AFTER losing the lead to a determined Cheadle side, a late resurgence saw the Squirrels win the day in style at Park Street.

Cheadle got the game underway and, as you would expect from a team that hadn’t kicked a ball in anger for three weeks, started the brighter of the two sides. Inside the opening five minutes Ben Connolly had a shot saved by Tom Simpson and flashed a header over the bar from a corner.

It wasn’t until the seventh minute that Formby made any inroads into the game. Luke Holden collected the ball on the right side of the pitch and tore down the flank towards the by-line. His cross was cleared by Anthony Trucca but only as far as the Squirrels’ Jonathon Swatton who controlled the ball before shooting high over the bar.

With a quarter of an hour on the clock Formby’s star midfielder, Franny Smith, felt a tweak in his hamstring so was replaced by Josh Essery. The change saw Kieron Brislen move forward into midfield and Essery slot into his accustomed full back position.

Five minutes later Formby were ahead from a move that nearly saw them go behind.

Tom Simpson came out to clear the ball but only succeeded in scuffing it towards the dangerous Ben Connolly. As Simpson was struggling to get back in position the Cheadle striker hit a shot from distance that beat him and the back pedalling Mikey White but not the cross bar.

The ball bounced into the arms of a lucky and relieved Simpson. He immediately released it to the right wing where it was moved on to Holden near the halfway line. Holden burst down the flank again but this time cut inside two defenders and into the area. Opting to hold on to the ball as his angle narrowed, he left it until the last moment to strike an impeccable a shot across Stephen Piggott and into the far side of the goal just behind the post.

Half Time: Cheadle Town 0 Formby 1

One nil leads are always precarious and feel particularly vulnerable in the opening minutes of the second half. The losing side, buoyed by their manager’s inspirational words, Lucozade and Jaffa Cakes press harder and faster in search of the equaliser. This must be doubly true of a manager who is new to the role. So it was with Cheadle. Barely two minutes after the restart they won a corner that was swung into the danger area. It was partially cleared but headed over Simpson and into the net by Dean Nolan.

With 15 minutes remaining the decisive strike came and it was one worthy of winning any game. A Formby corner was cleared as far as Paul Speed on the edge of the area. He deftly beat a defender with one touch before rifling a shot that was nestling in Piggott’s goal before he had a chance to move. This was the perfect way to crown his first start since being carried off at Atherton LR in October and his team mates mobbed him.

Formby knew the game was won now but continued to push forward. Four minutes later they scored again. Marvin Molyneux’s measured free kick was headed back across goal by White where it was met by a stooping Kirby who nodded it in.

Mini Adegbenro was replaced in the 83rd minute by Kurt Sherlock and it wasn’t long before the substitute was in the thick of the action. He appeared to be tripped in the penalty area but the ball broke to Holden who was certainly tripped.

The referee awarded a penalty and White sent Piggott the wrong way, chalking up Formby’s fourth goal. John Edgerton replaced Josh Essery who had given everything for the cause once again.

There was still time for Cheadle to try and reduce the deficit.

A free kick was played into the area and cleared but the follow up shot was struck against the bar.

The ball bounced out for what looked like a simple tap in but was instead blazed over.