Clitheroe dominated proceedings against play off rivals Bootle, and their deserved victory sets them up nicely for two huge Shawbridge encounters against play off contenders in quick succession.

Youngsters Jack Massey and Louis Potts shared the striking duties and at many points during the game were too hot for Bootle to handle. Clitheroe started the game brightly with wing backs Jacob Hanson and loan signing Michael Davies probing down either flank. On 7 minutes, there was a major shout for a penalty after a Hanson run and cross resulted in Potts being dropped in the penalty area, but no penalty was awarded. Two minutes later, Hanson cantered down the wing again and his driven cross saw the resultant shot turned for a corner. Andrew Teague, often the target for the day’s corners, headed towards goal with Will Hall deflecting the ball goalwards, forcing another corner. On15 minutes Davies found himself through on goal and his shot was parried, before Potts’s follow up was turned for another corner. Attacks were coming at regular intervals for the visitors and Bootle were forced to make desperate blocks in the face of a scintillating opening. On the rare occasion Bootle managed to break forward, Domaine Rouse proved himself more than equal to the challenge with a couple of excellently timed tackles. On 34 minutes, Potts challenged the keeper for the ball on the edge of the box and had the ball in the net before he was deemed to have committed a foul. Hanson went close on 36 minute after a great Potts lay off and defender Hall saw a 20 yard shot scream narrowly over the bar before half time.

The second half started in the same vein, with Potts fouled close to the opposition box within two minutes of the restart. It was no surprise when Clitheroe took the lead on 52 minutes. Massey slipped the ball to Potts, and when his fierce first time shot was parried, Massey continued his run to neatly drive the ball home. One minute later Massey laid the ball to Hanson, whose smart shot was well saved, but Clitheroe were not to be denied. On 56 minutes, Massey received the ball mid way in the Bootle half and as he bore down on the defence he unleashed a fierce drive beyond the despairing home keeper. Against the run of play, Bootle pulled a goal back on 80 minutes when a home forward tacked across the box before angling his shot back across Hakan Burton in goal. Bootle sniffed an undeserved share of the points, but even though Clitheroe defended deep for the rest of the game, they had too much quality to waste all their good work.

TEAM : 1 Hakan Burton, 2 Jacob Hanson, 3 Michael Davies, 4 Domaine Rouse, 5 Andrew Teague, 6 William Hall, 7 Richard Baker, 8 Simon Njaria, 9 Louis Potts, 10 Amaar Hussain, 11 Jack Massey. SUBS : 12 Ross Dent, 14 Matthew Barlow, 15 Matthew Clarke. Not used : 16 Waqas Azam, 17 Veron Parny,