Initially, both sides were wary of how the pitch would play, but soon got into their stride, particularly the home team. On 5 minutes, Nantwich sliced the Clitheroe defence with three smart passes and from the resultant corner, Hakan Burton was in the right place to catch a firm header aimed straight at him. Minutes later, a lofted pass by Nantwich saw Burton make a point blank save, with the follow up fired just over the bar. This signalled Clitheroe finding their plastic legs, and slowly but surely strung passes together, with Lee Pugh commanding at centre back and Sefton Gonzales occupying two defenders all game at the other end of the pitch. On 15 minutes, Jacob Hanson overlapped Veron Parny as he sprinted down the right with the ball, with Hanson firing on to the woodwork as he received the ball. Two minutes later, Pugh speared a low shot into the near post and Reece Webb-Foster could only turn it beyond the post at full stretch. Domaine Rouse then saw his shot slice wide of the post after it had been cleared from a melee. The game then settled into a more even rhythm, with Cam Lancaster in imperious form as he hooked clear a skied ball with an attacker in close order. There was still time for Rouse to have a solid penalty shout before the half time whistle, but the game stayed goalless.

Clitheroe had the perfect start to the second half. On 52 minutes, Gonzales jostled for the ball and laid it to Webb-Foster on the apex of the box, and he shot beyond the keeper into the far corner at the second time of asking. Webb-Foster had the ball in the net on 68 minutes after Gonzales’ fierce shot was parried, but it was ruled out for offside, which had the travelling fans trying to understand the decision. Nantwich rang the changes and brought on an experienced pair of strikers and the home pressure increased. Burton foiled a 3 on 2 burst after a Clitheroe corner was cleared, and on 83 minutes, Darren Holden fouled a home attacker half way inside the Clitheroe half. Whilst a wall was being assembled, the home forward shot with no-one watching. A despairing dive by Burton was not enough to keep the ball out . This could have knocked the wind out of the Clitheroe sails, but on 89 minutes a sublime ball by Alex Henderson was received by substitute John McGrath, and after a short burst, he slipped the ball home through the keeper’s legs.

Team: Burton, Hanson, Holden, Henderson, Lancaster, Pugh, Parny, Wilkins, Gonzales, Webb-Foster, Rouse
Subs (used) Dent, McGrath, Bell