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United lose out at Clitheroe - full report

FC United lost 2-1 to Clitheroe at Shawbridge on Thursday night after Kyle Jacobs’ equaliser proved not to be enough for the Reds to take a share of the spoils.

The hosts almost took the lead inside five minutes when Chris Smalley had a free header from a free-kick but he put the ball over when he should have done better.

United did show glimpses of good play in the opening exchanges. Steve Torpey, back from coaching in the USA, shot wide and moments later Carlos Roca rounded the keeper only to pull the ball back to no-one.

In all fairness, the Blues were seeing the lion’s share of the possession and it was no surprise when they took the lead. A free-kick from the right, controversially awarded when the fouled player appeared suspiciously offside, was controlled superbly by Ashley Parillon who then turned and volleyed home in one movement.

That goal seemed to fire up the Reds, who until that point had struggled with their passing. Torpey found space to feed Scott Cheetham but the young midfielder scuffed a shot wide. Lee Neville was also finding room on the left putting some superb crosses in, one of which saw Ben Deegan head over from close range.

Another Neville cross almost brought the equaliser on 37 minutes when a Deegan head back into the box was put over by David Chadwick when he was well placed to score.

United were back on level terms soon enough though. Moments before the break, a ball was played forward towards Deegan who dummied to allow Cheetham a run into the box, he played in to Torpey who did well to pull the ball back to Jacobs who scuffed his shot into the net for a well worked goal.

The second half started with a long injury stoppage for Jack Higgins in the home defence and when play got back underway, FC were the first to have an opportunity with Daniel Grimshaw firing just wide.

Just before the hour, Clitheroe came very close to taking the lead again when a long ball found Alex Brees clean through on goal but Reds goalkeeper James Spencer was alert to the danger, coming to the rescue of FC with a fine one-on-one save.

The home side did regain the lead with 15 minutes to go when a poor clearance by Jacobs found Parillon who fired a deflected shot into the bottom corner for his second goal of the game.

FC almost found an equaliser with seven minutes to go when Scott Metcalfe fired onto the crossbar and Adam Edwards put the rebound over.

Again, this was a useful test for FC United, giving many of the squad a run out but it will also continue manager Karl Marginson’s selection headache ahead of our Evo-Stik Premier Division opener against Stafford Rangers a week on Saturday.

Report by Steve Wood



First Posted ~ 11:05 Fri 5 Aug 2011
News ID ~ 3677
Last Updated ~ 00:47 Tue 16 Feb 2021