Clitheroe 3 Trafford 1

Clitheroe and Trafford went head to head in an enthralling encounter as the large crowd was treated to a sensational game.

Clitheroe gave debuts to veteran defender Mark Hughes and to livewire striker Luke Gill, and with a shift to a back 3, Jimmy Bell was giving licence for the full backs to get forward at every opportunity. Trafford had seemingly been given a similar instruction and the game ebbed and flowed with attacks at one end being followed by attacks at the other. Veron Parny opened proceedings on 6 minutes as he went on a long mazy run, but his cross eluded a touch, only for Trafford to roar immediately back up the pitch to go close themselves. Trafford took the lead on 17 minutes as they headed home a deep corner unchallenged, and looked to go up a gear. Minutes later, Lenni Cirino came to the rescue as his diving clearance cut out a huge threat, only for Connor High then to have a fine shot blocked after good Clitheroe approach play. The home side were beginning to adjust to the pace of the game and first Matty Clarke and then Louis Potts had good chances. In a great period of pressure, Clitheroe had two goal bound shots cleared before a clumsy challenge saw a penalty awarded. Parny stepped up to take, but his shot was saved only for Potts to follow up to make no mistake.

The second half followed a similar pattern and on 58 minutes a fine Hakan Burton save was immediately followed by a Gill burst that had the visitors back pedalling in panic. Domaine Rouse narrowly headed over a free kick and progressively Clitheroe started to exert more control. Potts was always in the thick of the action but Clitheroe took the lead from an unlikely sources as young centre back Charlie Hayes-Green powered a header beyond the Trafford keeper from a corner. Then, as if to prove it was not a fluke, he repeated the feat minutes later. Still Trafford gamely tried to get back in the game, but the points were staying at Shawbridge on this occasion.

TEAM: 1 Hakan Burton, 2 Matthew Clarke, 3 Lenni Cirino, 4 Domaine Rouse (C), 5 Charlie Hayes-Green, 6 Mark Hughes, 7 Luke Gill, 8 Connor High, 9 Louis Potts, 10 Veron Parny, 11 Emerich Poilly. SUBS USED: 14 Ross Dent, 15 Richard Baker, 16 Sajjad Elhassan, 17 Jake Connelly. Not Used: 12 Sean McConville.