Clitheroe lose out in end of season derby clash

Early Clitheroe pressure saw Andy Eaton race into the box on nine minutes, before seeing his shot blocked by a combination of a Sean Davis save and a clearance off the goal line. The clearance fell to Danny Wilkins just outside the box but his effort flew just wide of goal and the deadlock remained unbroken.

Padiham’s first clear cut chance came on 23 minutes when Dom Craig raced down the left hand side of the pitch before squaring a pass to the feet of Kieron Pickup just inside the Clitheroe box. Pickup set himself to shoot but his effort was blocked superbly by Simon Garner, who flung his body in front of the ball as the Padiham striker was about to pull the trigger.

From the resulting corner, Martin Parkes found space for a header but Adam Freeland was on the line to clear his effort.

A double header of Clitheroe chances came and went without a goal either side of the half hour mark. Charlie Collinge floated a left footed cross into the area from the right hand side but it was a tad too high for a clean contact from the leaping Eaton. Shortly after, Simon Garner delivered a sublime free kick to the back post but Ross Dent could only manage an effort just wide of goal under close pressure from a Padiham defender.

Clitheroe were threatening again soon after, first Ross Dent hit an effort from range over the bar, before a Sean Davis mis-kick fell to Dent, but once again the Clitheroe man’s luck was out as he saw his effort blocked on route to an unguarded goal.

Against the run of play the first goal did eventually arrive, scored by Padiham’s Dom Craig. A clever flick by Lee Ashcroft opened up the Clitheroe defence for Craig to sprint through on goal, one on one with Clitheroe’s Alex Palffy. Craig remained composed and slotted his effort around the onrushing Palffy to send Padiham 1-0 up.

On the stroke of half time another well delivered Garner free kick found Dent at in the box but it was a little too high for Dent who could only managed to head his effort over the bar.

At the start of the second half Clitheroe came flying out of the traps desperate to level the score and that was almost the case on the 52nd minute. Bryn Potter pulled down a cross from the right hand side before setting the ball to James Walker whose driven effort deflected off Padiham’s Parkes on its way towards goal.

On the hour mark Padiham doubled their lead and at the same time delivered the killer blow in the game. Owen Deakin-Pickard went down somewhat softly on the edge of Clitheroe’s box and from the resulting free kick Michael Morrison headed Mark Sharples’ cross into the bottom corner of Clitheroe’s goal.

A blocked Dominic Mulkerrin effort on 66 minutes was followed by an audacious Walker effort from range that forced Padiham’s Davis into a full stretch diving save.

A controversial moment arrived on the 74th minute; Danny Morton attempted to put a cross into the box only to see the ball blocked by the hand of a Padiham defender, unintentionally in the referee’s eyes.

As the time ticked away, Mulkerrin fired a free kick into the wall and a follow up effort from range by Danny Wilkins tested Davis, who pulled off yet another diving save.

Verbal interaction with the linesman saw James Walker receive a yellow card before assistant manager Ryan Parr was dismissed from the dugout.

Padiham ran out 2-0 winners and completed a treble of wins over Clitheroe as the Blue’s season came to an end.

On behalf of Clitheroe FC we thank you for your support across the 2013/14 season and we look forward to welcoming you back to Shawbridge next season.

Starting Line-up: Alex Palffy, Charlie Collinge, James Walker, Adam Freeland, Simon Garner, Scott Byrom, Ross Dent, Danny Wilkins, Danny Morton, Dom Mulkerrin, Andrew Eaton.
Subs: Bryn Potter, Dalian Barker, Louis Percival, Ryan Parr.