Squires Gate 1 Lower Breck 2

Gate were still in danger of relegation going into the game, with 21st placed Burscough five points behind with two matches remaining.

Stand-in Gate goalkeeper Luke Christie was tested twice early on, but he did well to parry away an effort from close range and then tip a looping cross onto the bar.

Lower Breck’s early pressure paid off though on 13 minutes, with a teasing cross from the left turned in from close range by Shannon.

Gate responded well and equalised on 16 minutes through James Boyd.

A corner from Ryan Riley was only half cleared, with Rowan Chambers finding Boyd free in the box who fired clinically into the bottom corner.

The visitors got back on top however and retook the lead on 24 minutes.

A corner was played to a free man on the edge of the box, with his low effort bundled in by McKenna.

Cliffe had a well-struck volley held onto by the Lower Breck keeper before a dangerous long throw-in by Riley was well defended by the visitors.

Gate temporarily went down to 10 men just before half time, with Cliffe sin-binned for dissent before re-entering the action on 53 minutes.

Lower Breck did have the ball in the net for a third time but the offside flag was up early. Christie then made another good save, tipping a low effort from the edge of the box away for a corner.

Callum Sandle replaced Dan Gray on the hour mark as Gate began to put pressure on Breck.

A rasping cross from Cliffe only needed a touch, but there was no one to meet it before Josh Westwood towered above his man to head just wide from a free kick.

Westwood then had another header, this time well saved, just after Cliffe had a thunderous effort on his left foot fly just over the bar.

Boyd had a half chance on 86 minutes, volleying wide from the edge of the box, but Gate were denied any clear chances on goal for the remainder of the game despite their best efforts.

Due to Burscough’s 3-1 defeat at Kendal Town, Gate secure their safety in the NWCFL PremierDivision.