IF ONLY Blues boss Steve Parry could have kidnapped Peter Beardsley.

The ex-England striker now winding down his career at Hartlepool United had the Clitheroe squad under his spell on the eve of their big day when he breezed through the hotel bar, where Hartlepool were also staying before facing Exeter City.

And it was the kind of wizardry that the impish Geordie so often produced which might have made all the difference when it came to taming classy Tivvy.

For 64 glorious minutes the improbable looked possible as Parry's side more than held their own against the current FA Vase holders.

But when it came to the crunch they didn't quite have the magic to produce the knock-out blow.

The first goal was always going to be decisive.

Tivvy went into the contest brimming with confidence after winning 19 of their previous 20 matches, scoring a glut of goals along the way.

And it was not hard to see why as the movement of gunslingers Phil Everett and Pete Varley was quite simply of a different class.

But the Blues, too, boasted their own proud record having kept four clean sheets in each of their four previous FA Vase ties this season.

They needed all that resolve as the home side started off like a house on fire in the opening minutes.

At that stage it was all about survival.

With impressive trio Pete Conning, Steve Daly and Kevin Nancekivill orchestrating things in midfield, Xav Bowers and Gary Rishton had to dig deep to keep the probing runs of Varley and Everett in check.

Twice in a minute midway through the half Conning unlocked the Blues defence and sent Varley away but both times keeper Jon Parrott kept his cool and pulled off fine saves. But as the half wore on Clitheroe grew in confidence and carved out their best chance of the game in first half stoppage time.

Carl Greenwood whipped over a wicked corner, Dave Gardner applied the near post flick but his effort was booted off the line as Rishton raced in.

That gave Parry's men the lift they needed and they took the tie by the scruff of the neck in a 20 minute spell after the break.

A vicious cross-shot from Brian Welch proved too hot for keeper Paul Edward to handle but Gardner couldn't touch home the loose ball.

Then Greenwood met a Chris Grimshaw corner but his goalbound header was deflected agonisingly wide.

Yet it was the home side who struck with a classic counter attack on 64 minutes.

Mark Stewart's long throw was headed clear on the edge of the Tivvy box, Conning raced 60 yards before squaring to Daly and he slipped the ball out to Everett who clinically beat Parrott with a stinging low drive.

And it was quickly 2-0 when three minutes later Dave Leonard robbed Grimshaw out on the left and his pinpoint centre was expertly slotted home by Varley.

Welch had the chance to pull one back but couldn't get any power behind his shot on the turn.

But that man Everett - for whom everything he touches turns into goals - killed off any thoughts of a comeback when his cross-shot floated over Parrott and into the top corner for his 28th of the season.

Centre back Darren Tallon headed wide from a corner before Nancekivill pounced on a slip by Rishton to tuck away the fourth in the 80th minute to round things up.

That was desperately cruel on the Blues who deserved much more after such a brave show.

As for Tivvy, on this evidence they seem all set to become the first side in history to retain the FA Vase.

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