Following on from their comeback victory against Stalybridge Celtic, Clitheroe travelled to Shifnal Town and won in dramatic fashion with a late penalty securing a well-deserved victory.

Clitheroe started the game very strong with an early chance from distance by Danny Wilkins, only minutes into the game, went just wide of the target. They came close again almost immediately as Harry Scarborough was played in behind and managed to get a shot away that went narrowly close to the post. Clitheroe were setting the tone early, showing their control and not giving Shifnal Town any room to breathe or chances to fight back. This pressure showed effective just ten minutes into the game when Jordan Carroll opened the scoring and gave the visitors the lead. Demi Rhami’s ball was fizzed into the box from the left wing, and a nice turn from Carroll gave him to time to calmly dispatch an easy finish into the bottom right corner. They continued to push for a second, with a free kick inside the Clitheroe half being swung in by Jake Carroll finding Nathan Sandison at the back post. He pulled off some great footwork to see him go past his marker, but his cross was too close to the goalkeeper and had to be tipped over the bar. Despite that coming to nothing, a good move down the left again saw Rhami cut the ball back for Machell to deliver another ball along the ground, which Scarborough got a flick to with his heel, but it just drifted wide.

Not long after, Sandison then found space himself and drove towards goal, getting a strike off from near the edge of the box that dragged just wide of the post, being unlucky to not add a second to the tally with a good effort. Moments later, an incredible touch by Sandison saw him skip past two defenders and play Scarborough in again behind the Shifnal Town defence, and although his cutback was blocked by the defender, it did at least win Clitheroe another corner to keep piling the pressure onto the home side. Shifnal were the first to make a change in the game, however not one they really had a choice to do, with Luke Edwards being brought off injured for Jack Hodnett. They managed a couple of runs in behind the Clitheroe defenders, particularly finding joy down the wings, though there was nothing troubling enough to worry Clitheroe, with the most it amounted to being a corner. The blues were back on the front foot again soon after, another good move yet again involving Rhami and Scarborough creating the pressure for Machell to pounce on a risky back-pass by the Shifnal Town defence. Rather than taking the shot himself, which he probably should have done, Machell squared it back to Scarborough but a well-timed tackle intervened to prevent the chance.

Scarborough then shifted past a couple of defenders and drove towards the box before going down in a tackle, though despite the appeals from almost the entire Clitheroe team and staff, the referee waved away the penalty claim. Machell picked up the loose ball following the challenge and squared it to Sandison, who couldn’t quite get his foot through the ball to find a finish. A long ball from Jake Carroll found Scarborough again, proving to be a problem for the Shifnal Town defenders, who plucked the ball out of the air with a great touch and got a good shot away from the position he was in, but the goalkeeper produced a good save to deny him and Clitheroe had to settle for another corner. Clitheroe were in complete control for the entire first half, with a couple half chances leading to nothing, and the Blues went into the break deservedly leading.

Half Time: Shifnal Town 0-1 Clitheroe FC

The momentum after half time seemed to shift, with Clitheroe not coming out with the same intensity and pressure as the first half, but luckily Shifnal didn’t look too threatening either. Oliver Shaw for Shifnal was shown a yellow card early as the first action of the second half for stopping a promising Clitheroe counter attack, however as the free kick was deep inside their own half, it didn’t come to anything. Sandison himself was then booked for the same, bringing down the Shifnal player as they broke forward, however this decision would prove costly as it was this free kick that lead to the equaliser. The ball was swung into the middle of the box and Andre Landell rose highest to comfortably head it into the far corner and level the game. Shifnal made a change soon after, with Oliver Shaw being replaced by Oliver Finney, looking to capitalise on their goal and push for another. Rhami was played in down the line again and cut back past his marker, leading him to slide straight past. In doing so, Rhami was brought down by the defender and seemed to win Clitheroe a clear penalty, however the assistant on the far side had his flag raised, leading to the referee to give an offside despite the Blue’s adamant protests that the winger had in fact been onside.
Shifnal made another attacking substitution, with Zeli Ismail making way for Jack Hodnett, really pushing for a winner as the clock ticked down and neither team being able to find one yet. In response to this, Clitheroe made one of their own by bringing on Touray to replace Scarborough leading the attack. Shifnal’s number 6 was then shown a yellow card for a late tackle from behind on Machell, before Clitheroe made another change of their own, with Gilchrist coming on for Machell to give their attack some more firepower while looking for their winner. Shifnal made a fourth substitution, Shaquille Whittingham replacing Lewis Jarman, and Clitheroe followed suit, bringing on Josh Briggs for Rhami. The closing stages became increasingly tense as both sides pushed for a winner, with neither team creating anything especially promising, though the game remained end to end throughout. Clitheroe made one final change, with Walder coming on for Ditch. However, this would prove to be a very important substitution for the blues.

Deep into the dying stages of the game, Clitheroe won a penalty. Walder made an incredible run down the line after being played in by Briggs, before cutting the ball back to Touray, who was brought down in the box after the Shifnal defender took his ankle, and the referee pointed to the spot without hesitation. Gilchrist stepped up and made no mistake, slotting the penalty home. The goalkeeper got a hand to it, but it wasn’t enough to keep it out, as the ball fired into the left-hand corner. Clitheroe made a final substitution soon after, with Shorrocks coming on for Sandison, as they looked to see out the remaining minutes.

Clitheroe won it late, and it was a fully deserved victory. Having dominated large parts of the game and responded well to Shifnal’s equaliser, the Blues held their nerve and remained composed to see out a dramatic result.

Full Time: Shifnal Town 1-2 Clitheroe FC

- Charlie Barnes