Marske 0-0 Clitheroe 04-02-20

Excellent away point

With a number of absentees and with players playing out of position, Clitheroe quickly put their 100 mile journey behind them and could very easily have left Marske with all three points, in a game which they possibly shaded.

On a cold but still evening, the early exchanges between these two play off hopefuls were cagey, but increasingly Jacob Gregory and Jake Connelly, the night’s stand out player, were beginning to make inroads down their respective flanks. Marske were also keen to get forward at the earliest opportunity and had the Clitheroe defence rapidly doubling up on personnel on a number of occasions. However, as the half progressed, Connor Gaul saw his in swinging corner hit the top of the bar, before Jack Baxter rifled a shot just past the post. Gaul then dropped an inviting free kick into the Marske box, but the vital connection eluded the Clitheroe forwards.

In the second half, debutant Jayden Major came on for Mitchell George, and he quickly made his mark with a 40 yard burst and smart shot, which forced a good save from the keeper. Then from nowhere, a Marske player remembered he could throw the ball on to the penalty spot, and for a 15 minute spell this wrong footed the Clitheroe defence as the box was peppered with long throw ins, and Marske went close from a deep cross which was headed just wide, only for it to be ruled offside. Terry Cummings came on to replace Gaul, and Connelly started to open up the home defence again. On several occasions he skipped past his marker and sent in scudding crosses, which were begging to be touched home, before he then muscled his way forward and whistled a shot just wide.

In the end, when the whistle went both sets of fans knew they had seen two evenly matched sides, both of whom are looking for the final play off slot, and both of whom probably thought they could have nicked all three points.

Team : Chris Thompson, Jacob Gregory, Danny Gray, Charlie Russell (c), Markell Foulds, Jack Baxter, Jake Connelly, Oscar O'Neil, Mitch George (Jayden Major), Craig Carney, Conor Gaul (Terry Cummins). Subs - Jayden Major, Terry Cummins. Not used - Jack Camarda, Craig Stanley, Hyuga Tanner.