Tuesday 24th September 2019, NWCFL First Division South

New Mills 3 (Lowe 45, Shenton 66, pen 90)
West 3 (Cottee 2, Middleton 76, Moloney 83)
Att: 116

West shared six goals with New Mills as two points were blown away on a blustery night in Derbyshire.

James Cottee gave West a perfect start with a fierce shot inside 90 seconds, but the Millers hit back before half time and took the lead midway through the second period. The visitors turned things around through Chris Middleton and Dylan Moloney, but the home side were presented with a point thanks to a late penalty.

This was an untidy showing out of keeping with West’s performances so far this season, but things looked very different when James Cottee swivelled on a pass on the edge of the box and fired into the top corner to hand the visitors an early lead.

But Cottee’s goal merely preceded a scrappy opening period with both sides struggling to deal with a surface that had been battered by rain in the hours leading up to kick-off. Passes were frequently underhit or went straight out of play, though the Millers did fashion an opportunity not long after Cottee’s opener when a cross from the right was nudged wide of the far post.

Cottee had another couple of half-chances but West never looked completely comfortable and it wasn’t a huge surprise when the Millers got back on level terms just before the break – a corner resulting in Benito Lowe placing a free header past Andrew Jones.

West started the second period the stronger with Callum Jones and Lee Grimshaw both going close, but a clear chance was proving difficult to come by and the visitors were rocked when the Millers scored out of nowhere on 66 minutes – Ryan Shenton firing low into the net after being found wide open on the edge of the area.

Kris Holt, who would soon be forced off with an injury, called Millers keeper Alex Fowell into a save as West looked for an equaliser, but a desperately-needed shot in the arm arrived when Middleton swivelled on a corner and shot low into the net to level matters.

When substitute Moloney caught Fowell completely unaware with a long-range shot with seven minutes remaining, it looked like West would escape from High Peak with three points. But an inattentive performance was summed up in the final minute of normal time when a Millers player was pulled back in the box and Shenton took full advantage from 12 yards.

West: A. Jones, Cook, Cooper, C. Jones, Middleton, Eckersley, Grimshaw, Gavin (Boland 65), Cottee, Holt (Moloney 73), Steer (Sigsworth 57). Not used: Forbes, Tinker.

Post-match podcast

Media team, management and supporter reaction from Church Lane.