Honours even as Clipstone-Teversal derby is a six-goal thriller

Clipstone let a two goal lead slip to local rivals Teversal as a thrilling NCEL Division One local derby ended up all square at 3-3 on Saturday.
Clipstone v Teversal
Clipstone's Jason Edwards out jumps his marker.Clipstone v Teversal
Clipstone's Jason Edwards out jumps his marker.
Clipstone v Teversal Clipstone's Jason Edwards out jumps his marker.

The home side led 2-0 and 3-1, but Teversal hit back with two goals in the last 11 minutes to earn a share of the spoils.

The first five minutes saw Teversal making the better of the play without creating any serious danger to the Clipstone goal.

Teversal did create the first shot of the game, though. A corner from the right was taken by Dave Cockerill. The defensive headed clearance only reached the edge of the area and Sean Dickinson sent a low drive goalwards, Ed Eley saving comfortably.

On 23 minutes Clipstone’s first real chance of the game fell to Kieran Watson. He broke through on the far left side and fired a rasping shot from just inside the area which forced Teversal keeper Ryan Brooks to dive well and pull off a good save.

Two minutes later Carl Snowden won a free kick just over the halfway line after a slightly late challenge from Bradley Cox. Taken by Steve Carty high into the penalty area, Watson got his head on it but could not direct the ball on target.

On 33 minutes a great drop kick from Eley found Haslam in space on the far left. He cut inside three defenders and laid the ball off to Watson, who would have scored had it not been for a goal line clearance.

As the game went on Haslam was proving to be the danger man for Clipstone, and on 40 minutes he showed his class once again. He controlled a high ball from Jason Edwards and turned his man in one movement and headed off towards the Teversal goal.

Beating two defenders just outside the near post, he pulled the ball back to Adam Wisdom on the six yard box who confidently slotted Clipstone 1-0 to the good.

The last five minutes of the first half was mainly played out in midfield with no added scoring opportunities from either side.

Just two minutes and 30 seconds into the second half, Clipstone doubled their lead.

A great run and cross from Carl Snowden eventually came out to Haslam on the left edge of the area.

He again hit the goal line and pulled a low ball across the face of goal and again found Wisdom, this time at the far post, to get his and Clipstone’s second goal of the game.

On 49 minutes it probably should have been 3-0. Again Haslam put a terrific cross from the left into the far post, this time just a little too pacey for Wisdom to grab his hat-trick.

Instead, on 55 minutes Teversal pulled one back, Dave Cockerill finding Dickinson on the edge of the area, whose deflected shot left keeper Eley stranded.

Minutes later Clipstone nearly extended their lead but for a great save from Teversal’s keeper.

Karl Slack, who came on as a replacement for Kieran Watson, was put through by Haslam, Slack’s shot at the near post turned round for a corner.

On 70 minutes another wonderful drop kick outfoxed all the Teversal defenders and Haslam timed his run to perfection, again hitting the goal line.

This time he cut the ball back for Jason Edwards on the six yard box to put the Cobras 3-1 up with a near duplicate goal as the first.

On 75 minutes Haslam, who had run himself into the ground, was replaced by Pete Stubley.

But Teversal were not finished and on 79 minutes they pulled another goal back, a corner on the left taken by Cockerill finding Greg Tobin, whose header beat Ed Eley at the near post.

Just two minutes later it was all square as a high defensive clearance from Teversal found Cockerill 22 yards out. His strength was good enough to hold off the Clipstone defender and fire Teversal to parity.

On 84 minutes Clipstone did have the ball in the back of the net once again, Steve Carty controversially straying offside from a wonderful Edwards flick as a very entertaining game for the neutrals ended all square.

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