A bumper 946 crowd witnessed an excellent encounter between two well matched sides, but in the end neither side could make the most of their chances to nick all three points.

With Cam Lancaster back in the centre of defence after a lengthy absence through injury, the defence had a more solid feel about it. Indeed they had to be on their mettle as Town’s physical approach to the game proved a constant threat, especially on the break. The visitors had a couple of early half chances before Sajjad Elhassan created a superb chance on 9 minutes as he burst down the left, narrowly keeping the ball in play, before he started tacking up the bye line, only for his final ball to let him down. Veron Parny was also active throughout the game, and he engineered his first chance on 23 minutes when he skilfully pulled down a high ball and saw his chip deflected over for a corner. Finally, Clitheroe started to apply concerted pressure, preferring swift passing play to Town’s more direct approach. Parny slipped the ball through to Connor High on 25 minutes but his shot was well blocked. Ross Dent and Jacob Hanson then combined well only for Elhassan to squander a great opportunity to shoot. Dent then slipped the offside trap and his shot speared across the face of goal. On 37 minutes, the visitors had the best chance of the game when from a cross the central striker somehow fell over his feet when unmarked and fired straight at Hakan Burton. Elhassan then went to the other end and saw a superb shot matched by a first class save to tip it over the bar.
Early in the second half, Elhassan went off as a precaution and Javaun Splatt was brought on to provide a far more physical threat to Town. As early as 53 minutes, Splatt forced a fine save after being put through by Louis Potts, and a long Lee Pugh thrown almost unlocked the goal on 59 minutes as panic ensued in the visitors’ box. Town were always a threat on the break and on 66 minutes a burst down the left saw a diagonal shot whistle across goal. Parny was then fouled on the edge of the box and his free kick was saved superbly low down by the post as the shot headed in. Potts flashed a header over from five yards from substitute Sean McConville and by now Parny was being fouled virtually whenever he got the ball. As the clock ticked down there was a huge shout for a penalty turned down when Potts was flattened in the area and there was still time for one more chance as Splatt sent his diving header just wide from a Parny cross.

TEAM: Hakan Burton, 2 Jacob Hanson, 3 Lee Pugh, 4 Sam Olawumi, 5 Cameron Lancaster, 6 Richard Baker, 7 Sajjad Elhassan, 8 Ross Dent, 9 Louis Potts, 10 Veron Parny, 11 Connor High. SUBS USED: 12 Sean McConville, 14 Danny Wilkins, 15 Javaun Splatt. Not Used: 16 Michael Bartley, 17 Cameron Bradbury-Allen.