Cleethorpes Town recorded their seventh straight victory on Wednesday night against 2nd place Shaw Lane Aquaforce at the Bradley Community Stadium. A healthy crowd of 202 saw a 3-1 win for the Owls with a brace from Marc Cooper and a late stoppage time goal from midfielder Alex Flett.

The Owls made 5 changes to the starting line-up from their 1-0 win away at Thackley last weekend. Brad Beattie, Lee McFarland, Lawrence Heward, Brody Robertson and Jack Richardson where all rested with the latter two being moved to the substitutes bench. In replace of these where Richard Peck, new signing Liam Dickens, Darren Hanslip, Miles Fenty and Daniel Grant.

The game started off at a slow pace with both sides trying to penetrate each other’s back line but to no effect in the early stages. With the Ducks not conceding at all during the first 15 minutes of any game this season the Owls knew it would be tough to break down their strong defence.

The first chance of the game fell to Kelsey in the fourth minute but his long-range effort was over Fenty’s goal.

It was not until the seventh minute that the Owls fashioned an effort on target as Bailey was made to work in the Shaw Lane goal as Captain Darren Hanslip tried an audacious chip but it was well saved by the back peddling shot stopper.

The pressure was kept up by the Owls as Cooper then went close to opening the scoring as he saw he angled 25 yard effort narrowly miss the target.

A rare mistake by Luke Mascall let in Thornton just before the 20-minute mark but he shot over the bar when other options where available.

With chances at both ends, it was not long before ball was in the back of the net and it came for the hosts. A great move by the Owls, involving a Hanslip flick on and an Oglesby lofted pass was seized on by Cooper who coolly slotted home his 13th goal of the season sending the home fans into raptures.

The Owls tried to capitalise on this momentum as they pushed on to further enhance the scoreline as Alex Flett and Dickens linked well together but Dickens could only head the ball wide of the mark at the back post.

The second goal of the game came only six minutes after the first, as Shaw Lane got a well-deserved equaliser. Centre-back O’Brien smashed the ball in off the post having seconds earlier seen Fox’s effort rebound off the woodwork.

This gave the visitors the upper hand as they drove forward din numbers looking for another goal. As they broke forward in the 33rd minute Fenty came rushing out of goal and appeared to effectively clear his line but clattered into an advancing striker in the process. The linesman on the far side seemed to signal for a throw-in but the referee decided to award a free-kick to Shaw Lane in consequently show a yellow card to Fenty, his first of the season.

From the free kick Holt narrowly missed the target from just outside the box as the ball whistled past the post.

From the goal kick, Fenty’s long punt found Cooper who played in Louis Grant who unselfishly squared it to Oglesby but he could only fire over the bar with just the keeper to beat.

With the clock winding down for half time, both sides seemed to be happy going into the break all level and the game seemed to lose its spark. There was a couple of meaty challenges which went unpunished in the closing stages but this just showed the passion and commitment from both sides and the desire to win.

With both sides unchanged during the break, the Owls started the second half. Having given away and early free kick, the Owls seemed to struggle in the opening few minutes as Shaw Lane came out of the blocks the better team. It was not until the 50th though that they tested Fenty in the Owls goal as Kelsey looked a threat, trying to pounce on a loose ball but Fenty managed to push the ball against the advancing striker and out for a goal kick.

The Owls seemed to be able to absorb the Shaw Lane pressure and should of scored as they broke forward with Hanslip skipping past two challenges to play in Oglesby but he saw his shot blocked, which went out for a corner.

At the other end, smart defending from Flett saved the day as Thornhill made room for a goal bound shot from 18 yards out but the midfielder was at hand to block the effort.

With just over 15 minutes gone into the second half, a golden opportunity was gifted to defender Peck as he was unmarked just 8 yards out after Grant clipped the ball to Dickens who nodded it down inside the box into the path of Peck but he could only volley the ball over the bar.

The impetuous seemed to be with the Owls as Cooper then tried to chip the keeper from 25 yards but he effort was just to much and it went over the bar for a goal kick.

The Owls made a double substitution in the 75th minute, bringing on Jack Debnam and Robertson in replace of Grant and Jack Barlow as they looked to change things around.

The impact was nearly instant as the Owls took the lead with just 12 minutes of the game remaining. Oglesby played in Cooper who managed to beat the offside trap to curl his effort home just underneath the crossbar giving the advancing keeper no chance.

Just 60 seconds later, Cooper should of completed his hat trick but he spurned his chance as he drag his shot wide of the mark from just outside of the box.

Shaw Lane, who had not had a decent spell of possession for at least 15 minutes then found their mojo. They pushed men forward looking for an equalising. They could not of got closer in the 81st minute as Haigh attempted to chip Fenty from 30 yards but the ball skimmed the bar and it went out for a goal kick.

As the Ducks pushed forward, the Owls went on a counter attack and should of scored as Debnam played a delightful inswing pass to Oglesby and then sprinted 60 yards for the return inside the box but he skied the ball as it appeared to bobbled on the penalty spot just as he struck the ball.

With the clock running down, the Owls tried to run the clock down by played the ball into the corners but Robertson could not keep hold of the ball and they broke forward. The ball was played to Kelsey but he could only shoot straight at Fenty, much to the annoyance of the traveling support.

There was more late drama, as in the second minute of added time the game was put beyond the reach of Shaw Lane as Flett powered a shot goal ward only for the keeper to not keep hold of it and it squirmed over the line. The Ducks where powerless in their protests as the linesman had awarded the goal and he was not changing his mind.

Shaw Lane did press for a consolation goal and nearly got it in the 94th minute but Foster saw his looping header clip the top of the crossbar and it was cleared once more. The ball was played back in, knocked down then Kelsey clattered the post with an effort from 14 yards out.

The whistle was blown moments later, and had it not been for the frame of the goal, the scoreline could have been much different, but it was and the Owls recorded their seventh straight win in all competitions, which has now lifted them up to seventh in the table.

The next game is tomorrow in the FA Vase away at Warwickshire side Southam United, with a 3pm kick-off. The next home match is on Monday against Louth Town in the Lincs Senior Trophy at the Bradley Community Stadium, with a 7:45pm kick-off time.

The man of the match, as sponsored by RS Tiling Services was Alex Flett.