Sandbach United 0 Alport 3
 
Backed by a noisy away following, Whitchurch Alport put in another majestic performance on their travels to swamp a Sandbach side aiming for a play-off place. The Reds had been under par in the recent 1-1 home draw with the Cheshire side, but once Alex Hughes had thundered in a superb goal on the half hour, the result was only ever going to go one way. Second half goals from Matty Ashbrook and Mike Blundell during a dominant 5 minute spell, put the gloss on a victory that brought up an incredible SEVEN consecutive wins on the road for Alport.
 
The game was nip and tuck for the first 20 minutes or so with Sandbach not looking like they were going to be swept away in the following 70. Half chances came and went for both sides and although the match became niggly on several occasions, Alport’s fine mix of youth and experience – as well as a hefty dollop of silk and steel – laid the foundations for an emphatic victory, that went down well with the sizeable away support. Hughes’ goal was out of the blue with United only partially clearing a delivery into their box, and when the ball fell to Hughes he controlled it on his chest and despatched the left foot volley right into the top corner. Firecrackers were let off on the terraces and the whole repertoire of songs were rolled out by the supporters who had made their way over to Alsager (Sandbach play their night matches there as their floodlights are only just being erected).
 
After the break Alport’s defence was resolute and with Danny Read marshalling those in front of him superbly, the away side’s goal was very rarely threatened. So when the ball was fed out to the pacy and skilful Ashbrook on the hour down the left hand side, he took one touch into the box and fired his precision shot into the far corner to spark more fireworks and chants from the far side, where the Whitchurch supporters were gathered. Moments later the diminutive winger was off again and when he put the afterburners on to skip past a defender, the resultant trip brought the obvious result of a penalty for a chance to make it 3-0. Blundell is ice cool in those situations and lashed the spot kick home to all but seal the points midway through the second half.
 
The Alport fans sung: ‘3-0 and we’re in third gear’ to their counterparts on the opposite side, and they might have had a point. It may have been rubbing salt into a gaping wound but had Si Everall’s shot not rippled the side netting or Louis James’ stoppage time effort strike the inside of a post, the victory might have been even more emphatic. The reception on the full time whistle made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. This was a very, very good night for Whitchurch Alport and their ever-growing band of followers.