Kielan Adams’ third goal in four games and a late penalty save from Chris Thompson took the Blues into the third qualifying round of the FA Trophy.

David Lynch’s men extended their unbeaten run to seven games with a battling win on Tyneside which booked the Blues’ place in the draw for the next round and earned the club £2,250 in prize money.

Adams’ fine finish three minutes into the second half was enough to overcome the NPL North-West Division leaders.

But it also took Thompson’s heroics to seal the deal as he saved from the spot to record a second clean sheet of the campaign and keep the Blues’ momentum going.

Cole Lonsdale’s return in place of Danny Wilkins was the only change Lynch – who named himself on the bench for the first time this season – made from the mid-week win over Ramsbottom as the Blues’ boss showed his determination to launch a run in the competition.

And it was Lonsdale’s deep cross for Adams to steer into the top corner at full stretch which ultimately separated the sides.

New signing Iyrwah Gooden made his Blues’ debut from the bench with a quarter of an hour to go and moments later Dunston missed the chance to equalise from the spot following a handball awarded against Chris Smalley in the box.

Thompson superbly kept out Connor Bell’s attempt and Craig Hobson then almost gave the Blues added breathing space with a header from Conor Gaul’s cross which came back of post and bar with five minutes to go.

Hobson then went into the book and in a fiery finish Dunston captain Michael Hall was sent off as the defiant Blues sealed their passage through.

Clitheroe: Thompson, Cummings, Lonsdale, Smalley, Priestley, Muir, Adams (Gooden 74), Dent (O’Neill 74), Hobson, Gaul, Stopforth. Substitutes: Wilkins, Foulds, Maeico Pilkington, Lynch.

Attendance: 197