Clitheroe blast seven to book semi-final spot

ATHERTON COLLIERIES 2

CLITHEROE booked themselves a semi-final date with Darwen after an emphatic performance destroyed Cols in this NWTL Floodlit Trophy quarter final clash.

After a series of postponements, Steve Parry's men finally made up for lost time with a super show inspired by a brace from the recalled Craig Dewhurst and a hat-trick from Brian Welch.

It was Dewhurst who set the ball rolling out of the blue on 33 minutes when his cross-shot was fumbled by the visiting keeper and squirmed over the line.

And he bagged his second six minutes later with a thumping 25 yarder which rocketed into the top corner.

Carl Greenwood all but sealed it six minutes after the break when he benefited from a lucky ricochet inside the box and dinked the ball beyond the keeper. But Jason Holroyd pulled one back within a minute, after appearing to wrestle Darren Norman to the ground, to spark Cols best spell of the match.

The Blues held their nerve though and Welch got his first on 67 minutes after a neat one-two with Dave Gardner.

Dennis Hill slammed home the fifth from an acute angle with 20 minutes left after a deep left-wing cross from Mark Stewart.

And Welch completed his hat-trick with two carbon copy strikes on 79 and 87 minutes.

In between, Gary Andrews pulled another one back for Cols but it was of little consolation as the Blues cruised through in comfort.

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