Newcastle Town 1 Clitheroe 0

Clitheroe put in a desperately poor performance as they struggled with the bobbly Newcastle surface whilst their youthful opponents put in a whole hearted and ultimately victorious performance. With injuries to Jacob Hanson, Danny Wilkins, Richie Baker and Lee Pugh, the injured Billy Priestley and Abimbola Obasoto back from injury, and debuts for Ekow Coker and Callum Harris, there was a makeshift feel to the side. That said, it should have had more than enough quality to win the game.

Newcastle were much the quicker off the mark in the first half and if they had had a striker in the side, they could easily have been three goals to the good in the first half. As early as two minutes in, Chris Thompson, making his 200th appearance for the Blues, could not get a clean punch on a long throw, and the follow up shot was spooned over.

Newcastle then had three further breaks with poor attempts at finishing before Clitheroe had their first chance from a Sefton Gonzales flick to Reece Webb-Foster. On 14 minutes Obasoto was heavily involved in the Blues’ first flowing attack, but this was overshadowed by a home attack four minutes later when a superb break by the home side down the left saw the ball pulled back for another weak shot at goal.

Slowly Clitheroe strung series of passes together, but still the home side created more. On 34 minutes Obasoto latched on to a deep Darren Holden cross and his volley was well saved by the keeper. Instantly, Newcastle went to the other end and sent a scruffy cross narrowly beyond the far post. Gonzales went close when put through by Ross Dent but his right foot shot had little power as it was blocked. Jamie Nicholson carved out a great chance with a great run into the opposition half, but with options on either side of him, he dwelt on the ball and the attack fizzled out.

Nothing much changed in the second half, and with barely five minutes on the clock, Jamie Edwards earned a yellow as he tackled back to break up another attack. From the free kick, a pin point cross was headed home unchallenged past Thompson. The half was slightly more even but much of Clitheroe’s attacks were of the Route 1 variety on to Gonzales’s head.

On 64 minutes, Webb-Foster had a great shot from a central free kick deflected for a corner, and Nicholson saw a sharp volley deflected over by his own man. Dave Dempsey rang the changes but even with a lively end to the game with Edwards and Gonzales causing problems, the result stayed the same.

This was a worrying performance with few players enhancing their reputations.

Team: Chris Thompson, Jamie Edwards, Darren Holden, Sidi Sanogo Fofana (Callum Harris), Ekow Coker (Jack Burrows), Cameron Lancaster, Jamie Nicholson, Ross Dent (c), Sefton Gonzales, Reece Webb-Foster, Abimbola Obasoto (Billy Priestley). Subs - Callum Harris, Billy Priestley, Jack Burrows. Not used - Richard Baker, George Bristol.