Clee’s Trophy quest over after home loss
CLEETHORPES Town will now focus their attention on their league ambitions after going down 2-0 to Shildon AFC in the Second Round Qualifying of the FA Trophy at The Linden on Saturday.
Two late goals by the visitors enabled them to march on.
The Owls lined up with keeper Charlie Dixon in goal as a late replacement for Tom Jackson who was injured in training on Thursday evening.
Luke Lofts returned in midfield for his first full game since July and a new strike partnership of Jack McMenemy and Scott Vernon started up front.
It was McMenemy who tested the Shildon keeper in the first minute with a long-range effort which prompted a series of promising early attacks appreciated by the home fans.
Twenty minutes’ later, The Railwaymen replied with a close-range effort that was brilliantly saved by Dixon in the Owls’ goal.
The first half ended in stalemate with Clee having more of the play, but Shildon created more chances.
Manager Dave Smith made several substitutions midway through the second half in the hope of finding a breakthrough.
The tactic almost paid off when Brody Robertson sprinted clear, only to see his effort saved.
The Railwaymen then opened the scoring in the 78th minute when striker Dean Thexton was allowed to jink his way past three defenders and finish with a left-foot strike.
Five minutes’ later, substitute Will McCamley beat the offside trap and smacked the ball home.
Boss Dave Smith said: ”We’ll put this game in the bin and move on, but that is only acceptable if we win the league games coming up.
“We didn’t engage with the goals they scored. We didn’t get a foot in, just backed off and that’s not really us. Maybe it was a bit of fatigue, a bit of tiredness. We’ll have a look at it in the week and sort it out.
“We’ve got a big month of league games and we’ve got to respond now.”