Clitheroe 3 - 2 Trafford

The Integro League Cup 16-17.

This third round encounter took a long time to come to the boil, but once the half hour mark was passed, there was more than enough action and goals to fill a couple of games.

It did indeed take the game 30 minutes to settle down, before Clitheroe got their noses in front when on 31 minutes, Luke Wall tacked across the Trafford box and then shot across the face of the goal, with Mitch Bryant applying a deft deflection to find the back of the net.

Two minutes later, Bryant thought Christmas had come early when his marker seemed to get tied up in his own legs, leaving Bryant free on goal. As he primed to shoot, an unkind bobble saw his shot balloon towards Lidl.

The lead was doubled on 36 minutes when Kurt Willoughby was fouled on the edge of the box. He dusted himself down and then scudded the free kick into the corner of the goal.

Trafford came out for the second half a changed side. On 51 minutes, an opposing forward on the edge of the box smashed a 25-yard volley, which could have gone anywhere. Unfortunately for the Blues, it nestled in the back of the net.

Parity was restored on 60 minutes, when a bouncing ball from a throw in was hooked neatly into the goal. Trafford threatened the lead three minutes later when a deep cross was volleyed on the full against the post.

Two minutes later the play swung to the other end, when Alex Newby danced into space and laid the ball back for Charlie Russell who screamed a shot just over the bar. On 67 minutes back came Trafford who saw a deep cross headed on to the bar, and seconds later another shot flash by. Chris Thompson was at full stretch on 70 minutes as he turned a shot round the post, and Willoughby reciprocated on 82 minutes when he had the Trafford keeper saving at full stretch.

The win was sealed on 86 minutes, when Wall took the ball down the left and crossed to George West, who steadied himself and then buried his shot.

There’s plenty of interest in the cup in this neck of the woods and the Blues await the Quarter Final draw with interest.

Team: Thompson, Bromley, Roberts, Rowlands, Davis, Russell, Newby, Churchman, Bryant, Willoughby, Wall
Substitutes (used) Ellison, West
Substitutes (not used) Cattermole, Mitchell