Key details

? West v New Mills
? Macron Cup first round
? Saturday 19th October 2019, 3pm
? Brookburn Road, Chorlton, M21 8FE
? £5 adults / £3 concessions / free for under-12s
? Penalties if scores are level after 90 minutes

Less than a month after meeting in league action, West and New Mills cross swords again, this time in the opening round of the Macron Cup.

This will be West's fourth cup match in as many games, and after exiting two competitions in the space of a week Brad Cooke will be eager to ensure that his side get back on the winning trail with progression against the Millers. But West will need no reminding of the threat the visitors pose with memories of last month's 3-3 draw at Church Lane still fresh.

New Mills will feel that they have played an entire season already after an opening three months that have been anything but dull. The Millers lost their first six fixtures, including an 8-0 hammering at Vauxhall Motors, before drafting in Mike Norton and Dave Birch to work alongside Paul Riley in an unusual triple-manager arrangement. Things have since picked up with the Millers losing just once in their last six games, and they pulled off an impressive result when they beat Wythenshawe Amateurs 2-0 at Hollyhedge Park.

The Millers' frantic start to the campaign can be summed up by the fact that they have already registered an incredible 67 players, including forward Ryan Shenton who has proved to be a thorn in West's side. Shenton scored twice when West drew at Church Lane, and he also opened the scoring when his former team Cheadle Town went down 2-1 at Brookburn Road.

Last time we met

Tuesday 24th September 2019, New Mills 3-3 West: West shared six goals with the Millers on a topsy-turvy night in Derbyshire. James Cottee gave West the lead, but Benito Lowe and Ryan Shenton put New Mills in front. Chris Middleton and Dylan Moloney looked to have secured all three points for the visitors, but Shenton had the final say with a last-minute penalty.

The West team that evening: A. Jones, Cook, Cooper, C. Jones, Middleton, Eckersley, Grimshaw, Gavin (Boland 65), Cottee, Holt (Moloney 73), Steer (Sigsworth 57).

Connections

Georgi Whyment is a member of the New Mills squad this season, though the former West forward hasn't featured for the Millers since the end of August.