Clay Cross make sure of runners-up spot, despite red card

Frustrated Clay Cross Town rounded off a season in which the league title has again slipped fromn their grasp by making sure of the runners-up spot, despite a red card.
No way through for Clay Crosss Grant Mitchell as he is tackled by Joel Elms.No way through for Clay Crosss Grant Mitchell as he is tackled by Joel Elms.
No way through for Clay Crosss Grant Mitchell as he is tackled by Joel Elms.

Having led the Central Midlands League, North Division for most of the season, Clay Cross paid the price for a 4-1 defeat at the hands of their main rivals and newly-crowned champions, Retford, in the final run-in.

But at least a 2-0 win at Dinnington Town in their last match staved off a challenge by Collingham for second place. And they managed it even though they lost Ryan Ordidge, who was sent off ten minutes into the second half for an off-the-ball incident.

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On paper, the match looked a comfortable task, but the Millers weere missing many players through injury and arrived with a bare 11, two of whom were carrying knocks.

Therefore, it took some resolute defending to keep Dinnington at bay before leading scorer Josh Parfitt opened the scoring by crashing an unstoppable shot past the ‘keeper.

An end-to-end encounter followed and after Ordidge’s dismissal, it was touch and go whether Clay Cross would hold on.

Diningtohn hit the bar before gifting the Millers their second goal when goalkeeper Jonathan Stringer pushed Ashley Radmore for a penalty that Ant Lynam fired home.

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