HT: 2-2
FT: 6-5 W
After emphatically beating Skirlaugh 9-0 last week, Cliffe FC were on their travels to face Hedon Rangers Juniors who sat on top of the table 2 points clear of second place Cliffe.
Malcolm Bryce writes…
As the rain poured down the game kicked off. (You could of done with an Umbrella-ella-ella) The game was pretty even with both team not creating much. Cliffe’s attackers began to create chances and Chris Walker came close only to be called offside. Hedon would take the lead when a cross from the right flank wasn’t dealt with and was put into the net for 1-nil to the home side. Cliffe levelled through top scorer, Chris Walker, and then took the lead when a corner from the right was headed in by David Evans for 2-1 to the away side. The score was level at 2-2 when, again from the right wing, a cross found it’s way into the box and was finished by the unmarked Hedon forward. The whistle blew with the score at 2-2.
Cliffe manager, Keith Tiplady, was unhappy with the score-line and sent them back out to change their fortunes. Cliffe were 3-2 up in the early stages of the half with a fabulous strike from birthday boy Tom Hogg, who lobbed the home ‘keeper from all of forty-plus yards. Cliffe then went two goals to the good when, Captain, Scott Birch fired a bullet of a shot into the top corner. Hedon then got back into the game and scored for 3-4 and then Cliffe ‘keeper Ally Harris was adjudged to have felled the Hedon forward and the resulting penalty was scored to put the scores level at 4-4. The home side then were on track to get the full three points when they scored for 5-4 and Cliffe had it all to do with less than 10 minutes left. Ten minutes turned into five and Cliffe then scored a fifth equaliser when Andy Kirkham put the ball into the net for 5-5. The clock began to count down and Cliffe managed a dramatic sixth goal in the dying minutes when the ball broke to Summers for him to finish for 6-5 to the away team and leave them to celebrate in the mud. The final whistle blew and Cliffe managed to grab not one, but all three points.
By winning Cliffe FC overtake Hedon to go top of their league by a point and next week Cliffe FC face Hornsea Town. Many Thanks goes to Cliffe FC sponsors The Bread Bin and Pure-Silk.
Cliffe Team:
A. Harris, K. Simpson, D. Evans, A. Moughan, M. Birch (Horner), D. Heron (Summers), A. Kirkham, S. Birch, C. Walker, K. Taylor (Eriksen), T. Hogg
Cliffe Scorers:
Walker, Evans, Hogg, Birch, Kirkham, Summers