Report by Josh Kingston

The Owls faced tough opposition in the form of fellow high flying Knaresborough Town, in a battle between the third and fourth placed sides.
The first moment of real flair in the game, in a quiet opening to the game, came from Knaresborough, after a lovely move was started by a clever back heel by Stephen Bromley, to James Evison, who picked out a free man to deliver a cross, but the final ball wasn’t up to the standards of the earlier moments of the move.
Knaresborough started to have the better opportunities and a surging run from the left and a crisp delivery created a gilt- edged opportunity, for Stephen Bromley, whose diving header flashed beyond the post, to the dismay of the centre forward.
Seconds later, Bromley was given a chance to redeem himself after a good ball behind the defence, provided him with an opportunity, but he fired his effort beyond the far post. Remarkably Bromley was provided with a third opportunity in a good five minute spell for Knaresborough, but headed over from inside the box after an accurate delivery from captain Paul Stansfield.
Knaresborough had wasted many great opportunities but Colin Heath’s miss topped the lot. It was the second of a catalogue of errors. Originally the Cleethorpes Town goalkeeper Scott Drury miss kicked the ball, and looked to have gifted the opposition the lead, only for Heath to round him, and then fire wide with the goal at his mercy; to the despair of the Knaresborough support.
After a distinct lack of opportunities, Luke Mascall carved out a chance of his own for Cleethorpes, as he jinxed beyond his marker, and advanced into the box with pace, but the quality of his effort didn’t match that of the run, as it was gathered by Jack Rushworth in the Knaresborough goal.
In the early stages of the second half Marc Cooper twice attempted to open the scoring to no avail, turning and striking an effort wide, and then shortly following up with a curling effort which dipped over the bar.
The competitiveness of the match began to shine through, with the first example a strong sliding challenge from Jack Rushworth in the Knaresborough Town goal, denying an opportunity after some decent Cleethorpes inter-play.
Moments later another strong challenge, this time from Cleethorpes Town’s dependable full back Tim Lowe, lead to moments of controversy, as strong words were uttered, and players crowded around the referee. The heat of the situation also reached to the stands, as a couple of Knaresborough fans let their feelings be known to Tim Lowe.
Town took advantage of the rise in temperature in the game, as defender Daniel Barrett whipped in a fine delivery, which would have surely lead to the opening goal, had a Town player been on hand to connect with it.
However, this was rectified moments later, after a corner from Barrett, was nodded across from the back post, and Darren Hanslip provided a captain’s effort, looping the goalkeeper for a vital opening goal.
The opposition almost replied instantly after a long ball over the top put Carl Heard through, and his dipping effort had the goalkeeper beaten only to scrape the top of the bar.
However, the equaliser did arrive shortly afterwards after the Town defence was outwitted by a good move. The ball was chipped through to the by-line, and despite the best effort of the Town defence the ball was played across to the onrushing Joel Freeston, who slotted home at the back post.
A tense ending, to a fiercely contested fixture followed, with both sides looking to carve out that all important opportunity, but in the end Town were fortunate to come away with the draw, after a curling free kick from David Thomas in the dying moments, was met with a fantastic reflex save from Scott Drury. Cleethorpes Town will look to return to winning ways with a fixture against Worsborough Bridge Athletic when they face them on Wednesday 24th in what will be another tough test at home.