Long trip pays no dividends for Kirkbymoorside (From Gazette & Herald)
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Long trip pays no dividends for Kirkbymoorside
2:57pm Wednesday 10th October 2012 in Sport
A heavy surface at Cleator Moor did not suit Kirkbymoorside’s passing game and they fell 1-0 to the Cumbrians to a goal midway through the second half.
Cleator Moor’s pitch passed a morning inspection and so the Moorsiders embarked on their 280-mile round trip – thought to be the longest journey at step seven of the non-League football pyramid.
The Kirkby line-up was missing Johnny Brown, Chris Rhodes and Jonathon Birbeck through unavailability and suspended duo Matty Bower and Tom Ellis. Despite this, it was a useful squad that travelled and Kirkby battled well only to suffer defeat.
Kirkby started well keeping possession on the difficult surface with Sarjo Cham and man-of-the-match Richard Okeahiazam linking play well in the middle. Both teams defended well, limiting shots to long-range efforts.
The first half concluded with Kirkby on top and Nathan James getting round the back of the Cleator defence a couple of times but being unable to convert.
The second half started in a similar fashion with Kirkby moving the ball well and the first opportunity was created by Uyi Ehima, beating two men on an excellent run down the right, but the cross was behind James and cleared by the defence.
On the hour mark a Cleator corner kick was cleared off the line by Connor Campbell after the ball took a deflection from Okeahiazam. Kirkby still held the upper hand and a through ball by Jordan Rivis found James, who rounded the goalkeeper – but put the ball into the side-netting.
It was instead the home team who took the lead when Craig Padley headed home at the near post from a right-wing corner after 70 minutes.
Kirkby then reshuffled the side, playing three upfront and three at the back which put some pressure on the home defence, but long-range efforts from Rivis, Kwami and Bradbury didn’t cause too much difficulty for the Cleator ’keeper, and right at the death a Cleator counter attack ended with Tim Hodgson saving well from 15 yards.
