With interim manager Jimmy Bell in charge for the final three games of the season, the Blues set out their stall in positive fashion and could easily have won by a significantly larger margin. The only fly in the ointment came from the harsh sending off of Sefton Gonzales for serious foul play.
With Clitheroe reverting to four at the back, despite kicking up the slope into a strong wind, the first half was all Clitheroe. The Blues took the lead as early as the seventh minute, when Jacob Hanson surged down the right and from his scruffy cross, Veron Parny controlled the ball and laid it back across to Gonzales to tap home. Parny was to prove a thorn in 1874’s side all game and on 21 minutes he picked up a long ball and drove to the bye line, before his shot was shepherded away. Minutes later, Domaine Rouse burst forward and his lay back to Ross Dent saw his shot well blocked. On 26 minutes, Parny weaved his way towards goal only to see his shot hit the post. Two minutes later, a rejuvenated Danny Wilkins found himself one on one, only for his shot to go narrowly wide before he had another effort well saved minutes later. Then, as the clock ticked down, 1874 had a rare foray into the Clitheroe half and a long throw caused mayhem in the Blues’ box and somehow a header found its way into the back of the net, for the home side’s first home goal since Boxing Day.
The second half exploded into life when Parny was dragged back on 54 minutes perilously close to the edge of the box and the home defender saw red. From the resultant free kick, Gonzales was alert to the loose ball after the keeper fumbled, but was sent off for catching the keeper as he followed up. The game took 10 minutes to settle back down, but then it was all Clitheroe. On 74 minutes, Hanson had a 40 yard run before his shot was well saved. Minutes later, Andy Teague rose highest to meet a Richie Baker cross and headed home beyond the keeper. Two minutes later, Wilkins had a scissor kick bounce off the bar. On 80 minutes, Parny made the bye line and his cross put the ball on a plate for substitute Louis Potts. Finally, Wilkins got his reward for an excellent game when he hooked the ball from distance beyond the keeper.
TEAM : 1 Hakan Burton, 2 Jacob Hanson, 3 Domaine Rouse, 4 William Hall, 5 Andrew Teague, 6 Richard Baker, 7 Jack Massey, 8 Ross Dent, 9 Sefton Gonzales, 10 Danny Wilkins, 11 Veron Parny. SUBS : 12 Simon Njaria, 15 Michael Davies, 17 Louis Potts. Not used : 14 Joel Booth, 16 Jack Kenny.