Clitheroe 3-1 Hednesford Town - Report

Clitheroe began the game on the attack and forced Ryan Brown into a good tip over the bar, before the visiting keeper gathered in the following corner. Jake Jervis shot wide during the opening exchanges, before Jack Kelly was robbed of the ball on the edge of the area with an attempted lob going wide of the goal. A foul on James McQuilkin led to a freekick for the Pitmen, which was played quickly to Jake Jervis, who was able to find a finish past Hakan Burton to give Hednesford a 14th minute lead. The lead lasted for 11 minutes before Danny Wilkins cut in from the left and produced a fine finish for the equaliser in the 25th minute. Clitheroe's Domaine Rouse was shown a yellow card for persistent fouling as the game progressed, before Ross Dent fired well over the bar. In the 34th minute Dent played an intelligent pass into the area finding Jack Massey who placed the ball into the net to give Clitheroe the lead. Just before the halftime break,a Pitmen freekick taken by Jervis on the edge of the box, deflected off the wall and straight into the arms of Burton.

The second half was eight minutes old when Clitheroe extended their lead, a cross came in from the left and Wilkins arrived at the far post to claim his second goal of the game. Ryan Brown made another good save for the Pitmen as they found themselves under pressure from the hosts, as the half progressed it was the Pitmen stopper who kept the scoreline at 3-1. The Pitmen brought Matthew Barnes-Homer on for Lewis Farmer in a bid to get back in the game, however it was the hosts who were able to control the game as Hednesford were unable to create any clear cut chances. Rouse needlessly brought down Jervis and was subsequently shown a second yellow card, to give the Pitmen a numerical advantage for the final ten minutes. Despite the extra man the Pitmen could not find a goal in the final minutes of the game. With Trafford winning 2-1 against Kidsgrove Athletic, it was confirmed that Hednesford Town would finish second from bottom of the league.

Clitheroe; Burton, Clarke, Rouse, Hanson, Teague, Baker, Massey (Stephenson 87), Dent, Potts, Wilkins, Parny (Njaria 62). Subs not used; Davies, Booth, Bridges

Hednesford Town; Brown, McQuilkin, Gwilt (Rowe 46), Thorley, Griffiths, Kelly, Verma, Moke, Bailey, Farmer (Barnes-Homer 61), Jervis. Subs not used; Berks, Edwards, Williams.