Droylsden 0 Clitheroe 4

By Chris Musson

If this turns out to be Clitheroe’s final game for a while, those fortunate enough to have watched it will have some tremendous memories to sustain them.

Against a young and inexperienced Droylsden side, Clitheroe simply had too much for their opponents.

Playing into a moderate breeze, the first 10 minutes were relatively even, but Clitheroe quickly started to impose themselves.

On 13 minutes, Ty Dolan swung a pinpoint 50 yard pass across the park to Terry Cummings, who controlled the ball well before he shot on goal. The keeper saved well but Cummings was on hand to fire home the rebound.

On 30 minutes, Dolan tacked in from the left and unleashed a great strike which was tipped over the bar. However, the home side could do nothing when Danny Wilkins received a poor clearance on 40 minutes with the route to goal suddenly open in front of him. His run and well placed shot was from the highest drawer.

When the teams turned round, Clitheroe turned up the heat and it was almost a rout. One minute in, Cummings passed to the impressive Kieran Feeney, who shot was well blocked.

On 52 minutes, Feeney was through on goal but could not get the ball beyond the keeper, although Dolan’s follow up attempt just shaded the outside of the post. Five minutes later Cummings received the ball from a free kick and his shot hit the post.

Wilkins then repeated the woodwork trick on 65 minutes when he received a raking pass on the left and his shot beat the keeper but hit the bar. One minute later, Feeney and Wilkins opened up the home defence with neat passing, leaving Dolan to get his second goal in three games.

On 75 minutes, Carney caught the home defence napping as he overlapped, but his shot went into the side netting. He made amends on 87 minutes, when Wilkins received a deep ball on the left, and as he sent in a low cross, Carney pivoted to sweep the ball home to finish the scoring.

Team: Thompson, Gregory, Muir, Stanley, Foulds, Russell, Cummings, Carney, Feeney, Dolan, Wilkins. Subs (used): Gray, Wood, O’Neil. Subs (not used) Gaul, Scott.