Clitheroe rolled up their sleeves in abysmal conditions and showed a backbone of steel to match their obvious quality, to take home the three points from a rain lashed all seater stadium with a last minute winner.

The first half was played very cautiously as both sides did not want to lose the early advantage. The rain was making the plastic surface greasy but as the rain continued, the surface really proved its worth. It lent itself to slightly ponderous play and lots of epic cross field passing, punctuated occasionally by bursts of attacking intent. Ross Dent, who covered every blade of plastic grass, was bundled over in the box after nine minutes but the excellent referee waved play on, before minutes later Dent had a shot deflected for a corner. The first real chance fell to Sefton Gonzales whose superb turn and shot on 14 minutes drew an equally good save from ex Blue Carmeron Terry. On 37 minutes Veron Parny almost threaded a pass through the defence to the rampaging Dent, but it was deftly cut out. Widnes’s only chance of the half came minutes later when Hakan Burton made a great block down low from a central header. From this save, Jacon Hanson ran with the ball and sent Dent free to run towards goal, before he squared to Gonzales to steady himself and then easily drive home.

The second half opened with torrential rain and Widnes warmed more to their task with Clitheroe sitting deeper than previously. On 57 minutes, Dent swapped passes with Veron only to see his shot at goal go wide. On 60 minutes, Widnes should have equalised, when a high cross eluded the defence,, and when Burton was rounded by the striker as he sought to get the ball, the goal was at the striker’s mercy, only to see him miss by the proverbial country mile. Clitheroe went three at the back to try and win back the upper hand, but it was Widnes who scored next. On 72 minutes, Burton dived full length to save a powerful, skidding low cross, only for the ball to squirm away and to be buried by the home side. This seemed to galvanise Clitheroe and we were left with a battle royal as the sides went toe to toe. A draw looked the most likely outcome until Burton played the ball to Cameron Lancaster, whose pass to Richie Baker saw a lofted fifty yard pass which Gonzales headed past the stranded keeper to take the three points back to Lancashire.

Team: Burton, Hanson, Sloan, Baker, Lancaster, Hall, Davidson, Wilkins, Gonzales, Dent, Parny
Subs (used) McGrath, Arnasalam
Subs (not used) Howarth, Booth, Jesus