Clitheroe started the brighter of the two sides at Stainton Park and even managed to carve out a couple of half chances within the opening 10 minutes. A driven effort from range by Wilkins could only find the arms of the Radcliffe Borough keeper and an ambitious curling effort by Jordan Preston flew wide of the far post after a clever one two with James Walker.

It was then the turn of Radcliffe to put on the pressure. Bevan Burey hit a tame effort towards goal before running one on one with Paul Horridge soon after who charged off his line to thwart the attack.

Both teams continued to threaten as the half wore on but it was Radcliffe who came closest in the first half. Danny Lafferty played Burey through on the right hand side and the pacey Borough striker hit a powerful shot towards goal, only to see it rattle off the underside of the crossbar.

Half time came and went with the sides level pegging and the deadlock still intact, neither side able to find the right opportunity to score an opener.

Early in the second half both sides came close to opening the scoring. A Radcliffe cross from the right hand side was diverted goalwards by the wind and struck the keepers back post, before Clitheroe’s Blackburn Rovers loanee Jordan Preston tested Cheetham in the Radcliffe goal.

Preston latched onto a long ball from the defence and hit an effort across goal which prompted a smart save from the Borough keeper.

Ross Dent then set the ball for Dominic Mulkerrin in the opponent’s box as Clitheroe continued to press, but Mulkerrin’s effort was just a little too high and dropped over the home keeper’s crossbar.

With 15 minutes to go Radcliffe were presented with a perfect chance to take the lead but Elliot Rokka misplaced his header from inside the six yard box. Bevan Burey sent over the pin point cross for Rokka, but he was unable to aim his attempt on target and the scores remained level.

Clitheroe created another good attacking chance as the final few minutes ticked away. Preston raced clear of his marker on the left hand side before pulling the ball back to Morton on the edge of the box. Morton jinked past the first man in his path but was quickly fouled on the edge of the box as he looked for space to release a shot.

From the resulting free-kick Simon Garner saw his low effort parried into the path of Preston, but the Blackburn youngster could only find the Radcliffe goalkeeper’s hands with his rebounded effort in a game that looked certain to be 0-0.

As the game headed into the final 3 minutes of the game, Radcliffe Borough struck the winner. A one on one save by Horridge and a moment of pinball-like football in the Clitheroe area saw the ball fall to Carden on the edge of the box who chipped the ball into Clitheroe’s unguarded goal.

Burey threatened to rub salt into the Clitheroe wounds soon after as he hit an effort towards goal that forced Horridge into a low, diving save which saw the game finish 1-0 to Radcliffe.

Starting 11: Paul Horridge, Danny Morton, Simon Garner, Charlie Collinge, Danny Brady, Simon Nangle, Ross Dent, Danny Wilkins, Jordan Preston, Dominic Mulkerrin, James Walker.
Subs: Scott Byrom, Adam Freeland, Alex Palffy, Louis Percival.