The Bullets began their 2021/22 North West Counties Football League Division One South campaign on Saturday with a 2-1 defeat to much-fancied West Didsbury & Chorlton at Wood Park, but there were many positives that new manager Brian Wilson could take from the game.

The Bullets kicked things off with a host of new faces in the starting XI, and started the game very well, almost taking the lead within the first minute when Mamudo Dabo bundled the ball wide from a free-kick when he really should've scored.

But the visitors quickly settled and began to dominate possession, and on ten minutes went close but new Bullets keeper Joey Oldham denied them with some smart goalkeeping.

West continued to dominate possession but created little with it as the hosts defended resolutely.

Half-time: Alsager Town 0 West Didsbury & Chorlton 0

The Bullets began the second-half on the front-foot, winning first a free-kick and then a corner inside the opening minute, but failed to take advantage. And they almost paid for that immediately when West missed a big chance, their first of the game.

But on 53-minutes, the Bullets took the lead. The home side won a free-kick on the right-hand side which was partially cleared. The ball was whipped back into the box, and new signing Luke Vayro smashed the ball home to mark his Bullets debut with the first goal of the new campaign.

However, the lead didn't last long. On the hour the visitors were awarded a penalty that was coolly put away by Sam Heathcote.

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And just five minutes later, West doubled their lead in controversial circumstances. Bullets keeper Joey Oldham dropped a cross in from the right, and the ball dropped for Heathcote who drilled home his second. Initially it looked as if the goal was to be disallowed as the referee's assistant had raised his flag for offside. However, after a brief chat, the referee overruled him and awarded the goal.

West began to dominate and create chances as the game got stretched, with the hosts thankful for a couple of good saves from Joey Oldham.

But the Bullets didn't fold, creating chances from set-pieces, and in stoppage time, substitute Richmond Banfo sliced wide from a corner.

In the end, a narrow defeat to a side who will surely be in the promotion shake-up, but there was very little to choose between the two teams.

Full-time: Alsager Town 1 West Didsbury & Chorlton 2

Starting XI: Joey Oldham, Finlay Phillips, Nathan Barry, Luke Vayro, Stefan Sorenson, Jordan Stafford (C), Ryan Malone, Sam Latham, Mamudo Dabo, Matthew France, Joe Holt

Substitutes: Jordan Erdmann, Liam Kettle, Richmond Banfo, Reece Gaskell, George Neal

Man of the Match: Luke Vayro - superb defensively, and a much-deserved debut goal

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Attendance: 153