Owls Steel The Points

Cleethorpes Town 2-1 Stockbridge Park Steels (Northern Premier League)

It was former Grimsby Town midfielder Tommy Watson who formed Lincolnshire Soccer School in 1998, they would soon become LSS Lucarly before changing their name to Cleethorpes Town in 2008, Watson still to this day involved in mostly coaching the club's juniors.

Since changing names a third time, the Owls have rapidly risen up the divisions from winning the Lincolnshire League and both Northern Counties East First and Premier Divisions to gaining promotion last season after winning the Northern Premier League East Division.

And it's been a good first campaign at step 3 under their Manager Craig Rouse, eighth in the table ahead of tonight, just six points from the playoff places and hoping to bridge the gap on those above, who include the likes of Lincolnshire county rivals Gainsborough Trinity who are fifth.

Stockbridge have been going a little while longer. Not much though, formed in 1986 as a merger of Stockbridge Works (of the local steel plant) and Oxley Park Sports, the Steels, as they are nicknamed for obvious reasons, have been in the Northern Premier League system since 1996, after ten years of previously playing in the Northern Counties East Leagues.

Like Cleethorpes, last year was a good year as they gained promotion to this very division, finishing third behind their opponents tonight and second place Dunston, who they beat in the playoff finals on penalties.

Unlike Cleethorpes, Stockbridge have found matters tough at the level and are bottom of the table but recent results, including a 1-1 draw with high flying Hednesford and a 2-0 win last time out against Ashton United provides optimism, things have been picking up for Jordan Lemon's side who since Christmas have at least returned 16 points from 13 games, in a competitive division, a win tonight would potentially take them out of the relegation places from twenty-first to seventeenth.

The sun is out but I expect it to be nippy tonight on the south Humberside coast, I'm out the door at 4pm as it's a two hour drive and with it being Easter Holidays it could be a popular destination for weekend vacaters heading towards some of Lincolnshire's finest resorts.

The traffic on the A46 is slow as I turn up relieved onto the quieter A15 and stop off at a Spa for some food, I'm heading towards Market Rasen and Caister, quiet, rural and surprisingly hilly is the route towards the sea side, I've never been to Cleethorpes before so I'm not sure what to expect?

The Venue

I'm back on the A46 and heading into town as I pass some sizable nice plots along the Laceby Road. Romance had me tricked into thinking Grimsby and the surrounding areas were all about terraced houses, but bungalows, semis and detached line the spacious streets around here.

As green recreational space nicely opens up I spot some floodlights which I believe is my destination but I'm wrong, the King George Stadium is an athletics arena nearby, but backing onto that is the Linden Club, home of Cleethorpes Town and a cricket team called Clee Laportes CC.

There's parking on the football pitches outside the stadium walls as I pull up for free, directed by a steward, a short walk to the turnstile in the corner, it's £11 entry, and inside I get a nice surprise.

Ahead of my visit I googled the venue and the pictures didn't do it justice, a small modern facility on old ground it has real quirk with a lovely flat wide pitch which apparently was dug up and re-laid a few years ago. An old boy telling me "they used to play cup finals on here but underneath was full of slate, how anyone didn't get a serious injury I don't know" he said.

As I walk around from the back of the goal which has nice fancy blue nets, there's a covered seated area to the left, split in three it has a Directors section with padded seats and perspex windows to keep the cold away for those in suits, there's a Church in the back ground as you look down the line to add some auld English nostalgia, the rest of the place quite sparse but open, the changing facilities, shop and clubhouse all behind the far goal tucked out of trouble, painted in black.

The Game

I take a seat and chat to the clubs cameramen as a few Stockbridge fans walk by. There must be eight or nine kids with cones on their heads? I didn't get the fancy dress memo but there was a rally for all to bring their children (and dogs) tonight as to open the holiday weekend, it's one of only three matches being played in the country.

It's a tough one to call, Stockbridge have plenty of fight in them and the league table is remarkably tight, a win can take them up as high as five places but Cleethorpes have an outside eye on a playoff place themselves, quietly confident, hoping they go under the radar, unnoticed, with a late rally, it's a frantic start which lacks a little bit of quality as the ball appears to go out of play more times than it is on the park. At one point the steward is walking off with the ball as everybody looks on, waiting for him to return it.

There's a few injury stoppages and not much flow, when Stockbridge in their away claret and blue kit do get it, they go long and direct to their big number nine Rawson, whilst Cleethorpes in all blue can play, which I remembered vaguely from seeing them earlier in the season at Ilkeston. It feels like a classic 442, two good full backs, an experienced centre half pairing of O'Grady and Hughes, two in midfield who can pass and move, two brilliant wingers, one Max Wright on loan from Halifax, another Callum Ainley is a player released in the summer by Grimsby due to a medical condition, he's one who has found his home at the Linden Club after spending almost a season out with thyroid cancer and since getting back to fitness he has slowly improved to the football league quality player he was whilst playing for Crewe and the Mariners prior to diagnosis, both wide men have natural ability to cause real havoc, number ten Braithwaite inventive off the big but wiry Josh Walker who can certainly hold is own as a number nine.

The Score

Stockbridge have cracked a bar and had a chance missed agonisingly wide, they have caused Cleethorpes trouble with that long ball over the top, the home defence play a slightly high line and you can get in behind, but I really like O'Grady who is organising and combative. Liam Hughes next to him is a 30 plus season striker who signed from Worksop, he's also brilliant at centre half and "he's played more at the back than he has for us upfront since signing" the cameraman tells me.

There's not much in the game but the difference is the quality Cleethorpes have in going forward, a neat move down the left has Josh Walker cross low to Ackroyd and the late arriving midfielder strikes low to put the hosts one up.

At half time you feel it's a deserved lead on the balance but Cleethorpes need to be wary. The visitors come out of the traps in the second half really well, with plenty of fight and spirit, they go racing down their left where James Morris is very impressive, he finds Alex O'Connor with time and space, the midfielder levelling up on 63.

You feel it sets the game up nicely for a tense finale but Cleethorpes go up the other end and win a corner, the ball played to the edge of the area where Jack Vann is waiting, he strikes through a crowd hard to wrestle back advantage.

That lifts the home team to hang and hold onto something again, it's not pretty but both teams give it their all, Stockbridge using their subs really well actually finish the game much stronger, they've been prodding and probing with direct play, but it's not enough, the final few seconds are mostly played by the away team corner flag as Josh Walker barriers the ball, it's a gutsy display from the bottom of the table Steels, but that little bit of class Cleethorpes have, was the difference in getting all three points.

The Stars

From front to back I really like the look of Cleethorpes who have a solid base, two no frills full backs in Gallimore and Boateng are solid competitors with good engines, who both put a good ball into the box. Connor O'Grady was perhaps my man of the match, never to be outdone by the awkward Rawson in attack, he's a true leader who's been around the divisions, starting his career at Sheffield Wednesday following moves to the likes of Buxton, Stalybridge Celtic and Matlock.

Next to O'Grady, Liam Hughes proved what a good footballer he is, value in both boxes, he's equally as comfortable as centre half as he is in attack, he looked leaner than I has seen him previously too. Whilst in midfield the engine of Ackroyd and Vann was ticking along all game, the wide threat evident, Callum Ainley is too good for this level, so too is Max Wright.

Whilst in attack, Aaron Braithwaite was technically good, complimenting Josh Walker who played the target role very well. Walker isn't afraid of those big defenders who will bustle into him, he has a good goals return and links play very well.

Stocksbridge had moments in the game, but despite the effort, didn't have the quality Cleethorpes had in numbers, their best player for me former Doncaster Rovers forward James Morris on the left, whilst Luke Rawson a big tall number nine had a deceptive turn of pace, he was awkward to deal with, the interestingly named Romario Dunne disappointing, he played (and looked) more like a Kevin, or Jack.

The Verdict

Cleethorpes might surprise a few in the run in towards the end of this season, they are a club on the up, when asked on their ambition their cameraman told me (who is by no means the clubs spokesperson) "this season was all about survival, and staying in the division". They will certainly survive at least, but things could be even better, not to be ruled out of the promotion race, just yet.

As a ground, Cleethorpes is a quiet little up and coming gem, modern and basic from the outset, but look beneath it has some real quirks, just a shame that it's always bloody cold here, because that chill off the sea, will certainly put a few off coming to pay a visit.

Stocksbridge are still battling hard, the ghost should not yet be given up, they will now sit back and watch results this weekend, whilst hoping on Monday, they can pick up points against Leek, before taking on Warrington, Ilkeston and Lancaster, who at least may all have little to play for.

The Teams

Cleethorpes Town: Ollie Battersby, Dan Gallimore, Kwame Boateng, Jack Vann, Connor O'Grady, Liam Hughes, Max Wright (Joey Phuti 67), Joe Ackroyd (Callum Foster 90), Josh Walker, Aaron Braithwaite, Callum Ainley (Leon Gibson-Booth 81).

Stocksbridge Park Steels: Ben Townsend, Jack Tinkler, Connor Smith, Luke Hogg (Thomas Poole 56), Kasper Williams, Paul Iggulden, Tommy Marshall (Deshuan Musgrave-Dore 77), Alex O'Connor, Luke Rawson, Romario Dunne (Jack Watson 73), James Morris (Luca Cancello 73).

7:45pm Kick Off. Thursday 2nd April 2026, The Linden Club, Cleethorpes (att 607).