NEW MILLS 1, SANDBACH UNITED 5
Sandbach United produced an extraordinary recovery to keep their Hallmark Security League, first division play-off hopes on track.
In a game of two distinctly different halves, the fortunes of the teams could not have been further removed.
The Millers, on the back of two excellent wins against Whitchurch Alport and Prestwich Heys, went ahead after 12 minutes through a scrappy goal from Jake Pollard.
Sandbach could count themselves lucky not to be further adrift than 1-0 as the hosts were by far the better side.
Prolific scorer Dennis Sherriff raced cleared and rounded keeper Ryan Moss before firing from a tight angle.
Adam Clayton was lucky not to concede a penalty for a blatant shove on Sam Marshall as Sandbach lived dangerously.
The second half was an altogether different story as Sandbach effortlessly went from first to top gear.
They were on level terms within three minutes of the restart when Jordan Davies fired a ball across the face of goal for Chris Smith to slot home.
And moments later they were ahead when Jack Miller, sliding in to cut out a Davies cross, diverted the ball past keeper Oliver Martin.
Davies then had a shot cleared off the line as Sandbach were well on top.
The Millers hit back as Pollard and George Blackwell were both denied in quick succession by fine saves from Moss, pivotal moments in the game.
Martin pulled off a fine save to thwart James Kirby before Sandbach put the game to bed with three goals in the last 10 minutes.
Kirby scored goals three and four, two contrasting strikes.
His opener was a close-range effort but second a goal-of-the-season contender as he latched on to a long ball out of defence and lobbed Martin from about 40 years. It was sheer class.
And in the last minute the hard-working Davies was rewarded for his efforts as he fired home a fifth goal to seal a comprehensive victory that looked highly improbable at the half-way point of the game.