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HT: 1-2
FT: 1-2 L
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Looking to recover from last weeks shock draw with Melbourne, Cliffe entertained F1 Racing at Oxen Lane Cliffe. Expectancy was, misguidedly, high.
Keith Tiplady writes…
Several changes were made to the squad ahead of the fixture with Horner and Evans brought back into the team and Atton reinstated to the midfield.
The game began evenly enough as both sides struggled to find any rhythm, Cliffe looking just slightly on top as the game settled down but it was the visitors who took the lead on 20 minutes when they caught Cliffe napping with a short corner routine and looked to find the net with alarming ease!
The next ten minutes was f1’s strongest spell as a number of unforced errors at the back allowed them several good opportunities, had not been for a couple of point blank saves from Harris the situation would have been beyond Cliffe before half time. As Cliffe pressed for an equaliser they had two penalty shouts turned down one of which, a foul on Neil Taylor, looked nailed on but it wasn’t awarded.
Cliffe did eventually draw level on 30 minutes when, despite a suggestion of offside, Hogg raced clear and finished calmly at the second attempt.
This should have sparked Cliffe into life but a reluctance to take control appeared to be restricting Cliffe from progressing, the hosts seemingly wanting to walk the ball into the net and a couple of good chances went begging.
F1 punished Cliffe for this on the stroke of half time when the Cliffe back four played statues and allowed a striker clean through on goal and he was able to lob the advancing Harris to put the York side back in front.
The second half followed a similar pattern with Cliffe enjoying a huge possession advantage but lacking the cutting edge to fire themselves back into the tie. a couple more penalty appeals were turned down and the visitors supporters enjoyed the odd attack but by and large Cliffe dominated the second half but produced nothing.
Other results in Division 3 mean Cliffe remain third but with one point from a possible nine from the last three home games Cliffe had made it very difficult for themselves for the remainder of the season, a tricky trip to high flying Bridlington Excelsior next Saturday looks to be a testing distraction from the league blues!
Cliffe Team:
Harris, Kirkham, Wilcockson (Dunning), Evans, Horner, Birch (C), Atton, N. Taylor (Lonsdale), K. Taylor (A. Tiplady), Rawson, Hogg
Cliffe Scorer:
Hogg
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