Saturday 2nd April 2022, NWCFL First Division South

Cheadle Town 0 (McConnell sent off 32, Wynne sent off 57)
West 1 (Eme 39, Gabidon sent off 32)

Ezeikel Eme’s goal ensured champions West finished the First Division South season with a win at Cheadle Town.

Eme’s first-half strike was the only goal in a curious final-day encounter which saw three red cards despite being played at an exhibition pace.

Both sides were reduced to ten players just after the half-hour mark, as Dontai Gabidon and Cheadle’s Jack McConnell were dismissed following a fracas which qualified as a 15 or 16-man brawl rather than the full-fat version.

It was West who made the better use of the extra space, and after Eme had seen an effort cleared off the line, the West winger went one better shortly before half-time. Ben Elliott’s spectacular rabona through-ball resulted in Eme skipping past keeper Elliot Wynne and squeezing the ball past a covering defender and over the line.

West had chances to add a second before and after the home side were reduced to nine in the 57th minute. Wynne raced out of his area to close down Elliott, but was beaten to the ball and brought the West man down.

Somewhat extravagantly, the home side were able to turn to a replacement keeper in former West man Marcus Burgess, who produced a series of stops to deny Elliott, Rhain Davis and debutant Sam Amankwaa.

West saw out a first-ever win at Park Road to finish the league season on 91 points, five points clear of 2nd-placed FC Isle of Man.

West: A. Jones, Cook, Westall, Delaney, Vayro, Hancock (Ryan 73), Eme (Amankwaa 81), Taylor, Elliott, Davis, Gabidon. Not used: Gavin, Matthews, Swift.

Eckersley’s Plumbers & Locksmiths Player of the Match: Ezeikel Eme.

Chris Rowley reaction