Sefton Gonzales opened the scoring for Clitheroe in the third minute with a smart shot from the edge of the box, before Danny Wilkins doubled the scoring five minutes later with a screamer from 20 yards. Clitheroe dominated the rest of the half but could not convert their multiple chances into goals. Gonzales almost made it three on 17 minutes, but former Blue Chris Thompson hared out to save at his feet after a Mossley error. On 35 minutes, a deep free kick from Lee Pugh found Gonzales’s head, but Alex Henderson could not quite get the ball from under his feet when well positioned in the box. Equally, Veron Parny should probably have done better after a superb lofted ball from Richie Baker picked him out, and after cutting in from the wing, he failed to hit the target with it at his mercy.

The second half followed a broadly similar pattern. Shortly after the restart, Mossley full back Josh Dickin turned in a cross from Jacob Hanson to extend Clitheroe’s lead further, before Joseph Richards pulled one back after good work on the left. The three goal cushion was restored one minute later when a Hanson run was stopped at the edge of the Mossley box, with Veron Parny capping a superb game by striking the free kick home with barely a backlift. Domaine Rouse then poached a goal after a defensive mix up, before debutant Kaiden Barlow laid a pinpoint through ball for substitute John McGrath, who calmly rounded the keeper and walked the ball home.

Mossley pulled back two consolation goals in stoppage time, but this was to be Clitheroe’s day.

Team: Burton, Hanson, Holden, Baker, Pugh, Priestley, Rouse, Henderson, Gonzales, Wilkins, Parny

Subs (used) Sephton, McGrath, Barlow
Subs (not used): Lancaster, Taberner