Clipstone make it a hat-trick of 4-1 wins as they shoot down Knaresborough

That followed previous 4-1 wins against Louth in the league and Kimberley MW in the Notts Senior Cup.

Clipstone were the fitter and stronger side on Saturday.

They gave a debut to recent signing Jason Edwards, and it was his tenacity that gave the Cobras the lead on 15 minutes.

He closed down the home keeper Wes Marau, the ball swirling out to Kieran Watson, who pulled the ball back to Gavin King eight yards out to blast the ball home.

The second chance of the game also went the way of Clipstone.

Brandan Shaw whipped in a cross from 25 yards out, flicked on by Gavin King, to find Kieran Watson on the right edge of the area.

He controlled the ball and unleashed a thunderous shot to the top left corner, only to see the keeper make a wonderful save and tip around the post for a corner.

It took 30 minutes for Knaresborough to seriously test Ed Eley in the Cobras goal, as he saved a point blank header from the Knaresborough attacker, to give the home side their first corner of the game.

On 34 minutes debutant Edwards again tested the home defence when he threw himself in a diving header from a Steve Carty corner only to see his effort cleared off the line by Will Lenehan, who was stood on the far post. Knaresborough were awarded their second corner of the game on 38 minutes, the ball eventually falling to centre back Matt Durdan on the edge of the area, who tried a cheeky lob to the far post with Eley in the Clipstone goal helpless as he watched the ball drift high and wide.

The second half started like a whirlwind with both sets of players going for it.

It was a reckless challenge from Gavin King, who seconds beforehand was not given the benefit of the referee’s whistle.

King talked himself into the referee’s book for dissent.

Then the resulting free kick brought parity to the game as left back Will Lenehan rose highest to nod the ball home.

Clipstone’s first substitution of the game came on 58 minutes as King was replaced by Carl Snowden.

Just eight minutes later Kieran Watson played a wonderful through ball from just inside his own half to Carl Haslam, after a desperate clearance from Rob Austin at the back.

Haslam ran on 15 yards and blasted past the keeper to take Clipstone back in front.

The game really opened up after that point with the home side chasing the game, which became their downfall.

On 85 minutes Carl Haslam was on another of his runs on the far right wing when he was tripped from behind. The resulting free kick, taken again by Steve Carty, found substitute Carl Snowden, who headed into the near post to extend the lead.

That lead was increased even further just two minutes later when Carl Haslam again found the ball at his feet, beat two defenders and blasted home.

Knaresborough did keep pushing throughout the game, but Rob Austin and Chris Baugh dealt with everything that was thrown at them.

CLIPSTONE: Ed Eley, Rob Paling, Brandon Shaw, Rob Austin, Chris Baugh, Steve Carty (Liam Pride), Nathan Millington, Jason Edwards(Ian Hillier), Keiran Watson, Carl Haslam, Gavin King (Carl Snowden).