The game marked the 200th appearance for club captain Steve McCarron, who was welcomed onto the pitch alongside his young son Albie with a guard of honour of both teams.

The game began slowly with neither team able to create any clear openings but the opponents were positive in having a go at the Brigg goal from any distance. They won a free kick in the first minute but Lewis Hill caught the long ball played into his area.
From this, he set up Brigg’s opening attack but after winning a throw-in from the left wing the ball was cleared up the pitch. Billy Brooks sent a header over the Brigg crossbar and Gracjan Klimczak’s powerful shot went wide.
When Brigg responded, goalkeeper Ryan Hopkins smothered the ball close to his line. Clay Cross continued to enjoy most possession in the first half hour of play with further efforts from Jake Johnson and Klimczak off target.
Brigg looked solid in their defending with McCarron and Chas Fisher dominating and in the last fifteen minutes of the first half, Brigg began to have more control. A free kick from the right wing into the penalty area was well held by Clay Cross stopper Ryan Hopkins and another left wing cross was sliced wide.
Luke Mascall side-footed a pass from Jack Boswell over the crossbar from ten yards out and followed up with another shot which was well saved by Hopkins.
As the teams were preparing to go into the half time break, Brigg scored the game’s only goal. It came from an attack down the right wing to the edge of the penalty area before Dean McCarthy won control of the ball to turn sharply inside to find the corner of the net.












The goal was scored with virtually the last kick of the ball in the first half and Luke Mascall was substituted by Luke Anderson because of an injury for the second half.
Brigg showed more confidence in the second half and began with another strike from McCarthy going over the bar after being found free in the Clay Cross area.
Anderson then had the ball in the back of the net but was ruled offside. The Brigg substitute continued to look lively and threatening with every touch. He created a chance for Alfie Usher after Hopkins failed to gather the ball cleanly, but the shot at goal was too high.
Then he was unlucky with his attempt to lob the ball over the advancing keeper, who managed to hold on to it.
Clay Cross were still well in the game and another free kick from a central position outside the area was blocked by the home defenders’ protective wall.
At the heart of the visitors’ defence, Trent Jules had an outstanding game.
Brigg used their substitutes well for the closing quarter of the game and managed their slender lead without any further scares until the last five minutes of play when they were reduced in numbers by two red cards harshly issued to Anderson and Prince Heywood in separate incidents.
This resulted in a last-gasp attacking spell by Clay Cross but Brigg defended well and almost scored a second goal with a forward break in added time when the ball was inches away from finding the top corner of the net.
The three points won keeps the Zebras in the top half of the league table and extends their unbeaten run to eleven games. Next Saturday they travel to face Retford F.C.