Perfect penalties for Cleator secure Presidents Cup honours

Jack Halliwell gave Croston the lead on 26 minutes before Luke Close’s equaliser late in the day, after which CMC prevailed on spot kicks.

Both sides defended expertly in the opening stages, with the first real chance of the game coming on 12 minutes when Rhys Little headed wide from a free kick for Cleator Moor.

Zac Benson Lester had a similar opportunity four minutes later but that too didn’t trouble Cameron Allison.

Josh Hill then had a go at the other end from a dead ball situation, which Croston looked dangerous from throughout the game, but his flicked header was saved by Logan Carson.

Croston took the lead on 26 minutes and it was a result of another successful set piece routine.

Captain Andy Birch pumped the ball forward from the halfway line and it found Jack Halliwell, who headed it powerfully into the middle of the net.

Cory Gill almost got Croston’s second as they began to gather serious momentum, but Carson claimed the ball down low to his right.

Cleator Moor had a couple of decent chances before the break, but Adam Smith and Zack Martin were both denied by the Croston backline.

Four minutes after the restart, Smith tried again to find an equaliser after some lovely work down the left from CMC, but Cam Allison saved well.

Down the other end, Cory Gill beat two defenders on the left flank and cut across to Harvey Parker, but he couldn’t keep his shot down.

As Cleator Moor Celtic searched for a leveller and Croston fought to stay ahead, the game became more physical and it looked like a moment of real quality would be needed for there to be another goal.

That almost came on 82 minutes when Cleator Moor substitute Ben McCarron let fly from 20 yards out, but Allison made another fine stop, tipping the ball over the bar.

Just five minutes later, Luke Close had a go from the edge of the box after shuffling past his marker and, this time, the ball found the back of the net to bring the scores level.

There were chances for a late winner for both sides, with Rhys Little central to them: his headed effort from a corner for Cleator Moor was held by Allison, before he produced an inch perfect tackle on Harvey Parker, who was bearing down on goal.

The referee’s whistle signalled that a penalty shootout would decide a West Lancs final for the second time this week after Thursday's Richardson Cup final was decided by spot kicks.

Luke Close, Adam Smith, Ben McCarron and Jack Burns were all on target for Cleator Moor Celtic to secure the 4-1 win on spot kicks.

Their manager Gareth Agnew said: “I can’t watch penalties so I didn’t see them! To get the result for the lads, especially [Logan Carson] who’s 16 years old is fantastic, and he saved one as well, outstanding.

“The first half, fair play to Croston, they were fantastic - we were second to every ball, they were at it and we couldn’t live with them.

“Second half, the lads dug in, we got the goal and I thought we could have got the winner but it went to pens and, from what the lads are saying, they were fantastic.”

Croston Sports manager Stuart Birch said: “It’s a horrible way to lose any cup final but I’m immensely proud of my players today, they’ve given a good account of ourselves.

“We’ve had three Premier Division sides in this cup run and we’ve acquitted ourselves against all three.

“I thought we were the better side in the first half and we started well, probably deserved to be in the lead but in the second half we had to weather the storm; Cleator put us under a lot of pressure and we dealt with it well until the final five minutes of the game.

“We’ll bounce back for next season.”