Clitheroe 4 Darwen 1(Clitheroe win 7-2 on aggregate)

A STUNNING hat-trick from striker Brian Welch ensured Clitheroe booked their place in the final of the North Western Trains League Floodlit Trophy.

The ex-Stanley front man made one and scored one to put the Blues in the comfort zone barely half an hour into last night's second leg.

And after the sending off of Darwen's Andy Bright three minutes into the second half, Welch helped himself to two more.

It was the visitors who made the brighter start and Paul Baker had an early chance to claw back a 3-1 first leg defecit but his lob was scrambled off the line.

But keeper Lee Purvis fumbled a Craig Dewhurst cross on 19 minutes and Welch was there to tuck away the loose ball. Neil Ollerton missed a sitter before Welch then turned provider on 34 minutes with a pinpoint cross which Dennis Hill headed home.

The second half was just three minutes old when a late challenge from Bright on Hill resulted in his second booking of the game.

That pepped up the Anchormen for a spell and Steve Lynch pulled one back after a mix up between Jon Parrott and Gary Rishton.

But Welch killed off any thoughts of a comeback with a close range header from another Dewhurst centre on 60 minutes.

And he saved his best until last, chesting down substitute Andy Taylor's cross before slamming a volley past Purvis with four minutes left.

The floodlights then failed but after a 20 minute delay the two teams played out the last few minutes to ensure Clitheroe face Kidsgrove in the final on April 22.

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