TFC

Thornton Cleveleys 0-1 Turton FC

Amateur Shield Final, sponsored by Light Distribution. Report by Alec Whitaker

Craig Jones’ Turton side lifted the Amateur Shield for the first time in 106 years with a solitary goal win over Thornton Cleveleys at the County Ground.

In a fiercely contested encounter with very few clear-cut opportunities, Kieron Sisson’s bullet header in the first half was enough to seal the victory.

Thornton Cleveleys dominated the second half proceedings with Rob Norton and Jordan Spedding coming closest, but they were unable to force an equaliser.

Turton took the lead in the 12th minute when Sisson headed past Mark Smith, after he had failed to deal with Daniel Locke’s right-winged cross.

And they continued to dominate the first half, as Luke Bradbury and Locke saw their 20-yard efforts saved.

Paul Lomax forced Smith into making another smart save in the 41st minute from his looping goal bound header.

Smith then denied Bradbury again on the brink of half time, as he chested the ball down before shooting from distance.

However, Thornton looked re-energised after the restart, and they came close to levelling the score line through Jordan Gregor, who shot narrowly wide of Josh McGreavy’s right post.  

Oliver Wilkinson cut inside on his right foot and presented himself with a shooting opportunity in the 55th minute, but his right-footed effort was dragged horribly wide.

Thornton then missed a golden opportunity to equalise through Rob Norton in the 72nd minute, after substitute Dom Lawson had pulled the ball back to him, but his powerful right-footed effort was dragged just wide from 8 yards.

Joe Robinson thought he’d found the equaliser from Lawson’s corner kick delivery with five minutes remaining, to spark extra time, but his header drifted inches wide.

The result confirmed Turton’s second trophy in the space of three days, after they won the Richardson Cup for the first time in 30 years by beating Coppull United 2-0 at the County Ground.

Thornton Cleveleys: Smith, Lee Bramhall, Dagger, Hudson, Ben Bramhall, Jordan Gregory, Walmsley, Whitham, Robinson, Norton, Wilkinson

Substitutes: Spedding, Keer, Khambay, Lawson, Hadgraft

Turton FC: Mcgreavy, Fitzsimmons, Winstanley, Jordan Lomax, Paul Lomax, Ralphson, Fitton, Sisson (12’), Bradbury, Locke, Dickson

Substitutes: Yates, Karakan, Rigby, Yoak, Atkinson

Referee: Alexander Beckett

Assistant Referees: Curtis Wood & Ali Rahjoo

Fourth Official: Matthew Mcquillan