THIS home defeat at the hands of the Second Division new boys Calderstones, ended Mill Hill's 100 per cent League record that had seen five wins out of five so far this season.

It was a disappointing result for Mill Hill, who, as serious promotion contenders, cannot afford to drop points at home in what promises to be a keenly contested title race.

Calderstones, fresh from the Accrington and District Combination, look more than capable of holding their own at this level.

Aand if additional self-belief has been generated from this excellent performance, there's no reason why a they shouldn't enter the frame.

The visitors had the best of the opening minutes when Aamir Zulfi opened up the Mill Hill defence with a ball to Chris Rolfe, just inside the penalty area. Rolfe's shot flew only inches over the bar and the first warning of the afternoon range out loud and clear.

Mill Hill, who looked uncomfortable with the pace and skill of Calderstone's front three, took a while to settle into their rhythm and it needed a piece of opportunist work from Ian Fenwick to kick start the home side's attack.

When he turned and hit a 15 yard snap-shot that had keeper Rich Leatherd at full stretch, tipping the ball round the post for a corner.

Mill Hill suddenly looked menacing.

From the corner Leatherd did well to catch a powerful header from Paul Entwistle, but with Mill Hill now pushing forward in aggressive style, he was powerless to prevent the home side grabbing the lead minutes later.

A pin-point ball from Steve Thomas allowed Steve Mitchell to continue a storming run into the box that took him past two defenders and then Leatherd, before depositing the ball into an empty net in the 19th minute.

John Keighers almost added to the score with a shot that narrowly missed the target from a Neil Walton cross and now it was Calderstones character which was called into question. They replied instantly with an attack that brought them a free kick 20 yards out and were unlucky to see Chris Rolfe's shot shave the post.

But in the 25th minute they were level. Andrew Chapman sprayed the ball wide for Chris Rolfe who unleashed a stinging shot which Mill Hill keeper Andy Willacy did well to block only to see the alert Lee Bonnick pounce onto the ball and lash it home from two yards out.

Ten minutes later Calderstones really came of age when they scored their second and what proved to be the winner, with a move that Mill Hill looking like the novices.

Tony Newman, collecting the ball on the left side of the midfield, measured a 35 yards cross field ball to perfection that found Aamir Zulfi unmarked on the edge of the penalty area.

Keeper Andy Willacy, totally exposed against the advancing Zulfi, had little chance of stopping a well struck shot that streaked inside his far post.

After the break Mill Hill went on the offence and for the first 20 minutes of the half Calderstones lived a charmed life. Neil Walton failed by inches to convert a John Keighers cross that skimmed along the goal line and Steve Thomas had two close range efforts beaten out by Rick Leatherd.

Leatherd then punched Neil Walton's corner back out to the same player and rather than crossing into the box Walton opted to shoot, forcing Leatherd to tip his fierce drive over the bar for another corner.

Having withstood all that Mill Hill could muster, Calderstones set up two good chances of their own when Aamir Zulfi twice supplied telling passes for Lee Bonnick who was only a couple of inches away from a hat trick with two powerful shots.

Mill Hill, reluctant to give up their 100 per cent record, almost grabbed an equaliser in the 88th minute when Mitchell provided a pass for Bob Morris to hit a screamer into the top right hand corner, only for Leatherd to produce a save of such breathtaking quality, he'll still be dreaming of it tonight.

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