Late double rescues win for Clipstone on below-par day against Sandiacre Town

The home side controlled the game but had been unable to find away past Sandiacre keeper Garry Doran.

It looked like a shock result might be on the cards after the visitors took the lead on the hour mark but the home side showed great character to score twice and force a victory in the last 10 minutes.

Assistant Manager Ian Birtley said: “For our standards, it was a poor performance from us today.

“The most important thing was getting three points.

“Sandiacre were set up well, they put in a lot of effort and caused us problems.

“In the first half their keeper made two good saves from Lewis Bingham and Gareth Curtis.

“If we had got an early goal, we would have got confidence and it might have opened up a bit. They then hit us on the break, we’ve made a mistake and we went one nil down again.

“It’s our Achilles' heel this year, we seem to give teams a head start and then have to claw it back.

“In the second half we moved the ball better and got in some good areas. The keeper again has made some good saves.”

Sandiacre keeper Doran made the first of many saves as early as the ninth minute when he managed to get a hand to keep out a close-range Lewis Bingham header from Jack Gibb’s cross.

Doran then produced another good save 15 minutes later to keep out Gareth Curtis’ header.

Sandiacre’s only real effort of the half came in the 39th minute when the impressive Musa Jowara did well down the right-hand side and then found Ben Maxwell near the penalty spot. However, the latter scuffed his shot and Charlie Dando gathered the ball easily.

Clipstone started the second period well and had another chance in the 50th minute but Doran again blocked Curtis’ shot after the Cobras’ striker had got on the end of Kieran Coupe’s through ball. Minutes later Doran again denied Curtis after the Cobras’ player turned smartly and fired in a low shot and then Jake Batty beat Sandiacre’s offside trap but his shot lacked any real power and was easily collected by Doran.

Those misses then started to look costly when in the 60th minute a mix-up in the Clipstone defence allowed Oakley Kennedy to play the ball through to Lynton Francis, who controlled the ball well before firing past the advancing Dando.

The home side continued to press forward and the next chance fell to full back Liam West who got on the end of Gibb’s cross but his shot was narrowly wide.

The Cobras eventually grabbed a goal with 10 minutes remaining after great work by substitute Ryan Ingram who had only been on the pitch for three minutes.

Ingram’s cross found Bingham and, whilst his shot was saved by Doran with his feet, the ball only went as far as Gibb who fired home from six yards.

Will Heather almost put Clipstone ahead a minute later when he burst through only to be denied by a great last ditch tackle by Sandiacre’s Oliver Seeby.

The Cobras eventually made their pressure pay in the second minute of added time when a long clearance by captain for the day Sam Stretton found Bingham, who advanced into the box before unselfishly squaring the ball to Gareth Curtis, who beat Doran from 10 yards out.

The Cobras remain in second place in the league, 12 points behind leaders Bourne Town but with a game in hand.

Clipstone now have two away games, firstly at Selston on Wednesday and then Kirby Muxloe on Saturday.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​