SCARBOROUGH Athletic did not have things all their own way but secured the three points in a 2-1 win over 10-man Clitheroe to boost their play-off hopes in Evo-Stik League division one north.

Fourth-placed Boro missed a first-half penalty en route to going 2-0 up, with the mid-table Lancastrians having a man sent off for the spot-kick offence.

But the only goal of a scrappy second period went to the battling visitors to set up a nervy finale.

Next up for the Seadogs is a trip to fifth-placed Droylsden on Saturday (3pm), the Mancunians having won 4-3 at Warrington Town to bolster their own play-off hopes.

Gary Bradshaw fired in an unstoppable free-kick after six minutes to put Scarborough ahead against Clitheroe in front of a crowd of 347.

Matty Plummer had a goal ruled out for offside but the Seadogs stayed on top and, just before half-time, debutant Cameron Murray - a replacement for Jimmy Ghaichem, who left to join former Boro boss Rudy Funk at AFC Mansfield earlier in the week - was fouled in the area by Danny Morton, who was shown a red card.

Bradshaw saw his penalty saved by Peter Collinge but right on the stroke of half time the Seadogs were awarded a second spot-kick, after Tom Corner was pushed over.

Corner picked himself up to take over penalty duties and duly sent Collinge the wrong way to double the lead.

Corner also saw a second-half shot tipped onto the bar by Collinge, with Beadle caught offside as he looked to apply the finishing touch.

But Boro's failure to find a third goal led to a nervy finale as Ross Dent scored for Clitheroe with two minutes to go to halve the deficit.

Meanwhile, Whitby Town had their Evo-Stik League premier division game at Nantwich Town on Saturday postponed due to a frozen pitch.

This Saturday, the mid-table Blues host basement side Belper Town (3pm).

• FORMER Scarborough Athletic manager Rudy Funk was sent from the touchline during his current club Mansfield's FA Vase defeat to Tadcaster Albion.

The Nottinghamshire club, vying for promotion in Northern Counties East League division one, were beaten 3-0 by premier division leaders.

Funk, who left Boro to take over at the Bulls in November, got his marching orders for berating the referee after he had sent off one of his players, Ryan Williams.

Former Pickering Town favourite Josh Greening got the second of Tadcaster's goals.

Taddy are now two games from Wembley and will be joined in the competition's quarter-finals by a second NCEL premier division club, Shaw Lane Aquaforce, who beat Flackwell Heath 3-2.