Match Report: Clitheroe 2 1874 Northwich 1

Clitheroe 2 1874 Northwich 1

These two evenly matched sides met for the second time in a fortnight and Clitheroe finally broke their record of never having beaten 1874.

Both sides had chances throughout the game, with 1874 particularly dangerous on the flanks. The Blues had the first chance on 10 minutes when Callum Leigh, having his best game in a blue shirt, drove a shot narrowly over the bar. Sefton Gonzales followed suit shortly afterwards as he let a high ball drop over his shoulder and he hit it on the full narrowly wide. However, the visitors kept probing and took the lead on 25 minutes when after neat interplay around the Clitheroe box, the winger took the ball to the bye line and Billy Priestley could not get out of the way of the driven cross as it skimmed the grass. Seven minutes later, the same happened at the other end with Jack Burrows acting as provider as he ended a great run with another driven cross which was forced home by a visiting player. On 39 minutes, Burrows was called upon at the other end of the pitch as he hooked a dangerous ball clear from deep inside his own area. The final minutes half were all Clitheroe, but despite a flurry of dangerous crosses, none of them bore fruit.

The second half was another even affair, with two early 1874 chances. Lee Pugh blocked a dangerous goal bound volley before minutes later a snap header from a driven shot almost wrong footed Chris Thompson. Play then swung back to the other end and Max Cane had a superb run foiled after 57 minutes, before one minute later he ran on to a through ball and his smart shot was brilliantly saved by the keeper. Reece Webb-Foster had a volley whistle over shortly afterwards but it was Ross Dent who put the Blues ahead on 66 minutes, as he arched to get on top of a bouncing ball from a smart keeper save, and he crashed it in from eight yards. Almost instantly, 1874 hit back and flashed a shot across Thompson’s goal. As the clock ticked down, the challenges got more robust and 1874’s substitute winger was proving a real handful on the right flank. The visitors ended the game in the ascendancy, but Clitheroe had done enough to deserve the win and a game at Ramsbottom in the next round of the Trophy.

Team: Thompson, Burrows, Pugh, Baker, Lancaster, Priestley, Cane, Leigh, Gonzales, Dent, Webb-Foster
Subs (used) Edwards, Wilkins
Subs (not used) Cummings, Ludlow-Foster, Bristol, Diakite, Azam