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Clitheroe Youth side fire four in historic semi-final win

Clitheroe Youth side fire four in historic semi-final win

James Burch1 Mar 2015 - 16:50
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Clitheroe Youth beat Leyland Albion to set-up Syndicate Trust final against Bolton Lads & Girls Club.

Clitheroe Youth 4-1 Leyland Albion – Match Report
AUTHOR: JAMES BURCH

Thomas Bartlett’s Clitheroe Youth side progressed to their first ever final this morning, after defeating Leyland Albion 4-1 at UCLan.

Goals from Charlie Lloyd, Eddy Drake, Ryan Cattermole and Ollie Stirzaker made sure the Young Blues followed in the senior sides footsteps, by reaching the clubs second final in five days.

Bartlett’s men did come under pressure for parts of the game and even conceded a penalty late on, however it was to be Clitheroe’s day and the team will now face Bolton Lads and Girls Club in the Syndicate Trust Final.

The game started like all finals do, scrappy and adrenaline filled, with challenges flying in thick and fast. The game was refereed sensibly and the man in black decided not award any cards in the opening stages.

On a bobbly pitch, the Blues took time to get their attacking style going. However when they, did they got the first goal of the game on the quarter hour mark in stunning fashion.

The first goal of the game was scored by centre back Lloyd. The ball fell to the defender on the edge of the box and Lloyd fired the ball into the back of the net on the half volley. Cue wild celebrations from Bartlett and his backroom staff on the bench.

During the first half, Clitheroe Youth were hampered by the weather. With high winds whirling around the UCLAN playing surface throughout.

Despite possessing three of the counties top goal scorers, Leyland Albion struggled to get a foot hold in the game in the first twenty five minutes and Clitheroe’s defence held strong.

However, just before the half hour mark, the scores were level as the Preston based side scored from a free-kick…via the weather.

A sweeping ball was put into the box and a gush of wind assisted the ball past Josh Pomfret in Clitheroe’s goal and against the run of play Albion were level.

That in effect was the last real event of note in the first half. As both sides walked into the dressing rooms at half-time, both managers and players would have felt confident of winning the game come 12:30.

HALF-TIME: Clitheroe Youth 1-1 Leyland Albion

The second half started with Clitheroe playing with the wind and it wasn’t long before the young Blues re-took the lead, in front of a healthy crowd standing on the side lines.

Eight minutes into the second half, top goalscorer Drake found the ball at his feet and after a nice first touch, he slotted calmly into the net. The goal was the teenager’s 14th strike in 14 games.

The game was now safely Clitheroe’s to lose and just after the hour mark, the Blues put the game beyond doubt through a goal from captain Cattermole.

Fresh from his first-team heroics away at Kendal Town, the midfielder made it two goals in 24 hours as he struck a fine finish into the net to make it 3-1 to the Blues.

The game’s key moments seemed to occur in ten minute intervals, with goals after 53 and 63 minutes. Leyland Albion who had been very quiet for their standards had the chance to reduce the arrears with twenty minutes to go, as the referee awarded them a penalty.

However it wasn’t to be Albion’s day. Leyland’s number 18 stepped up to take the penalty and fired hard towards the left corner of the net. Keeper Pomfret dived the right way and managed to pull off a fantastic save to keep Clitheroe’s two goal cushion intact.

With just five minutes of the game to go, Clitheroe Youth put the icing on the cake and rubber stamped their place in the Syndicate Trust final, as an unusual name figured on the score sheet.

Hard work and industry from midfielder Kieren Grimshaw saw the ball fall to defender Ollie Stirzaker.

The substitute enjoyed the freedom of Lancashire, as he strolled through the Albion defence and fired home to send Clitheroe into the Syndicate Trust Final.

CLITHEROE XI: Pomfret (GK) Lloyd, T.Jackson, Brooks, S.Jackson, Grimshaw, Robinson, Cattermole, Holt, Ratcliffe, Drake.

SUBS: Hargreaves, Wong, Barnes, Stirzaker, Kelly.

Further reading