A fifth straight league win sent Elston United to the top of the league table, but The Clams had to grind out victory against a young, talented Clifton team. Tom Hazelwood and Sam Lloyd both scored for Elston – along with an own goal – as a much-changed squad battled hard to maintain the winning run.

Despite spending much of the first period defending Elston went into the half-time break 2-0 up. Hazelwood opened the scoring after 27 minutes after he exchanged passes with Elliott Burrell before firing low across the Clifton keeper and into the far corner of the net. Just before the interval a dangerous corner from man-of-the-match Burrell was headed into his own net by the unfortunate Clifton defender to double Elston’s lead.

In the second half the Elston midfield of Hazelwood, Lloyd, Cullen and Furman worked hard to keep The Clams in front, and the tireless running of Rui Thacker provided a constant threat to the Clifton defence. On the hour, however, Clifton’s pressure paid when the Elston defence failed to deal with a cross into the box and the Clifton striker poked home the loose ball to half the deficit.

The goal seemed to make Elston even more resolute, and Clifton struggled to generate genuine chances. Even the ‘sin bin’ dismissal of James Smith for 10 minutes failed to change the flow of the game and during this period Elston grabbed a third goal. In the 78th minute Sam Lloyd, playing in defence while Smith was off the pitch, won the ball in his own half and passed to Burrell who released Thacker down the right wing. Thacker’s low cross was met by Furman and although his shot was saved by the Clifton keeper, Lloyd had continued his run into the Clifton box and was on hand to sweep home the rebound.

Elston United: Harry Johnson, Barney Repper, James Smith, Jake Ledbetter, Archie Dillon (Josh Johnson 78), Sam Lloyd, Toby Cullen, Tom Hazelwood, Elliott Burrell (Jordan Forth 81), Teddy Furman, Rui Thacker. Sub not used: Toby Craven