Cup dream over for Leigh Genesis (From Leigh Journal)

Cup dream over for Leigh Genesis

10:10am Monday 15th February 2010 in

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Clitheroe 3 Leigh Genesis 1

LEIGH Genesis' dream of a money-spinning Lancashire Trophy Final at the Reebok Stadium were cruelly ended at the neutral venue of Leyland's County Ground with defeat against uncomprising league rivals Clitheroe.

Having run out 2-1 victors when the sides met earlier in the season, Garry Flitcroft's Leigh side were justifiably confident at clinching a berth in the Lancashire Co-Operative Challenge Trophy Final, one that would generate thousands of pounds of income for the club.

It would be unfair to describe such a payday as "much needed", as that simply doesn't do justice to what was at stake at Lancashire FA headquarters.

On a freezing cold evening with the occasional flurry of snow, Leigh played down the County Ground's rather substantial slope in the first half, with Clitheroe choosing a more direct approach to take advantage of the hill holding up any long balls towards the corners and channels.

Andy Heald had an early Leigh opportunity on eleven minutes, dragging his shot wide of the far post from the edge of the area before Genesis saw a goal controversially chalked off by the flag of referee's assistant Natalie Walker on eighteen minutes. Steve Flitcroft played a smart through ball that Tom Ince cleverly backheeled first-time in to space behind the defence for Kris King to expertly sweep home what would have only been his second Leigh goal on his fifty sixth appearance for the club, only for his celebrations to be cut short by an offside call.

Leigh were left to rue that decision six minutes later when Nathan Taylor crossed from the right hand side for former Lowton High School pupil Danny Williams, a former target of his hometown club, to nudge the ball in to the back of the net at the back post.

Karl Munroe headed a Tom Ince corner wide of the target on twenty six minutes, and it was to be from an Ince set piece that Leigh levelled the scores on thirty five minutes as the winger curled in a free kick from the left hand side for Andy Heald to head home.

However, just as Leigh were planning on going in to the half time break on level pegging, Clitheroe mounted a counter attack in first half stoppage time that ended with Alan Coar sending Stephen Drench the wrong way and slotting in.

As the game became more physical in the second half, Leigh were poles apart from their opponent's tactics and showed a clear determination to retain possession and pass to the feet of a team-mate wherever possible, though they were often struggling to break through a resolute defence as the game became more and more physical.

Ince flew past two challenges but has hacked down by Jonathan Forbes as he looked set to deliver a cross before substitute Liam McManus, Forbes' replacement, survived some strong penalty games after seeming to nudge the ball back to his goalkeeper with his hand when attempting to intercept a Heald dink over the defence.

McManus' contribution was to prove pivotal as he secured his side's passage to Bolton on seventy three minutes, sending a thumping header past Drench from a right wing corner.

Leigh sub Ilie Morariu was denied by a fantastic low Danny Hanford save after shooting through a crowd of bodies late on, but Clitheroe managed to hold on through a surprisingly short period of only three minutes added on at the end of the game to celebrate progress to a final against the winners of the other semi final between Southport and league rivals Lancaster City.

Leigh Genesis: Stephen Drench, Lee Woodyatt, Kris King (Mark Ross), Chris Page, Karl Munroe, Andy Heald, Jack Dorney, Steve Flitcroft (Ilie Morariu), Jordan Stepien (Richard Ratcliffe), Dale Whitham, Tom Ince.