Campiones, campiones!!!
Saturday 2nd May 2015 - kick off 3:00pm
Venue: The Worksop Van Hire Stadium, Clipstone, Nottinghamshire
Competition: NCEL Division 1
Referee: Josh Bramall (S.Yorks)
Scorers:
Liam Morris (41), Andre Johnson (43)
Line-ups
Clipstone: Nick Siddons, Rob Paling, Brandon Shaw, Ash Rawson, Rich Mintoft, Stu Hill, Luke Thomas, Matt Austin, Josh Gibson, Jamie Brown, Callum Mawby. Subs: Tom Carnall, Karl Colley, Blake Owen, Jamie Smith, Matt Ord.
Shirebrook: Dale Shepherd, Ricky Hanson, Connor Smythe, Jack Barnett, Matt Plant, Luke Weaver, Lewis Chambers, Liam Nelthorpe, Liam Morris, Andre Johnson, Matt Sykes. Subs: Adam Shepherd, Keiron Watson, Jamie York.
This was never going to be a classic after Clipstone secured the title midweek. This looked for a few weeks as if it may well be the championship decider, but with Pontefract Collieries losing to AFC Mansfield and Clipstone winning at Worsborough Bridge midweek, this really was a game with little riding on it.
Not the largest trophy you will ever see!!
Local author Roger Rann donated to "maggie's" on behalf of his publisher, James Hawthorn, and Clipstone Chairman Brett Marshall took the fund to a magnificent £800.00 with his second, and very generous donation. New target? £850.00 - this will match the APTCOO total from season 2010-2011.
We spent the first half in the company of Handsworth Parramore striker Keiron Wells, but he disappeared at half-time, never to be seen again. We have that effect on people some times!!
Clipstone looked a little leg weary after having played in the Notts F.A. Senior Cup final on Thursday, and they almost paid for some slack marking in the 5th minute when Liam Morris was allowed room to glance a header goalwards - luckily for the home defence the effort flew just past the outside of the far upright.
Josh Gibson saw his neat volley on 19 saved by Dale Shepherd, and from the resultant corner, Rich Mintoft's shot was blocked as it sped towards the goal.
Jack Barnett hit a neat volley on the half-hour that brought out a diving save from Nick Siddons, but the Clipstone keeper blotted his copy book with four left to play in the first half. He caught a tame LIAM MORRIS header, but then somehow managed to lose his grip on it and had to watch as the ball crossed the goal-line, much to the delight of the Shirebrook faithful.
Morris thinks his header was saved...
....as did Siddons!!
Two minutes later the visitors doubled their lead, ANDRE JOHNSON seeing off the challenge of Mintoft and rolling the ball into the far corner. H-T 0-2
Clipstone has a great chance to get back onto the game on 61, but Blake Owen diverted Mintoft's header over the Shirebrook bar with Shepherd looking well beaten.
Matt Sykes had a chance to put the game to bed in the 70th minute after he was played in by Morris, but the winger's shot across Siddons crept just wide of the far stick. F-T 0-2
We stayed behind to see the Cobras receive the NCEL Division One trophy - to be brutally honest, I've got bigger and better ones in my shed. Nice medals though, and nicely modelled by Ash Rawson.
Admission: £4:00
Programme: sold out
Attendance: 218
Charity: £1.50 (+ other donations)
