FIRST HALF STRIKES ENOUGH FOR WIN

Goalscorers Harvey Hayhurst and Jacob Holland-Wilkinson.

NWC Premier • 10 Feb 2026

First half goals from Jacob Holland-Wilkinson and Harvey Hayhurst were just enough to edge out Cheadle Town on a rainy Tuesday evening at the HWRS.

Macauley Wilson required treatment for a knock and a few minutes later made way for Lucas Braganca as the home team began to find its rhythm and wrest control to get their smooth passing game going albeit on a pitch getting heavier by the minute.

Just after half hour Richie Baker crashed an effort goalwards which smashed against the crossbar before rising vertically and dropping into the danger area. It was flicked on by Harvey Hayhurst towards Jacob Holland-Wilkinson who rifled the ball hard and low and beating James Hodges at the near post.

The confident finish gave the Rams a welcome lead and is the twenty fifth goal of a remarkable season for the popular striker.

The breakthrough seemed to calm the home team a they began to get their rhythm going, producing a series of attractive passing moves.

On forty three minutes they were awarded a free kick just outside the box and stationed three players at angles around the ball making it a nightmare for keeper Hodges to arrange his wall,. Harvey Hayhurst nonchalantly stepped forwards and fired the ball high past the wall and Hodges for another lovely goal and gave the home side a two nil lead at the break.

The healthy lead slightly flattered the Rams as Cheadle impressed with fluid forward play with a series of disguised and reverse passes needing sometimes desperate defending to keep them at bay.

The rain got heavier with players found it difficult to keep their feet in slippery conditions. The Cheadle team adapted and produced the goal of the game a searing break forwards by Leo Thompson saw him sprint from the edge of his box laying the ball off to teammates and onwards to danger man Njie. He needed no invitation to fire a beautiful early shot which hurtled past Rose to nestle into the corner of the net and put the visitors back into the game.

Rams have not found managing games easy in recent weeks but although the visitors had a foothold, they never looked in danger.

They almost built upon their own tally with some fierce shots coming in at Tom McCann, which stung Hodges palms and another from Matt Dudley who looked certain to score when set up by Holland Wilkinson. His drive was blocked on the line by the chest of visiting defenders with appeals for a penalty waved away by referee Halton who allowed the game to flow whenever possible.

A couple substitutions kept Rams moving on increasingly heavy surface and the desire to protect the points and avoid any late mishaps delayed the appearance of Finley Olson. He comes with a famous pedigree but only warranted a couple of seconds before the whistle ended an entertaining and incident-packed encounter.

Cheadle, with their attractive and lovely forward play, will surely start to see better times ahead Rams go again at home next Tuesday against Pilkington.

It would have been nice to have seen more people brave the elements for authentic football played in a great spirit as Rams saw out the danger to claim all three points. The win keeps the pressure on the teams around and positive momentum going as the run in begins in earnest.

RAMSBOTTOM UNITED: Rose, Wallbank, Hayhurst, Wilson (Braganca (Stacey)), Barlow, Walder, Baker, Whittingham (Walker), Dudley, Holland-Wilkinson (Olsen), Cross-Adair (McCann) 

GOALS: Jacob Holland-Wilkinson (31), Harvey Hayhurst (44); Sheriff Njie (51)

ATT: 114