With Cheadle Hulmes team depleted and one of their team in A&E, this set out to be an 8-a-side quarter final cup match, leaving our boys with ample opportunity for rotation and rest and all the team feeling the joy of putting the ball into the back of the opposition's net.

Four goals amongst George, Josh, and Joey put us quickly into the lead, broken only by a brief Cheadle Hulme attack after our enthusiasm gave the ball to the opposition through an early face-off was compounded by a early 60 second penalty to our team for a trip. The brief attack against us came to nought and we soon pushed two more to the back of the net before Cheadle Hulme took the free-clear. By the end of the first quarter, Jamie, Miles, Alex and Jake had all added to the earlier goals pushing us ahead by nine goals to nil.

Some strong coaching of the boys at quarter time pushed home the importance of clean treatment of ground balls, with which our play would have been stronger, before the second quarter proceeded with much the same goal difference as the first. This was Finn's quarter, though, driving in three goals and having another two attempts saved, Josh supporting him with a couple of those successes. Seventeen-nil at half time left the coaches optimistic of a clean full-time score sheet, but some twists were to come in the second half.

Four more goals to our boys in the third and another George - Finn combo being kept out of the net by the Cheadle Hulme goalie had the tumultuous home crowd settling into some degree of complacency. But this was broken by Cheadle Hulmes nimble number 7 rolling a low ball past Ned in the sixth minute. Jamie and George soon challenged back with two more goals. The surprise of the match was then to come, after a flurry of excitement around our crease, somehow Toby's first goal of the match was into our own net - thankfully to be later redeemed. 23-2 up at the end of the third, challenge was now on for all our boys to score...

The fourth started with a great take by Miles from a long precision pass from George to see our first goal of the quarter. Alex and George assisted a couple more for our boys before Cheadle Hulme attacked our goal from the free clear, leaving Ned to hold their score line from any increase. With the free clear putting the ball into our half, Robbie saw his opportunity from defence and a pitch length sprint took him to the Cheadle Hulme goal where he launched the ball to make his contribution to the score line, a proud father on the touch line ecstatic with joy. Soon after Toby set amends to his earlier disappointment putting his first of this game into Cheadle Hulmes net. All the crowd needed to watch for was Will's opportunity to score to make a full house for our team - they were not to be disappointed with George nicely setting up and passing the ball to him to make the finish. One more goal to each team and the final whistle blew at 31-3 in favour of our boys.

Well done to Cheadle Hulme for coming along with a depleted team on a toe-chilling day, but a great result to our boys which takes them through to the cup semi final. It was great to see everyone score and especially our younger players gain some more match experience.