Lancashire F.A. Challenge Trophy
2nd Round
Tuesday 3rd December 2024
Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.46
Thornton Cleveleys 1 Radcliffe 4, attendance 249
13’ 0-1
23’ 0-2 (pen)
54’ 0-3
74’ 0-4
81’ 1-4
@ Gamble Road
Thornton Cleveleys
FY5 4JH
£5 Admission
£2 Programme available, didn’t bother buying.
When I last saw a Thornton Cleveleys home game, back in October 2000, they played on a ground to the north of Gamble Road, which is now under housing, but in 2021 they moved to a new ground to the south of this road, backing on to the Poolfoot Farm Training Complex of Fleetwood Town F.C. The new ground has enabled them to make the step up to the North West Counties League, having won the West Lancashire League Premier Division last season. The ground doesn’t yet meet the grading for this level. It only has spectator access on two sides (along the entrance/clubhouse side and behind the right hand goal), with a pair of dugouts on the far side. There is a small section of covered standing, but no evidence of any seats, or even any area that may be earmarked for them. There is a good sized clubhouse, accessed once inside the ground and a snack bar pitch side too. It was bitterly cold and there were a couple of spells of light rain, which thankfully didn’t last long, especially as the pitch wasn’t looking to be at it’s best.
Thornton Cleveleys have struggled since being promoted, currently 13th in the league table, whilst Radcliffe play four levels higher, in National League North, sitting in 21st place (out of 24). Right from the off, it looked to be a case of how long could Thornton hold out. It turned out to be thirteen minutes, before Tom Walker controlled a ball across the box from the left and finished with a curling shot into the bottom corner. Ten minutes later it was 0-2, when Anthony Dudley converted a penalty and it was pretty much game over. Nine minutes into the second half Tonde Owalab made it 0-3, when a quick break was finished with a shot from the edge of the box that went in off the underside of the crossbar. With sixteen minutes left Owalab scored again, to make it 0-4, finishing into the bottom corner after a one two on the edge of the box, before Jordan Beavers got a late consolation for the hosts, nipping in at the near post to touch in a cross from the right. Radcliffe now visit Bacup Borough in the next round.
The journey in both directions was like going back twenty years. Just eight minutes of delays heading up to the Fylde coast (mainly at the M5/M6 intersection) and only a couple of minutes on the return, arriving home at 01.40. So, that’s the North West Counties League re-completed once more and back down to half a dozen clubs required at Step 1 to 6 now.
