Nine defeats in nine games for calamitous Clipstone

A 3-0 reverse at home to South Yorkshire raiders Athersley Recreation left Ian Cotton’s troops without a point from 810 minutes of league football this term.

Cotton’s problems mounted even before a ball was kicked after two of his players, Gareth Curtis and Jermaine Jatau, opted to move on to pastures new. And things got worse only four minutes into the game when Athersley centre-forward Steven Bennett opened the scoring from close range.

The Cobras battled well for the next half-hour without creating any clearcut chances. But it was 2-0 when Bennett beat the offside trap and confidently placed a shot past goalkeeper Liam Kerry.

The second half offered little goalmouth action, although Clipstone did create openings for young substitute Jack Whitehouse and new signing Adam Barratt, who fired wide after good wwork by the ever-energectic Jack Hutchinson. But although captain Ben Rogers led by example, they leaked a third goal four minutes from time when McCauley Shillitto fired home a loose ball in the box.