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Sat 27 Apr 2024 · Northern Premier League - West
Leek Town
Clitheroe
1
3
Deserved victory against champions Leek Town
Peter Ryan28 Apr - 15:26
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Last report of the season by Chris Musson
Leek Town 1 Clitheroe 4
Clitheroe finished the league with a deserved victory against champions Leek Town, ensuring a seventh placed finish and a perfect record for stand in manager Jimmy Bell’s three games.
With Leek having secured the title a month ago, the home side were looking for a well-deserved run out on front of the home fans and could not cope with the hunger shown by the much changed and more youthful Clitheroe side. As early as three minutes into the game, Jack Massey hooked a lofted ball down and settled himself before shooting over. However, one minute later, a delicious curling cross from Richie Baker picked out Massey at the back post and he neatly volleyed home. Minutes later, Hakan Burton appeared to have been lobbed but instead the ball settled behind the goal, fooling the majority of the crowd. On 11 minutes, the lead was doubled, with a classy forward header from Matty Clarke picking out Veron Parny, whose first shot was blocked until his follow up saw no mistake. The lead was almost extended on 17 minutes when a short pass by Massey into the box saw Parny’s shot saved at point blank range. Instead, Leek went to the other end of the pitch and Burton was beaten by a neat finish after excellent approach work. Before the crowd had really gathered its breath, Louis Potts was picked out by Massey who used his strength to shield the ball before he drove it home on the turn. The rest of the half was suitably littered with half chances but the score remained the same.
In the second half, Leek should have pulled another goal back when a deep free kick was punted into the box, and with the visiting defenders guilty of ball watching, the subsequent header was squandered. Halfway through the second half, Potts had two clear cut chances in the box, where on both occasions he headed straight at the keeper. The tempo did not drop and when the whistle went the travelling fans saluted the players for a long season that promised much but just failed to really spark into life.
TEAM : 1 Hakan Burton, 2 Jacob Hanson, 3 Matthew Clarke, 4 Lewis Brown, 5 Andrew Teague, 6 Richard Baker, 7 Jack Massey, 8 Ross Dent, 9 Louis Potts, 10 Simon Njaria, 11 Veron Parny. SUBS : 12 Waqas Azam, 14 Joel Booth. Not used : 15 Jacob Bridges, 16 William Crisp.
Clitheroe finished the league with a deserved victory against champions Leek Town, ensuring a seventh placed finish and a perfect record for stand in manager Jimmy Bell’s three games.
With Leek having secured the title a month ago, the home side were looking for a well-deserved run out on front of the home fans and could not cope with the hunger shown by the much changed and more youthful Clitheroe side. As early as three minutes into the game, Jack Massey hooked a lofted ball down and settled himself before shooting over. However, one minute later, a delicious curling cross from Richie Baker picked out Massey at the back post and he neatly volleyed home. Minutes later, Hakan Burton appeared to have been lobbed but instead the ball settled behind the goal, fooling the majority of the crowd. On 11 minutes, the lead was doubled, with a classy forward header from Matty Clarke picking out Veron Parny, whose first shot was blocked until his follow up saw no mistake. The lead was almost extended on 17 minutes when a short pass by Massey into the box saw Parny’s shot saved at point blank range. Instead, Leek went to the other end of the pitch and Burton was beaten by a neat finish after excellent approach work. Before the crowd had really gathered its breath, Louis Potts was picked out by Massey who used his strength to shield the ball before he drove it home on the turn. The rest of the half was suitably littered with half chances but the score remained the same.
In the second half, Leek should have pulled another goal back when a deep free kick was punted into the box, and with the visiting defenders guilty of ball watching, the subsequent header was squandered. Halfway through the second half, Potts had two clear cut chances in the box, where on both occasions he headed straight at the keeper. The tempo did not drop and when the whistle went the travelling fans saluted the players for a long season that promised much but just failed to really spark into life.
TEAM : 1 Hakan Burton, 2 Jacob Hanson, 3 Matthew Clarke, 4 Lewis Brown, 5 Andrew Teague, 6 Richard Baker, 7 Jack Massey, 8 Ross Dent, 9 Louis Potts, 10 Simon Njaria, 11 Veron Parny. SUBS : 12 Waqas Azam, 14 Joel Booth. Not used : 15 Jacob Bridges, 16 William Crisp.
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