PADIHAM brought Vodkat League Premier League leaders New Mills back down to earth with a bump with an impressive 3-1 win at the Arbories.

The Storks had to be alert in the opening stages agai-nst the Derbyshire side who had only lost twice all season going in to the clash.

But as the game progre-ssed, Padiham — who kicked off the new year with a 3-0 win at Colne — began to take control. Two efforts from Ed O’Neill proved they would be no pushovers. Padiham took a deserved lead with the last attack of the half wh-en O’Neill broke down the left before finding Jordan Hulme who beat two defen-ders and lashed a shot past Dominic Ingram-Hughes in the New Mills goal.

And Padiham doubled their lead a minute after the restart when captain Martin Parkes found him-self in the right place at the right time to convert Stuart Telfer’s corner at the back post.

And that lead was further extended on 55 minutes when Hulme brought down a Tom Bradley free kick before turning quickly and crashing a superb volley over the head of Ingram-Hughes.

The visitors finally got on the scoresheet when Carlos Meakin scored from a direct free kick on 75 minutes.

But any hope of a come-back vanished when, in a moment of madness, New Mills’ new signing, Laquan Esdaille, was shown a red card for head butting Kieran Fletcher off the ball even before Padiham had restarted the game.