Hanley Town 2 Chadderton 2

Saturday 3rd August 2013
Following something of a pattern from the past few seasons, I opted to watch a newly-promoted side play their first game at a higher level and so this afternoon made a first visit to Abbey Lane in over 20 years. Hanley Town, Staffordshire County Senior League champions, hosted Chadderton for their first-ever North-West Counties League game and began life at step six with a 2-2 draw. Following a goalless first half in front of a decent gathering of locals and groundhoppers, Hanley twice took the lead through Joel Stair and Danny Tainton. Twice, however, they were pegged back by equalising goals from Chadderton’s Matthew Russell and Naill Sultan. The only disappointment on an excellent afternoon being the programme sell out long before I arrived 80 minutes before kick-off.

Hanley Town 2 Chadderton 2
North-West Counties League Division One
At: Abbey Lane
Kick-off: 3-00 pm
Admission: £4; Programme: sold out
Weather: warm and sunny

Hanley Town (blue/blue/blue): 1. Dave Jackson, 2. Josh Goodall, 3. Tom Hall, 4. Josh Thorpe, 5. Joel Stair, 6. Michael Machin, 7. Philip Parkes (capt), 8. Ben Blowers, 9. Danny Tainton, 10. Theo Stair, 11. Sean Mallin. Subs: 12. Neil Edwards (not used), 14. Nathan Grice (for Hall, 90+3), 15. Philip Ben Sambrook (not used), 16. Phillip Mannion (for Mallin, 76), 17. Thomas Cawley (not used).

Chadderton (red/black/black): 1. Nathan Beckett, 2. Benjamin Fletcher, 3. Christopher Pauley (capt), 4. Benjamin Greenidge, 5. Keith Melvin, 6. Michael Cheetham, 7. Sean Sherwood, 8. Macauley Harewood, 9. Niall Sultan, 10. Matthew Russell, 11. Joseph Jacombs. Subs: 12. Clive Best (for Jacombs, 67), 14. Sean Nolan (not used), 15. James Fawcett (for Harewood, 76), 16. Matthew O'Keefe (not used).

Referee: D. Critchlow.
Assistants: G. Wild and S. Winley.

Attendance: 203
Duration: first-half: 45:28; second-half: 50:15

Goals:
1-0 Joel Stair (49)
1-1 Matthew Russell (54)
2-1 Danny Tainton (74)
2-2 Niall Sultan (84)

Cards:
Hanley: Josh Thorpe (YC, 68)
Chadderton: Michael Cheetham (YC, 30)