Boss Rudy Funk is frustrated as Clipstone lose big relegation six-pointer at Swallownest

The Cobras once again produced a disappointing performance on a wet and windy afternoon.

Funk said: “This was one of the most important games that Clipstone have ever played and it was one of the most frustrating afternoons that I’ve ever encountered in football.

“It was just awful from our perspective and I’m speechless.

“Swallownest won the game and deservedly so. We didn’t capitalise on anything.

“I’ve never seen so many complications in my life in a game and that’s where we are going wrong.

“But I have to highlight one of our players today – Andrew Fox – a more experienced player who did everything so simply.”

Clipstone remain in 18th place with 22 points from 29 games although Swallownest are only two points behind now with a game in hand.

The home side even survived having their keeper sent off as both sides finished the game with 10 players on the pitch.

Clipstone have a developed a bad habit of conceding early goals and this was no exception.

On eight minutes the excellent James Woodhouse did well down down the left and beat his man before delivering the ball into the box towards Sam Foulds.

While the ball was taken away from Foulds, it fell to Jack Watts who smashed the ball home from 15 yards out past Cobras keeper Jason White.

The visitors started to get a foothold in the game and Nathan Swindells had a great chance in the 14th minute after being put through by Andrew Fox, but the Clipstone striker could not find the target.

However, Swindells did find the net with his next opportunity on the half hour mark with an excellent free kick after a foul on the Cobras’ Kallan Murphy, who worked hard on and off the ball all afternoon.

Shortly after Clipstone skipper Kofi Appiah was booked for an unnecessary foul and this was to prove costly later on.

Swallownest regained the lead in the 40th minute when a corner from Watts was met by the onrushing Foulds who powered his header home.

The Cobras had their best period of the game in the first 15 minutes of the second period but they failed to find the net.

Firstly, Nathan Moss had time and space on the edge of the box but fired over and then Adam Lillie put Swindells through and, although his shot beat Zac Walker in the home goal, it came back off the post.

Swallownest were then reduced to 10 men on the hour mark when Appiah found Moss who put a clever ball through a static Swallownest defence for Appiah to run onto.

Walker came rushing out of his box but failed to get to the ball and clattered into Appiah, rightly earning himself a red card.

However, Clipstone’s numerical advantage only lasted three minutes before Appiah received a second yellow card for kicking the ball away.

Clipstone failed to press forward enough in the last quarter of the game and really test stand-in keeper Mitch Kent.

Moss tested Kent with a drive in the 69th minute and Kent did well to push it away, but he had little else to do.

Instead the home side sealed the three points in the 79th minute when right back Callum Riley made a great forward run.

His deflected cross drew a great save from White, but the ball fell to Tom Hartshorn who fired home from six yards out.

Cobras' next game is against Parkgate FC at the Lido Ground on Saturday (3pm).