst always dangerous were not getting a lot of joy out of Andy Jones and Siggs and our defence looked capable of dealing with most things. We also were causing their defence plenty of problems with Mellor, Sean Downing and Lindley’s constant movement leaving them chasing shadows. It was slightly against the run of play that their substitute scored a great goal with an overhead kick to put them back in the lead but again we showed the fighting spirit we have in the team by not folding and perserverence saw us score a great equaliser when John Mellor got goalside of their defence to hit a great shot past the keeper. An injury to their centre back meant they had to make late changes to their team and we threw everything at them to try and get the winner but they managed to hold out. Another good performance by the team in particular Karl “the Kat” and O’Connell who marked their Hallam player Hunter out of the game.

Official view: That win allowed them to open up a two point gap below them as third place Redmires needed a John Mellor equaliser to get just a point at home to Ecclesfield 147.Craig Senior put Ecclesfield ahead when he headed home, but Redmires were level at the break after James O'Connell scored from close range. Ecclesfield almost re-took the lead when Liam Wilkinson's shot was brilliantly saved by Karl taylor, but even Taylor couldn't stop sub Danny Touhey's brilliant overhead kick from finding the net. With Matt Clarke shackling Redmires' danger man Danny Lindley, it looked like Ecclesfield would win until Mellor produced a quality finish to earn Redmires a point.

Woodhouse West End 4 Redmires 2 (League, 8th March)

IN A WEST END TOWN, A DEAD END WORLD
Two teams in good form fought out a hard battle on a less than ideal pitch, and after kicking off in bright sunshine 5 minutes into the game the heavens opened and heavy rain/sleet made control very difficult. Without Andy Birks and one or two other players Redmires started off the brightest and the West End defence looked a bit shaky. We scored fairly early when Luke Siggs pounced to hit a left foot shot past the keeper and from that point on the match went from end to end with both sides having half chances. It was a good battle in midfield with Nick Hickson winning a lot of headers as usual and Siggs and James O’Connell giving as good as they got. Danny Lindley was not getting much joy against some tight marking but it was difficult to play with our usual flair on the heavy rain soaked pitch. Near half time a flicked on header allowed their striker some space and he gave Karl Taylor no chance from just inside the box to equalize for West End . HALF TIME 1-1. We thought at half time that West End would try to put us under pressure for the first quarter of an hour but they came out a bit subdued for some reason and an awful mix up in their defence between the keeper and defenders presented the effervescent Sean Downing with a chance he could not miss. Although our front players were working very hard they kept falling into the offside trap and presenting West End with chances to put a lot of pressure on our defence with long balls down the middle and with their keepers long kicks they began forcing us further and further back. It was a good tactic for as well as our centre backs played we couldn’t cope with this tactic and West End scored three goals all leading from such balls. We never let our heads drop and kept battling to the end and should really have scored two goals towards the end via John Mellor and Downing. We came off the pitch soaked through and feeling that we should have got something from the game but credit to West End who also gave all they got to protect their one hundred per cent record. A big thanks to referee Phil Booker for getting out of his sick bed to referee the match.

Official view: In the CBC Premier clash of the top two, leaders Woodhouse West End found themselves behind against Redmires when Luke Siggs scored with a left foot shot, but five minutes before the break Ashleigh Atkins netted to level the scores. The second half started the same as the first when Shaun Downing took advantage of a defensive mix up to put Redmires back in front, but West End hit back again through David Haley. With West End keeper John Badkin's long clearances causing all kinds of problems for the Redmires defence and Mark Barraclough took advantage to put West End ahead and Atkins made the points safe with his second of the game.

Hemsworth Villa 1 Redmires 2 (League, 22nd February)

THE WINNER TAKES IT ALL
There was some doubt before kick off that this match would go ahead due to the state of the pitch which in areas was bordering on unplayable but with the backlog of fixtures both teams were in favour of playing the game. In the circumstances  both teams should be applauded for the sporting way in which the game was played and there was some good football from both sides. With Sean Downing away on holiday it was left to Andy Birks to partner John Mellor up front for the first time and the combination looked lively with Birks holding the ball well and Mellor making some great runs off the ball. We looked the more likely to score in the first half with a Nick Hickson header hitting the crossbar and looking very dangerous from Ben Shaw’s corners. We were aware of the goal scoring presence of Owen up front for them and Andy Jones did a good job shackling him with James Kirkham not allowing their other striker a look in. We did not make the mistakes of the cup match earlier in the season, by playing extra cautiously at the back in these conditions and we restricted them to perhaps one half chance in the first half. Hickson in midfield won virtually every ball he contested in the air and this enabled us to push upfield. HALF TIME 0-0. We were kicking into the muddy penalty area in the second half and we did make a few good chances to go in front but it looked like it was going to be one of those days. Their keeper who always seems to play well against us was having a great game and one particular save he made from a Danny Lindley thunderbolt was brilliant. Villa took the lead with ten minutes to go when Jones had got in front of his man to clear the ball but he was left flat footed as the ball was knocked back over his head and straight to Owen who clipped the ball past Karl Taylor. This was against the run of play, but we showed great determination to get back into the game, when Birks cleverly left a pass for Luke Siggs to run on to put the keeper on the ground and then chip it over him. This spurred us on to even greater efforts and with all the players giving their all, their keeper made perhaps his only mistake by chasing Lindley out to his left corner flag , realising he couldn’t get back, but allowing captain Lindley to a send in a perfect left footed cross to the far post where Birks was on hand to gleefully head home. Another really good performance from the team which showed great will to win.

Official view: Late Luke Siggs and Andy Briks goals gave Redmires victory at title rivals Hemsworth Villa. In the CBC Premier the big game saw Redmires come from behind with two late goals to beat Hemsworth Villa and cement their second place in the table. Pete Braybrook started the move that saw Scott Moat’s shot saved by Karl Taylor, but Nick Owen snapped up the rebound to put Villa ahead with just ten minutes remaining. Redmires hit back almost immediately with Danny Lindley setting up Luke Siggs for the equaliser and although Villa keeper Jamie King made one terrific save to stop Redmires taking the lead he could do nothing to stop Andy Birks grabbing the winner after Lindley had again teased the Villa defence.

Redmires 2 Millhouses 1 (League, 1st February)

THOSE IN MILL HOUSES SHOULDN'T THROW AWAY POINTS
There was some doubt that the match would be on with the forecast snow but luckily it did not arrive until Sunday afternoon. Having had a close game with Abacrombie we were looking forward to a similar kind of match especially with the match to be refereed by the superb Matt Walsh. With Abacrombie missing some players and ourselves missing one or two important players the match was played at a good tempo and in the first half we were particularly strong and played some excellent football. We opened the scoring after looking dangerous for a good spell when Luke Siggs rose at the far post to head home one of several excellent corners from Ben Shaw. Our approach play was causing Abacrombie quite a lot of problems, with good interchange between the willing Sean Downing and the predatory instincts of John Mellor. Downing picked up a ball halfway into their half and although could have got a shot in himself he chose the option of giving to the better placed Mellor and he ran on to strike the ball into the far corner. We looked very good at the back, with a confident goalkeeper and a back four that was giving nothing to their strikers. In midfield Andy Birks was having a stormer and his three partners were also in good form. We came off at half time very pleased with ourselves. HALF TIME 2-0. It was important to try to keep up our tempo after the break and this we did with Abacrombie mainly on the back foot but making the occasional raid which we had well under control. Unfortunately we began to play a bit deeper for some reason and they began to edge their way back into the game without really creating a good scoring chance mainly due to James Kirkham and Andy Jones shackling their leading goalscorer and not giving him a sight of goal. We made a couple of substitutions about fifteen minutes from the end but it was at this point that Abarombie pulled one back and Karl Taylor made a great save right at the end. An enjoyable game to watch and a very good battling win for the team. High marks all around this week.

Official view: In the CBC Premier’s game of the day, second place Redmires just withstood a second half rally by third place Millhouses Abacrombie and take all three points. Redmires took the lead when Ben Shaw’s corner was headed home at the back post by Luke Siggs and they doubled their lead before the break when man of the match Shaun Downing laid the ball into John Mellor’s path and he scored with a neat finish. Millhouses rallied after the break and Dave France hit the bar before they eventually pulled one back when Danny Turner crossed for Simon Berry to head home. Millhouses continued to press for an equaliser, but they found Redmires’ keeper Karl Taylor in top form, with a last gasp save from France in particular earning his side the points. The game also saw yet another very impressive performance from referee Matt Walsh.

Redmires 4 Niagara 1 (League, 18th January 2009)

PLAY IT AGAIN SAM
On a very sunny Sunday morning, a very wet pitch welcomed the players for this repeat of last Sundays match which had gone the way of Redmires. Niagara came out determined to wipe out the memory of that 5-0 defeat and had the early attacks. We were struggling to find our feet on the wet surface and finding the ball hard to control. It was no surprise that Niagara took the lead after twenty minutes when a corner hit high and long on our left was probably lost in the sun by keeper and defence and found its way into the far corner from Nick Hickson’s volley. We began to improve our play and Andy Birks was on hand to score with a low shot to put us back on terms. Our front players Sean Downing and John Mellor were creating some good space with Danny Lindley making some good runs down the left. Downing and Mellor combined well with Downing slipping a great through ball right into Mellors stride and he needed no invitation to give us the lead with a good strike. We could have got another goal when Lindley was fouled inside the box but the muddy pitch contributed to him missing the penalty. Unfortunately one of their players reacted rather stupidly and gave the referee no choice but to send him off and Niagara were under the cosh for the rest of the first half. HALF TIME 2-1. Although Niagara tried hard they were finding our defence hard to penetrate with James Kirkham in particular having a good game. A great free kick by Ben Shaw tested their keeper which saw him dive to turn the ball over the bar. Halfway through the half more good play from Downing saw him set up another goal for fellow striker Mellor who hit an unstoppable shot past the keeper. The Niagara goal had a few more close shaves but to their credit they never stopped trying and went close a couple of times but we looked the far more likely to score and a another good move ended with a defender handling  the ball on the line to prevent a goal. The referee Darren Burton used good judgement not to send the player off which he could have done, but this enabled Mellor to blast the ball past the keeper to complete a deserved hat trick. A good team performance in bad conditions.

Official view: While Millhouses Abacrombie were being held at home by Hemsworth Villa, a John Mellor treble helped Redmires to a 4-1 victory over Niagara and into second place in the CBC Premier. It was the visitors that got the perfect start when Craig Foster put them ahead after just fifteen minutes and, after being awarded a penalty, Redmires missed a great opportunity to level when Danny Lindley saw his spot kick saved. The equaliser wasn’t too long coming though, with Andy Birks applying the finishing touch and Redmires were ahead before half time when Shaun Downing threaded a through ball for Mellor to race onto and beat the keeper. After the break, the same combination brought Redmires third goal when Downing squared the ball for Mellor to finish in style and Mellor completed his hat-trick when Redmires were awarded a second penalty and he took over the responsibility.

Niagara 0 Redmires 5 (League, 11th January 2009)

FIVE GOLDEN GOALS
A thaw overnight ensured that the Niagara pitch was playable after it looked very doubtful the previous day. On the day we were a bit short on playing strength with some players missing but the twelve who were at the game did themselves proud with a good performance. After ten minutes when their centre half brought down John Mellor as he was goal bound and as he was the last defender he was sent off. A big blow for them but to their credit they didn’t give up or abuse the excellent referee Kevin Bridges. We took the lead after twenty minutes when Mellor latched on to a through ball and gave the keeper no chance. As sometimes happens this seemed to spur Niagara on and the battle for control was quite close although we looked far more dangerous in our attacks. HALF TIME 0-1. We had a good talk at half time and all agreed that we mustn’t drop our tempo or they could get back into it. Ben Shaw was impressing with his crossing from his new position at right back and Danny Lindley who had been tightly marked in the first half began to make his present felt and we brought on Sean Downing up front to give Mellor more freedom relegating the slightly out of sorts Nick Hickson to the bench . This move paid off and it was not long before Lindley made one of his customary runs following a good through ball from Andy Birks to put us two up. This had a distinct effect on Niagara ’s confidence and another great run by Lindley took him past three defenders including the keeper but his shot was just cleared off the line. From the ensuing corner Downing’s header was parried by the keeper into the path of Luke Siggs who just beat team mate James Kirkham  to the ball to notch the third. We looked very strong at the back with the whole back four playing well and Karl the Cat in goal did not have a shot to save in the whole game. Another goalmouth scramble resulted in Siggs scoring his second from close in and in the last ten minutes Mellor took advantage of a defensive lapse to bang in number five for an emphatic win.

Official view: Third place Redmires had an even more convincing 5-0 victory at Niagara, but they were helped when Niagara lost their centre half after his ‘professional’ foul after just ten minutes. John Mellor gave Redmires a half time lead and Danny Lindley made it two after the break. As Niagara’s legs tired Luke Siggs helped himself to two goals before Mellor wrapped up the scoring with his second of the game.

Redmires 3 Blue Ball 1 (League, 21st December 2008)

THE REFEREE'S A W***** BUT REDMIRES WIN THE BANKER
On paper this was a game to be savoured with two footballing sides well up for the game. Unfortunately it was marred by a very officious referee who was hell bent on spoiling a good match by showing who was the boss. It started after about five minutes when a run of the mill tackle by Andy Birks resulted in a strong talking to from Mr Burrows and was followed a few minutes later with Birks being booked. The game was lively with both teams trying hard but the signs were not good with the referee not taking any sort of protest without lecturing the player concerned. After several efforts on goal we scored after twenty minutes when John Mellor latched on to a through ball to shoot past the keeper. Blue Ball were having plenty of the ball and their passing in midfield was good but they were not really testing keeper Karl Taylor. The referee was struggling to keep up with play at times and both teams continued to be frustrated with some of his decisions. Any sign of dissent was dealt with by the necessary lecture. Ball equalised after thirty five minutes when a long cross from the right somehow found its way into the far corner. Our passing was letting us down at times but the constant interruptions disrupted the flow of the game. HALF TIME 1-1. In the second half we played better football but could not get a telling shot on goal. Dale White who was given a start up front played well but with this referee and White’s past record it was inevitable that a clash was always likely and so it proved with him being given the yellow card and shortly afterwards being shown the red card for more dissent. At this point both sets of players were of a mind to walk off the pitch but the consequences would have been great for both teams. The sending off seemed to spur us on to greater efforts and we scored a second goal when Andy Birks latched on to a ball from the right to score from close in. We then scored another when following good work by Danny Lindley, Mellor was on hand to fire home. Two bookings later and one for Ball brought this game to an end. The FAs “respect” programme needs to look at the role of referees in the light of Mr Burrows handling of this game, as he could learn a lot from referees like Matt Walsh in the art of man management. We as a club showed our respect by giving him a lift to and from the game as he had no transport, but it will be the last time.

Official view: Redmires took the lead at home to Blue Ball when John Mellor scored from the edge of the area, but Ball levelled before the break when Richard Hanson headed his first of the season. The game looked likely to go Ball's way in the second half after Redmires were reduced to ten men, but it was the hosts that seemed inspired by their disadvantage and Andy Birks put them back in front before John Mellor hit their third.

Redmires 3 Hemsworth Villa 3 (League, 30th November 2008)

TRIO TRIO WE WANT A WIN AND WE WANT ONE NOW
After there was some overnight frost there was a slight doubt that the match might go ahead but the pitch looked in good condition. For the few spectators it turned out to be a good spectacle with both teams going for the win. We were without star defender Andy Jones out with a mouth abcess but it did detract from a good performance from the team determined to play better against Villa than when we lost 4-0 in the cup. After some early attacks we went into the lead with a well taken goal by the eager Sean Downing. Villa got back on terms when their right winger received the ball in what looked to be at least five yards offside and crossed it into the middle for their player to score. Ten minutes later Danny Lindley appeared to be fouled inside the box but the referee didn’t give it but almost immediately he was again brought down and the ref this time gave the penalty. Lindley took the penalty and coolly slotted it past the keeper. We were having most of the pressure but Villa always looked dangerous on the break. On one of these attacks they managed to grab the equaliser with a lobbed shot. HALF TIME 2-2. After the break the game swung to and fro with ourselves having the better chances. The back four were playing well in particular Chris Cotterill, who was having his best game of the season ,we were also lively in midfield with Lindley causing them problems but it was Villa who took the lead when we failed to clear the ball. We didn’t let our heads drop however and after much pressure centre back James Kirkham in an advanced position scored a deserved equaliser for us when he hammered in a loose ball from just inside the box. Nick Hickson maybe should have done better when a snap shot by Dale White was pushed out by the keeper to his feet but he rushed his shot and fired past the post. Lindley saw another effort just scrape the bar. We certainly had the better chances to win the game and certainly avenged our defeat in the cup with a good display.

Official view: Redmires came out of the traps the quickest at home to Hemsworth Villa and deservedly took the lead through Shaun Downing, but it didn't last too long as Scott Moat beat the offside trap to sidefoot Villa's equaliser. Redmires didn't let their heads drop though and they went back in front when Mark Hopkinson brought Danny Lindley down in the area and Lindley picked himself up to score from the spot. Villa still went into the break level though as Moat took Keith Cronin's pass in his stride before lobbing the keeper for his second and after the break it was their turn to take the lead when Paul Jenkinson broke up a Redmires attack and linked up with Cronin to give Nick Owen a chance he rarely misses. Redmires, and man-of-the-match Chris Cotterill in particular, refused to give up though and they grabbed a deserved point when James Kirkham netted his second of the season.

Redmires 2 Venue 2 (League, 16th November 2008)

ANOTHER DESMOND
A disastrous start saw Redmires go two down in the first ten minutes at home to Venue who were a bit surprised to say the least. After last weeks good away draw at Millhouses this was a particulary sloppy start from us. To the teams credit we didn’t let this get us down and although Venue did not really trouble our goal again we found it hard to make the breakthrough and did not get onto the score sheet until the second half. HALF TIME 0-2. There was no doubt that we were missing the injured Danny Lindley but were buoyed when Danny turned up to support the team along with other long term injury Ben Nicholls. We began to get well on top and bringing on John Mellor and Dale White gave us the necessary lift to make the breakthrough. A ball knocked through the Venue defence and White showed a good turn of pace to cause their goalkeeper to upend him in the box. Despite some barracking from one of their supporters Mellor kept his cool to ram the ball home. We then laid siege to their defence and after many escapes we got a deserved equaliser from Andy Birks who prodded home from close range. Try as we might we couldn’t get the winner but our capricious form at the beginning of matches needs to be addressed if we are to maintain our position and get those vital wins. A word here for the ref. Brent Marsh who dealt with some derogatory behaviour at times from the Venue bench.

Official view: The two other games both ended in 2-2 draws with the home sides coming from behind to claim their point. James Wainwright's great run paved the way for Mark England-Woodcock to give Venue the lead at Redmires after just two minutes and when Tom Nelson paved the way for England-Woodcock to net his second eight minutes later, Venue looked likely to extend their perfect away record. Redmires had other ideas though and in the second half Dale White was felled in the area and John Mellor stepped up to reduce the arrears and with virtually the last kick of the game Andy Birks forced home the equaliser.

Millhouses Abacrombie 2 Redmires 2 (League, 9th November 2008)

AS THE OWL SAYS "YOU TWITS TWO TWO"
To The first ever league meeting between these two footballing sides took place at HSBC ground which was in good condition considering a week of rain. There was a fair amount of wind which was blowing down the pitch and Millhouses elected to kick with the wind behind them in the first half. This meant that they put the pressure on and it was easy to see why they had scored 21 goals already in the league. Luckily they found the Reds defence in a solid mood. They were causing us a few problems with long throw ins which were hard to defend and it was a case of digging in as best we could against the wind. They nearly scored after about ten minutes but Karl Taylor made a fine save. However amongst their few corners they opened the scoring when a near post corner caught Taylor slightly off his line and a slight defection caused him to push the ball into his own goal. However we were having some nice attacks and a searing run from Danny Lindley ended with him being brought down inside the box and he converted the penalty with aplomb. James O’Connell went close for Redmires when an audacious thirty yard left footed power shot hit the crossbar. After the half an hour Millhouses went ahead after a clumsy tackle on the edge of our box their leading scorer chipped in directly from the free kick. HALF TIME 1-2. Having been under the cosh against the wind we were determined the second half would be ours and came out strongly pushing Millhouses back into their own half and restricting them to a few breakaway attacks which they always dangerous from. We introduced Rob Womack into the attack in place of Tom Emmanuel who had played well and showed that he had lost none of his clever play since his return from abroad. With him on one wing and Lindley on the other Millhouses were not able to cope. Ben Shaw, Andy Birks and Nick Hickson really began to control the midfield and two cracking efforts from the skilful Shaw just flew over the bar. Lindley hit our equaliser when the ball fell to him inside the area and he powered it home. He was then unlucky not to put us in front when skipping past three defenders only to see his left foot shot just miss the target when maybe he could have used his stronger foot. We managed to hit the bar twice, the second effort a beautifully flighted ball to the far post from Shaw was headed onto the crossbar by Luke Siggs. It was a pity that we just could not get the winner but a cracking game nevertheless.

Official view: After the clubs observed a minute's silence for Rememberence Sunday a Danny Lindley double saved a point for Redmires at high flying Millhouses Abacrombie in the only CBC Premier game played. A week of rain took its toll on the fixtures with nearly half of the matches being  postponed and in the CBC Premier division only one game survived, but this proved to be an enthralling encounter at a windswept Dore between second placed Millhouses Abacrombie and Redmires. It proved to be a game of two halves with Abacrombie having the best of the first half with the wind at their backs and Redmires piling the pressure on in the second half. Abacrombie took the lead in the first half  when a corner was flicked on at the near post by Tom Gardiner and Redmires keeper Karl Taylor off balance turned the ball into his own goal. Despite this setback Redmires pressed hard and a James O’Connell left footed drive hit the crossbar .Shortly afterwards Danny Lindley was felled in the box and got up to slot the penalty home. After this Abacrombie were piling on the pressure, with Ali Berry’s long throws causing problems in the wind and following a foul on the edge of the box Danny Turner curled a free kick over the wall to put Abacrombie 2-1 up just before the interval. In the second half it was Redmires who got on top with the pacy Lindley causing most problems and it was he who equalised for Redmires. He almost scored a hat trick when making a surging run past three players but hit his shot just wide. Abacrombie had a few half chances on the break but Redmires hit the bar twice.

Redmires 1 Stocksbridge PS 3 (League, 2nd November 2008)

A BRIDGE TO FAR
Redmires had landed their bogey last week against this team by winning on their ground for the first time. Having to play them again in the following week was not an ideal occurence as they had finished strongly in that game so felt they could get something out of this game. They got a further boost after ten minutes when the referee gave the first of few doubtful decisions by awarding them a penalty deciding that Andy Birks had fouled their player. Karl Taylor was close to making a great save but unfortunately he pushed the ball onto the post, but into the net. We played some nice football in the next spell of play but we were unable to take advantage against a resolute defence, until we got a penalty somewhat fortuitously and Danny Lindley gave the keeper no chance. We did most of the pressing for the remainder of the half and Tom Emmanuel had the best chance with a shot that hit the post, but despite some half chances we could not find that cutting edge in front of goal. HALF TIME 1-1. The second half went much the pattern of the first with us doing the pressing but Stocksbridge resisting very well and making a few chances of their own. We had a tendency to give away a number of free kicks in dangerous areas and without a commanding header of the ball we were vulnerable to the high ball. We managed to deal with most crosses but after about seventy minutes Steels went in front against the run of play when their player got above Nick Hickson to loop a header over Taylor . This sparked an assault on the Steels goal but they defended in numbers very well particularly against our corners. We had several more chances to equalise via Birks, Lindley, John Mellor and Luke Siggs but the shooting was pretty wide of the mark. With five minutes to go we threw caution to the wind and left ourselves exposed and they scored a third in a breakaway. At the moment we are lacking confidence in front of goal but there can be no doubting the effort of the players.

Official view: Stocksbridge Park Steels took the lead at Redmires when Andy Birks gave away a penalty and Adam Todd scored from the spot, but the home side levelled when John Mellor was floored in the area and Danny Lindley converted his spot kick. Just for once though that wasn't the signal for a Steels collapse and they re-took the lead when Mark Garrett headed home and they sealed their first win of the season to climb out of the drop zone with a Chris Kelly strike.

Stocksbridge PS 2 Redmires 3 (League, 26th October 2008)

REDMIRES BEAT STOCKS-BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER-LOGGED PITCH
At long last Redmires have overcome their bogey match at Steels pitch. It was in its usual state after heavy overnight rain and was clearly not going to be a pitch for playing any kind of football. It was a case of grinding out the best result and this we did. The new combination up front of John Mellor and Luke Siggs looked good, with Danny Lindley and Tom Emmanuel supplying the pace down the wings. However, it was Steels who took the lead when an unchallenged cross from the right was headed over keeper Karl Taylors head. We equalised when a great corner from Lindley was met with a solid header from Nick Hickson which gave the keeper no chance. We were doing our best to play football in the mud and Siggs,Mellor and Lindley went close. HALF TIME 1-1.We got on top early in the second half and again went close via Mellor. Steels for their part did create a few half chances themselves and only a great tackle by Andy Jones stopped what looked a certain goal. We then began to pressure the Steels goal and it was only a matter of time before Hickson scored a second goal when the keeper failed to hold a Lindley effort. Hickson nearly got his first ever hat trick when Siggs laid the ball back to him but his shot hit the bar. The Steels defence began to crack a bit and Mellor latched on to a long pass from Jones to break away and score the third when his chip over the keeper just about got over the line before the defender could reach it. Steels did get one back five minutes from time when we failed to clear a corner but we had enough resilience to hang on for the win. Star player for Redmires was the indefatigable Andy Birks returning from injury and pulling the strings in midfield. A good hard working performance that took us up to third in the league.

Official view: Redmires climbed six places as a Nick Hickson double and one from John Mellor was just enough to give them victory at Stocksbridge Park Steels, leaving the host rock bottom. Adam Todd gave Stocksbridge the lead after just ten minutes, but Redmires levelled when Nick Hickson headed home Danny Lindley's corner and Redmires went in front when Hickson picked up the pieces after Lindley's shot had been parried by the keeper. John Mellor extended Redmires lead and although Phil Cookson pulled one back for Steels with five minutes remaining, Redmires hung on.

Redmires 0 Woodhouse West End 5 (League, 19th October 2008)

WEST END SHOW US THE WAY
With several players missing Redmires knew the day was going to be a hard one against the team in form in the Premier Division. This proved to be the case but after the early setback of a goal for West End after ten minutes, we found our form for a while and made a few promising moves. However, West End scored a vital goal just before half time following a poor clearance which was the pattern of the first half with too many players giving the ball away giving the edge to West End . We were also finding their keepers long kicks hard to deal with. Up front Sean Downing gave his usual endeavour and Ben Shaw having his first start for a while showed some promising touches. We went close when a great shot from Danny Lindley was just about saved by their keeper. HALF TIME 0-2. We had to withstand early pressure in the second half, but another long kick by the West End keeper gave another chance which West End put away with aplomb. They then began to dominate the play and we found ourselves under a lot of pressure with moves breaking down and the ball being returned to our half very quickly putting the defence off guard. Nick Hickson played manfully in midfield where he won a lot of headers, but a number of players had off days. The one good thing from the game we can take was the performance substitute Tom Emmanuel who looked to be just what we have been looking for, a left sided midfield player. Nice touch on the ball with a bit of pace as well. To be fair, West End have improved from last year and it would have been a big test for our side even with our missing players playing, but the added competition for places may shake some players out of their comfort zone.

Official view: Woodhouse West End took full advantage by completing a very impressive victory at Redmires. Dave Kippax celebrated his return to the side after injury by starting it off after ten minutes and Ashleigh Atkins doubled their advantage just before the interval. Man of the match Sammy Glaves made it three as West End took complete control and the front two that caused Redmires so many problems, Jason Short and Atkins added two more in a game superbly refereed by Mr Crabtree.

Hemsworth Villa 4 Redmires 0 (League Cup, 5th October 2008)

IT NEVER RAINS IN HEMSWORTH VILLA... IT POURS
Redmires went into the First Round of the Cup hopeful of a result against previous winners Hemsworth Villa but after just five minutes found themselves two down on a pitch barely playable, very narrow and not suited to our style. Both goals were mistakes, the first when the slippery ball spilled from Karl Taylor’s hands leaving their forward with an easy task from two yards. The second goal followed almost immediately when Mark Hardisty got caught in possession 25 yards out from our goal and their centre forward pounced to put the ball over the out of position Taylor. Bit by bit we managed to claw our way back on a pitch which certainly did not suit our style, but could not get a really clear strike on goal. There was no doubt that some players heads had dropped with the surprise early goals and Villa were not going to give us many chances to get back in it. Danny Lindley had perhaps the best chance but saw his effort just go the wrong side of the post. HALF TIME 0-2. We made a tactical change at half time to change our system to 4-4-2 with centre back Chris Cotterill coming off and new boy Jamie Cousins coming on down the right. Unfortunately, the move did not pay off and it did not help us pose any more problems for the strong Villa defence. After sixty minutes we made a further change with Nick Hickson coming on for Hardisty. To be fair Hemsworth playing with all the confidence had several more chances and deservedly went further ahead after we failed to clear the ball. We seemed to play a bit better when Ben Shaw came on but our moves all too often broke down with players unable to control the ball on the slippery surface and we certainly missed injured players Andy Birks, Des Pike and James O’Connell. Towards the end Villa scored another goal which deflected off Dale Whites head into the goal. All in all a disappointing performance and the certainty that we have got to play better on pitches that are not up to standard if we are to progress as a club.

Official view: After an explosive start, another former winner to go through in another all-CBC Premier clash was Hemsworth Villa as they beat Redmires 4-0. Almost from the kick-off, Ian Holmes got to the byline and when his cross was fumbled by the keeper, Nick Owen nipped in to score. The game was hardly a minute old when a poor clearance fell to David Tollerfield and he produced a great strike to make it two. Redmires did their best to get back into the game and their slick passing game had the Villa defence under pressure for long periods after that, but the Villa defence, with Stefan Harris outstanding at the heart of it, worked hard to keep their visitors out. Villa still looked very dangerous on the break and after playing a great one-two with Owen, Tollerfield grabbed his second to as good as make the tie safe, but just to make sure Ian Holmes glanced home Owen's cross near the end.

Redmires 4 Stannington Village 2 (League, 28th September 2008)

VILLAGE PEOPLE SAY "YOUR MEN CAN ATTACK!!!"
Another milestone was achieved on Sunday as Redmires beat Stannington Village for the first time in the meetings between the two sides. It didn’t look good against our bogey side when the appointed referee Mr J.Blower didn’t turn up, the first time that has happened since we have been in the top division. The whistle was taken by one of the Village management team, and he proved to be very fair. After five minutes a reckless challenge left Des Pike clutching his ankle and having to be substituted. It meant a reorganising of the team and saw Luke Siggs dropping back to centre back, Danny Lindley moving to midfield, with Sean Downing coming into the attack. It was Downing who opened the scoring when he pounced on a loose ball to put us one up. Against the run of play Village hit back when Pike’s assailant was left with too much space and he struck a good shot home. After much pressure we took the lead via a great header direct from a Lindley corner headed majestically home by James Kirkham. We looked compact at the back with Andy Jones reading everything and Karl Taylor very commanding in goal. We did look short of numbers in midfield at times but with Lindley and Kirkham causing them problems down the flanks they weren’t able to capitalise. John Mellor working his socks off as usual and the ever willing Downing kept them busy. HALF TIME 2-1. The match ebbed and flowed for the first twenty minutes of the second half with half chances on both sides but it was Village who scored after some slack marking and it looked for a while that the voodoo was going to continue. However, due to the hard work we were putting in the match began to swing in our favour and as we put their defence under a lot of pressure they began to leave gaps and errors began to set in. A back pass intended for the keeper went astray and the ebullient Downing chased the ball causing their keeper to miskick to gleeful Lindley who slotted it home. Village heads seemed to drop a bit after this debacle and their usually reliable centre back tried to play the ball back to his keeper under pressure from Downing, unaware that Mellor had crept up on the blind side to intercept the back pass and stroke the ball past the helpless keeper. The half that seemed to go on for quite a long time came to an end and victory was ours. A strange game in many ways but a good one to win.

Official view: Redmires scored their first win of the season after two draws with a 4-2 win over  previously unbeaten Stannington Village. Redmires suffered an early blow after five minutes when a late tackle left centre back Derren Pike with a bad knock to his ankle which signalled the end of the game for him. After about 15 minutes Village took the lead when Wayne Bird found himself in a load of space and put his side one up. Sean Downing, who had come on as substitute fired in an equaliser and James Kirkham majestically rose to head Redmires into the lead from a corner. After the break James Oxley was on hand to equalise for Village, but it was Redmires who sealed the points when defensive errors let in Danny Lindley and John Mellor. Andy Jones was outstanding for Redmires.

Redmires 3 Chapeltown OC 4 (Senior Cup, 21st September 2008)

THE SUN AIN'T GONNA SHINE ANYMORE 
Redmires were a bit slow out of the gate in their match against their Meadowhall rivals and paid the penalty  when Oak scored after just five minutes when some sloppy marking let their forward in to open the scoring. We were a bit shocked by this early goal and struggled to get into our stride. However, we kept plugging away without creating much in final third and midway through the half a misplaced pass by Nick Hickson caught us a bit out of position down the right and Oak took full advantage to go two up. Our play in midfield began gradually to improve and we played some decent football without really threatening. With usually busy Danny Lindley and Dale White not being at their best we were finding it hard to get around their defenders to create the chances we needed. HALF TIME 0-2. In the second half we began to wake up to the fact that we were as good as the other team and their defence which had been well in command in the first half began to look shaky under pressure. John Mellor who also had a quiet first half began to get more joy and following some good foraging up front took advantage of a defensive error to put the ball past their keeper. The game became more open with chances at both ends and possibly the defining moment came when we were awarded a penalty half way through the half. Unfortunately, Mellor tried to put the ball straight down the middle but the goalie was able to make the save. This seemed to spur Oak on and it was their turn to get a penalty when Andy Birks brought down their player just inside the box. The penalty kick gave Karl Taylor no chance. It looked all over for us but suddenly Lindley made one of those runs that only he can skipping past four players, and having his shot saved by the keeper and this seemed to give the players the boost they needed and soon after Mellor scored his second to put us right back into it. We pressured their defence from then on, but a long clearance somehow got caught under Des Pike’s legs and he was unable to pass the ball back to Taylor as intended .The miscue was picked up by their forward and we were 4-2 down. We kept fighting to the end and with every one giving their all we were a bit unlucky not score again sooner than in the last minute when sub James O’Connell showed great perspicacity right at the end to score with a cleverly flighted corner which totally deceived their keeper. FULL TIME 3-4.  

Official view: In the County FA Senior Sunday Cup, John Mellor scored twice, but missed a crucial penalty as Redmires lost 4-3 to Chapeltown Royal Oak. James O'Connell netted Redmires other direct from a corner, but Oak just held on to edge Redmires out.

Redmires 1 Handsworth WMC 1 (League, 14th September 2008)

WE MURDERED 'EM 1-1 
Redmires came out determined not out lose to the team that beat them three times last year, albeit  narrowly. All the players were up for the game straight from the off with searing attacks that ripped the Handsworth defence to shreds. Unfortunately we could not find the end product and poor finishing and sheer bad luck meant that we didn’t establish the early lead we deserved. In one instance man of the match Danny Lindley hit the post after a great run, the ball rebounded out to John Mellor whose strike hit the other post. We forced many corners and at one point a shot from Lindley went under the keepers legs and well across the line but despite our protests the referee wasn’t having it. Their centre back confirmed later that the ball was a foot over the line. As often happens in games like these, it was the team under the cosh who scored first after thirty minutes when their player swivelled onto the ball on the edge of the box and the ball found its way into the corner. Again we went onto the attack and had plenty of shots none of them accurate although a Mellor header hit the post. HALF TIME 0-1. The second half was much the same as the first with us piling forward creating loads of chances with all the players having chances and eventually the goalkeeper couldn’t hold a shot from Mellor and Ben Shaw followed up to score his first goal for the team. With our defence in complete control of their forward line, we created many opportunities and bombarded their goal but we just could not get that vital winner and so the Handsworth bogey goes on. Full marks to the team for a brilliant performance and there is a team this season who will get a real beating if we can improve on our shooting. FULL TIME 1-1.  

Official view: Cup holders Handsworth WMC took the lead at Redmires when David Turner's cross was flicked on by Keiran Gallagher for David Cawrey to score, but it had been against the run of play in a first half that saw Redmires hit both posts. Redmires kept up the pressure at the start of the second half and deservedly levelled when John Mellor's shot was parried by the keeper and Ben Shaw followed up to score. (The rest of the report was a total fabrication and won't appear on this website).

Blue Ball 0 Redmires 0 (League, 7th September 2008)

NOTHING DOING
Redmires opened their League campaign against last seasons runners up and for the first time for six years managed to avert a defeat in the first match. The first half was a lively one with both teams pressing hard to get an advantage. Blue Ball created a few chances with their quick play but found goalkeeper Karl Taylor in splendid form. Ball seemed to have the edge in midfield but Redmires made several good attacks without creating a real good chance although a speculative cross/ shot from Danny Lindley brought a good save from their keeper. HALF TIME 0-0. The second half certainly belonged to the reds and although Ball played some good football at times the reds back four didn’t allow them any room to get a worthwhile shot on goal except one which Taylor made a magnificent save. As Ball’s pace slowed Redmires mainly through the power of John Mellor and the pace of Lindley began to make some good chances and a bit more steadiness in front of goal should have brought some reward. The games outstanding player was right back Dale White who put in many telling crosses and whose tackling was great to see. The reds players in midfield were having to work very hard at times but came through well and headers from Lindley and Ben Shaw went very close. Shaw had come on to make his debut with thirty minutes to go, replacing the hardworking Andy Birks and showed some nice touches and good awareness. We certainly finished as the team most likely to score and it augers well for the season ahead. FULL TIME 0-0.  

Official view: Blue Ball and Redmires played out a very entertaining goalless draw.