Paul Garner has never been so glad to lose his wicket …When the No 11 was last out,  bowled off the final ball of the 43rd over, it meant Woodford had an extra over to make 195 for victory. But, crucially, it also allowed us six more balls to bowl them out – and how we needed them….They looked like defying us until Alex Barber sent the second ball crashing into Clarke’s pads. The appeal was thunderous, the finger went up, and Woodford were gone, 74 runs short, and we had picked up a hugely necessary 25 points to fuel our Division One promotion bid. That late success allowed us to hang on to our one- point lead over Lindow, who recovered from their mini slump with a 25-point win over Aston Had that last wicket not been taken, we would have been left with 17 points and Lindow would be back in that second promotion spot, seven points clear of us with two games left. Leaders Winnington Park, 42 points ahead, are all but home and hosed as champions.
It was fitting that Barber should make that final strike. The skipper could hardly have done more with bat and ball to get us back in the winning groove after the shock loss at Mere. With Ben Allcock, a skilled, stylish partner, he revived us when we were in trouble at 53-5 with the innings half over. Five blistering overs later, the score was doubled and his share of the 53 stand was 36, which included just two singles……And when it came to taking the ball, that final wicket was the last of his six, his sixth five-for of the campaign. It also completed a Guinness Book of Records’ candidate for mean bowling feats. His second spell from the scoreboard end brought him five wickets in 38 balls—without a run being scored off him…. Earlier, we had struggled against Burns’ medium- pace seamers and Holmes’ left arm spin. Rick Holt(12), Tommy Rolph(9), Rob Booker(1), Andy Bashford(5) and Eddie Nickson(10) all left cheaply. It was then that Allcock raised his hand for the team, playing the kind of innings that was always in him but which has been rare this season. Without looking in difficulty, the talented keeper-batsman stroked while Barber smote. His 55, only his second fifty of the season, included seven fours and two mighty sixes which spoke of his fine sense of timing. So in command was he that it was a shock when Owen sneaked one through his defence. But the fightback he helped inspire was carried on first by Sam Astley(18) and then thunderously by Paul Hooton who hammered an unbeaten 34(five fours and one six ) in this vital wagging of the tail. But Hoots was never to get the chance to do his day job. Just as he was about to relish the chance of seeing what his off spin would do on a turning track, the veteran broke the second finger of his right hand while trying to take a hot slip chance —ending his season too early. Woodford were stubborn, dangerous opponents, but they were put under pressure by tight bowling and fielding. Sheer pressure   brought our first breakthrough, Barber bowling Knight, a centurion against us in the first game, after four successive maidens. Billy Flattley then produced a fine second spell down the hill, taking three for seven in five fine overs.  But it was Barber who had the last word in that dramatic finale.
Scores: Romiley 194(43 overs; Allcock 55; Burns 4-49, Owen 4-46). Woodford 121(45.2 overs: Barber 6-32, Flattley 4-33).