New Mills exited the FA Cup in the Extra Preliminary Round at Church Lane on Saturday when they produced a disappointing display against Friar Lane & Epworth. 
The game kicked off late due to the late arrival of the visitors from Leicestershire and The Millers, with Shaun Roscoe making his debut after rejoining the Club during the week from FC United of Manchester. started brightly and Carlos Meakin twice stung the palms of keeper Ben Hall in the first five minutes.  
Josh Howard was particularly prominent for The Millers during the early stages and on fifteen minutes, it was his cross which was volleyed home by striker Garry Kharas to give the hosts the lead. 
Friar Lane's lively strikeforce of Kelvin Phillips and Kris Stevenson were causing New Mills's backline a few headaches with their pace and it was Phillips who nearly equalised halfway through the first half but Stuart Williams denied him with a good save. 
Carlos Meakin had a golden opportunity to double The Millers advantage five minutes before half time. A through ball left him with only keeper Hall to beat but maybe caught in two minds whether to blast or sidefoot, Meakin chose the latter and the resulting shot went the wrong side of the upright.  
The hosts suffered a blow on the stroke of half time when midfielder Melford Knight, who had been impressive in the first two League matches, had to leave the field with a hamstring injury and he was replaced by Vinnie Braine, who re-signed for the Club from Runcorn Linnets during the week.
In the opening minute of the second half, Friar Lane should have been awarded a penalty when Kelvin Phillips was brought down in the area by Stuart Williams but after seeking guidance from his female assistant, the referee amazingly played on. However, the officials possibly evened things up shortly after when following a corner, Vinnie Braine thought he'd scored on his debut but the whistle had already been blown for an apparent foul.
Friar Lane looked threatening virtually every time they attacked and were denied a goal only by more good goalkeeping by Stuart Williams and a goal-line clearance by Shaun Roscoe.
Eventually, Friar Lane's persistence was rewarded thirteen minutes from time when Kelvin Phillips was left unmarked in the six yard box and easily beat Williams.
Four minutes later, Phillips secured victory for the visitors with a clinical glancing header which hit the inside of the post on its way into the back of the net and it was no less than Friar Lane deserved for a good team performance.
So a disappointed New Mills fell at the opening stage of the competition and will need to regroup before they return to Premier Division League action on Saturday.
New Mills - Williams, Lomax, Roscoe (Ryan), Jackson, Band, Knight (Braine), Meakin, Howard, Kharas, Giggs, Mather (Hooper). Unused subs - George, Mayers 
Attendance - 184
www.newmillsafc.co.uk Man Of The Match - Stuart Williams

The Millers play twice over the Bank Holiday weekend. On Saturday, they travel to Atherton LR and on Monday, they entertain Runcorn Linnets, kick off 3pm

New Mills opened up their North West Counties Premier League campaign with a 2-1 victory over Formby at Church Lane on Saturday. This victory created a new Club record as it was the team's eleventh consecutive League victory, following the ten at the end of the 2007/08 season.

The Millers, fielding four debutants in their side, started nervously and Formby striker Alex Bishop nearly capitalised on some hesitancy in the home defence in the first thirty seconds but his shot just went past the post.

Melford Knight started to drive on New Mills from midfield and his challenges lead to chances being created for Josh Howard and Anthony Hargreaves and only good goalkeeping by Lee Gunnion prevented The Millers from taking the lead.

Gunnion was left helpless shortly after when a teasing cross from Rhodri Giggs cleared him but Garry Kharas's header was cleared off the line by a Formby defender.

Alex Bishop then had two further chances to score when he was clean through and left with only Stuart Williams to beat but again he failed to hit the target on either occasion.

Moments later, the deadlock was finally broken and Melford Knight capped a fine first half display by scoring the opening goal. The referee gave The Millers an advantage by playing on and the ball was played into the feet of Knight and from the left hand edge of the box, he jinked inside the full back and beautifully curled the ball into the top right hand corner.

Formby introduced lively substitute Liam Caddick at half time and he was straight into action and nearly equalised for The Squirrels but he also failed to hit the target.

The Millers struggled for any kind of meaningful possession at the start of the second half but a quick free kick from Josh Howard nearly doubled their advantage but his twenty five yard shot hit the outside of the post and bounced to safety.

On 55 minutes, Formby deservedly got back on level terms when following a corner which the home defence failed to clear, the ball fell to substitute Caddick in the six yard box and he poked the ball past Stuart Williams.

The Millers had Williams to thank two minutes later when he made a fine save from Bishop who had broken through unchallenged.

Fifteen minutes from time, New Mills regained the lead. Following good work from Danny Jackson and Garry Kharas, the ball was crossed from the byeline and found Rhodri Giggs at the back post and his powerful header was too good for Gunnion.

Virtually straight from kick off, the visitors very nearly equalised but Caddick's shot was off target.

The home supporters greeted the final whistle with some relief as The Millers had been far from their fluent best and Formby who contributed greatly to the game, probably deserved to take a point from the game.

New Mills - Williams, Jackson, Lomax, Ryan, Band, Knight, Meakin (Mather ), Howard, Kharas (Zajac ) , Hargreaves (Mayers ), Giggs. Unused subs - George, Hooper

Attendance - 202
www.newmillsafc.co.uk Man of the Match - Melford Knight

The Millers are in League action on Tuesday night when they travel to Congleton Town. kick off 7.45. Next Saturday, the magic of The FA Cup arrives at Church Lane as Leicestershire based Friar Lane and Epworth are the visitors in the Extra Preliminary Round, kick off 3pm. Friar Lane play at Step 5 of the non league pyramid in The Aspire Midland Football Alliance which is the equivalent level of New Mills so a good game should be in prospect.

New Mills proved that they do like to be beside the seaside as they registered their third consecutive pre season victory, this time with a 2-1 win against AFC Blackpool, the new name for Blackpool Mechanics.
The game kicked off late due to the late arrival of the reserve match officials and the home team were quicker into their stride and took the lead after ten minutes when a shot from the edge of the penalty area was deflected and although Millers keeper Barry George made a decent save,the rebound fell invitingly to AFC's Marc Beattie who tapped into the empty net.
The visitors slowly came back into things and were unlucky not to get back on level terms when Rhodri Giggs's free kick found the head of Carlos Meakin who saw his effort hit the inside of the post and then cleared by the Blackpool defence.
The second half saw the introduction of Garry Kharas and he continued his impressive start to the season by equalising on the hour mark. Barry George's huge goalkick was flicked on by Paul Garvey into the path of Kharas ten yards out and he finished well.
The winning goal came five minutes and was almost a carbon copy of the first when this time Danny Jackson combined with Micky Ryan and his clever ball found Carlos Meakin just inside the box and he again fired the ball past the keeper into the bottom left hand corner.
Millers team - Barry George, Micky Lomax, Adam Mather, Micky Ryan, Danny Jackson, Danny Hooper, Carlos Meakin, Melford Knight, Paul Garvey, Anthony Hargreaves, Rhodri Giggs.
Subs - Stuart Williams, Peter Band, Matty Zajac, Garry Kharas, Stuart Cook

New Mills's encouraging start to the season continued on Wednesday night when they beat Macclesfield Town in a seven goal thriller at Church Lane.

Macclesfield, fielding a mixed side of first teamers and youth team players including Chapel based Tom Nadin, nearly took the lead virtually straight from kick off when Wayne Rooney's younger brother John, who recently signed a pro contract at Moss Rose, shot narrowly over.

New Mills, fresh from their resounding 4-1 win over Salford City, were soon into their stride and took the lead in the fourth minute when Rhodri Giggs swung in a free kick from the right and the ball was deflected into the path of Carlos Meakin and last season's leading scorer made no mistake from close range.

The Millers were playing some lovely open football and it was no surprise when they increased their lead fifteen minutes later when Garry Kharas rose highest in the penalty area and although Macclesfield's keeper got a hand to it, the ball appeared to have already crossed the line before Meakin made sure at the back post.

Despite being two goals behind, Macclesfield's lively forwards, Nick Blackman and Kris Dennis were a constant threat to the hosts' defence and two goals by Dennis in a five minute spell brought them back on level terms. Firstly, he dispossessed goalkeeper Stuart Williams on the edge of the box and rolled the ball into an empty net and then he coolly converted a slightly dubious penalty.

Buoyed by the equaliser, Macclesfield finished the half stronger and efforts by Rooney and a Chris Hirst shot which hit the crossbar, nearly saw them lead at the interval.

The Millers started the second half brightly and striker Garry Kharas. back on the pitch after being invited by the ref to " cool down " for ten minutes at the end of the first half, was the focal point of the attacks. In little over five minutes, he had three efforts but a combination of good goalkeeping and narrow misses ensured that the game remained deadlocked.

However, ten minutes into the second half, New Mills retook the lead with the goal of the night. Following a flowing move, the ball was played into Kharas's path on the right wing and this time he turned provider as his inch perfect cross was headed home at the back post by Rhodri Giggs.

3-2 became 4-2 shortly after when substitute Paul Garvey created an opening for Carlos Meakin who clinically beat the keeper from twelve yards to score his second goal of the evening.

Macclesfield's young side never gave up and they reduced the deficit ten minutes from time when Dennis completed his hat trick when he beat Stuart Williams from close range.

The Millers saw out the last few minutes to record a famous victory and credit must be given to both sides for a cracking game which gave the healthy crowd full value for money.

Team - Stuart Williams, Danny Jackson, Micky Lomax, Micky Ryan, Peter Band, Josh Howard, Rhodri Giggs, Carlos Meakin, Garry Kharas, Matty Zajac, Stuart Cook. Subs - Barry George, Mike Ward, Adam Mather, Danny Hooper, Paul Garvey

New Mills’s pre-season campaign started in impressive style with a 4-1 victory over Unibond North First Division side Salford City. 

With all of the Club’s new signings on show, The Milers made a quick start to the game and two of the debutants linked up well in the fourth minute when following a short corner, Rhodri Giggs’s cross found centre half Peter Band unmarked in the penalty area and his powerful header gave the Salford keeper no chance.

Band was certainly in the thick of the action in the opening stages of the game and following his goal, he prevented a certain Salford equaliser when he diverted a goal bound shot over the crossbar.

Just short of the half hour, Band was again threatening at the attacking end of the pitch when his shot was well saved by the visitors keeper and the rebound fell to striker Garry Kharas whose shot hit the inside of the post and ricocheted to safety.
The Millers didn’t have to wait to double their lead however when another newcomer Anthony Hargreaves’s clever flick landed at the feet of Rhodri Giggs whose run ended with him slotting the ball past the Salford keeper off the inside of the left hand upright.

Giggs was a permanent threat to Salford and he capped his first half display with a wonderful individu al goal which had The Millers’s faithful purring and the BBC documentary makers who were present at the ground, thankful that they had caught the goal on camera. He controlled goalkeeper Stuart Williams’s kick close to the left hand touchline, jinked past the full back and curled a 30 yard shot straight into the top right hand corner for an early goal of the season candidate.
The early stages of the second half saw a number of substitutions from both sides which included The Millers bringing on last season's joint Players of The Year, Carlos Meakin and Micky Ryan. Salford's cause wasn't helped when they were reduced to ten men shortly after the interval when striker Barry Massay was deservedly shown a straight red card for striking out at both Mike Lomax and Peter Band.

The Millers capitalised on the numerical advantage on the hour mark when Anthony Hargreaves’s shot was well saved but the rebound fell into the path of substitute Matty Zajac who scored the home side’s fourth goal.

Debutant Stuart Cook, signed from Welsh Premier League side Connah’s Quay, nearly provided Rhodri Giggs with a hat trick when his chip over the Salford keeper landed at the feet at the feet of Giggs whose shot was cleared off the line.

Salford’s left winger Lee Neville was a constant threat to The Millers defence in the second half and he scored a late consolation goal when he picked up a thr ough ball on the edge of the penalty area and cleverly dinked the ball over the onrushing substitute goalkeeper Barry George.

New Mills team: Stuart Willliams, Mike Lomax, Adam Mather, Danny Jackson, Peter Band, Melford Knight, Paul Garvey, Josh Howard, Garry Kharas, Anthony Hargreaves, Rhodri Giggs. Substitues: Barry George, Mike Ryan, Carlos Meakin, Stuart Cook, Danny Hooper, Matty Zajac