Glossop NE 1 Clitheroe 2

Clitheroe’s 19 year wait to reach the divisional play off stage was ended on Saturday with a thoroughly deserved victory away at Glossop, albeit not without the obligatory concession of a goal.

Clitheroe controlled possession in the first half and should have capitalised on their chances. Reece Webb-Foster on the right and Marc Pugh on the left were the first to show for the Blues, with crosses from both going begging in the box. On 18 minutes, the highly impressive Jacob Hanson embarked on a trademark surge down the right and from his cross, Pugh saw his header smothered at point blank range. Four minutes later, Hanson was again cantering down the wing, this time with his driven cross failing to find a Clitheroe touch. Webb-Foster had the ball in the back of the net on 32 minutes as he got on the end of a deep cross at the far post, but his stab home was ruled narrowly offside. By now, Clitheroe were camped in the Glossop half but were not applying any great urgency and the scores were still level when a couple of sloppy clearances saw Glossop awarded a corner on the stroke of half time. The whipped in corner was glanced past all the Clitheroe defenders and totally against the balance of play, Glossop took the lead.

Clitheroe had the perfect start to the second half, when, with only two minutes having been played, Webb-Foster dug out the ball from a forest of players on the right and sent in a wicked cross which Sefton Gonzales bravely turned in under pressure. From this point onwards, Clitheroe were fully in the box seat with more urgency to their play. Substitute Abimbola Obasoto was proving a handful on the left and he made a great chance for Callum Harris, who spooned the ball over. However, it took until the 73rd minute until the pressure paid. John McGrath had only been on the pitch for four minutes, but he rode a rash challenge on the right and having driven to the bye line, his cross was swept home at pace by Obasoto. McGrath continued to create chances and overlapped well with Hanson but even though the home side had a handful of half chances, the result was not really in doubt.

The celebrations at the end of the game in front of the magnificent travelling Clitheroe fans highlighted the importance of the result and had everyone clearing their diaries for a long trip to either Workington or Leek in the semi final.

Team : Chris Thompson, Jacob Hanson, Darren Holden, Richard Baker, Cameron Lancaster, Billy Priestley, Marc Pugh (Danny Wilkins), Ross Dent (c) (Abimbola Obasoto), Sefton Gonzales, Callum Harris (John McGrath), Reece Webb-Foster. Subs - Abimbola Obasoto, Danny Wilkins, John McGrath. Not used - Sidi Sanogo Fofana, Jamie Edwards.