Kidsgrove Athletic 2 Clitheroe 0
Att. 247

Clitheroe’s dismal away form continued on Saturday and the lacklustre performance away at mid-table Kidsgrove has potentially put paid to any play off aspirations.

Joel Byrom coming in for Ross Dent was the only change from the Kendal game, whilst the new formation unveiled against Kendal continued, albeit with less success. On a heavy pitch, it was Byrom who had the first chance within two minutes as he span in the box but saw his solid shot comfortably saved. Clitheroe had the best of the play as they kicked down the slope with wing back Bailey Sloane being involved in many of the attacks.

Lee Pugh flashed a header wide from a Richie Baker cross, whilst Billy Priestley’s thumping header from a Byrom corner skimmed the crossbar. Ben McKenna was progressively getting more of the play on the right, but his best efforts were being derailed by his difficulty in controlling the ball on the tricky surface.

Clitheroe started the second half the brighter as well. A lofted free kick from Baker was headed back into the box by Priestley with a volley from a forest of legs narrowly going over. Baker then drifted in a superb free kick which somehow eluded three Clitheroe players queuing at the back post, before shortly after a long Pugh throw was laid back to Baker, whose volley narrowly blazed over.

This was the high tide mark of Clitheroe’s efforts and progressively Kidsgrove got back into the game, with the tricky number 9 now supported by regular nemesis Anthony Malbon, who had come on as a substitute. Pugh bundled the centre forward over in a dangerous position and the free kick was bent round the wall, narrowly beyond the post. Pugh then had a great covering tackle as Kidsgrove had a fortunate break as the ball squirted beyond the Blues defence.

On 66 minutes, the home side took the lead as Jack Burrows got on the wrong side of the number 9 and his smart shot was too hot for the diving Chris Thompson. Minutes late, Malbon slipped the forward through again although on this occasion he chose to crumple dramatically on the edge of the box,, with Thompson pulling off a smart save from the resultant free kick.

On 70 minutes, Gonzales glanced a header from a superb run and cross from substitute Jake Connelly, and the travelling fans were convinced he had scored, but it simply went into the side netting. As the clock kicked down, Clitheroe could not make inroads into the home defence, and as injury time came, the score line was doubled as two Clitheroe defenders were brushed aside by a rampaging Kidsgrove forward and his finish on the run was from the top drawer.

Team : Chris Thompson, Jack Burrows, Bailey Sloane (Jake Connelly), Richard Baker, Lee Pugh, Billy Priestley, Ben McKenna, Joel Byrom (Alex Turner), Sefton Gonzales (c), Max Cane (Terry Cummings), Danny Wilkins. Subs - Jake Connelly, Alex Turner, Terry Cummings. Not used - Ross Dent, Jamie Edwards.