Greenall's Padgate 3, Middlewich Town 1
MIDDLEWICH suffered the league's shock result of the day.
Manager Terry Murphy had no doubt where the blame lay. 'We were all right going forward but our defending was awful. We have got to pull our fingers out,' he said.
The champions were two down before Andy Whitney, beating three men and finishing decisively, gave them a fighting chance.
Mike Brandon went close twice and Graham Kay hit the crossbar and Town were eventually caught undermanned at the back as they pressed forward.
'They were the better team,' admitted Murphy.
Barnton 0, Trafford res 0
Barnton dominated throughout and were never troubled by a single shot.
But they missed several chances, while John Hurst and Kyle Dyson were denied by tremendous saves from the Trafford goalkeeper.
Manager Mark Came said: 'Prior to the game I might have settled for a point, but afterwards we were all disappointed.'
His summer signings included Dyson and Mike Sandbach (from Middlewich) Lee Sproats (Knutsford), John Hurst (Winsford reserves) and Ben Carragher.
But Barnton have also lost Mike Whitehurst and Tim Swann to injury and centre-back Shaun Came is in Australia until January.
Lostock Gralam 2, Golborne 2
Lostock went close several times before Boase headed them into the lead in the 20th minutes against the Division Two title favourites.
Golborne levelled 10 minutes later, but within five minutes, Lostock's lead was restored when Douglas benefited from some poor defending and rolled the ball into the empty net.
After the break the Grey Lambs were furious when another poor offside decision let in Golborne's Morris and goalkeeper keeper Hall was adjudged to have brought him down.
The same player scored from the spot, but straight from the kick off Carter spotted the 'keeper off his line and his audacious shot soared and dipped under the bar - only for the referee to disallow the goal saying he was not prepared. nWITTON ALBION reserves, runners-up last season and remodelled under new boss Neil Gill, went down 3-0 at Knutsford.
Fixtures Tonight: One - Barnton v Green-all's, Middlewich v Witton Res. Saturday: One - Middlewich v Daten, Lion-Cheadle v Barnton, Garswood v Witton Res; Two - Fearnhead v Lostock; Reserves - Greenall's v Middlewich.
