Clipstone mow down Meadows to reach last eight

Clipstone had the first sight of goal on four minutes. Good work on the left from Kieran Watson saw his low cross eventually reaching the feet of Liam Pride.

If he could have connected with the ball properly he could have opened the scoring, only on this occasion he scuffed his shot and the ball trickled into the visiting keeper’s arms.

This was a first half where Clipstone were in total control and with every attack there seemed a likelihood of a goal.

Kieran Watson and Carl Snowdon both had good shouts for a penalty where the Greenwood defenders looked like they were pulling back, except in the eyes of the referee.

You could have thought that Jake Watson in Greenwood’s goal would have been an exceptional keeper wearing a Brazil shirt with the number 10 on it because they did not have a proper goalkeeper shirt.

But it was his poor goal kick that provided Clipstone with the opening goal on 42 minutes.

Failing to get any height on the ball it fell straight to Watson who rushed into the penalty area, leaving all the visiting defenders in his wake, rounded the keeper and slotted the ball home at the far post.

Clipstone came out in the second half with determination and vigour.

A long ball from Jobe Shaw found Carl Snowdon 22 yards from goal, and he turned and fired past the keeper to double the lead on 47 minutes.

There were a couple of soft cautions for Clipstone, Rob Paling and Jason Edwards the recipients midway through the second half.

That did not stop the Cobras from doing their best to increase the lead they had built up, and on 79 minutes they did just that.

A corner on the right taken by Steve Carty found Snowdon running across the face of goal and striking the ball home after beating the defender.

Just one minute later it was 4-0, and it was Carty’s turn to get onto the scoresheet.

Clipstone keeper Mark Hales showed why he is so respected in local football as the only save he had to make all night came on 84 minutes - a great lesson to any budding keepers that no matter what the score is or how little you have to do, concentration doesn’t stop until the final whistle.

CLIPSTONE: Hales, Armstrong (Allan 86), Paling, J. Shaw, B. Shaw, Camm, Pride, Edwards, Snowdon, Watson, Carty. Subs not used: Millington, Webster, Bramwell.