Captain Billy Priestley led by example with both goals as the Blues came from behind to clinch a dramatic late win and give their league season the perfect start.

Trailing to a 58th-minute header from Town wideman Eddie Church, David Lynch’s men needed a lift following their FA Cup exit a week ago.

And Priestley delivered it as he popped up twice in the box inside the last 20 minutes to give Lynch a first win as manager.

Priestley’s equaliser came a minute after Brighouse had been reduced to 10 men with the dismissal of Thomas Haigh.

And the defender then repeated the trick as the unlikely scoring hero when he pounced to fire home the winner with a minute to go as the Blues made their numerical advantage count in thrilling style.

Priestley started with a new central defensive partner as the Blues included new signing Marcus Poscha after signing the central defender on a short-term basis from Curzon Ashton to fill the gap left by Ollie Muir’s ban and the departure of Steve Howson.

And Poscha came through with flying colours after the visitors’ back four was asked some searching questions in the opening minutes through the lively Church.

The Brighouse goalscorer headed just over the top from a corner and then cut into curl a shot against a post the Yorkshiremen made a bright start.

But the Blues repelled that early pressure and eased their way into the contest, looking dangerous on the break through the hard-working Kieran Feeney and a couple of sporadic probing runs from Kamar Moncrieffe before he was replaced 10 minutes before the break by Conor Gaul who helped turn the tide.

Priestley then headed a Cole Lonsdale free-kick just wide three minutes after the break as Lynch’s men tried to force the breakthrough.

But despite seeing more of the ball, it was the Blues who fell behind with almost an hour gone as Jack Boyle’s deep cross was allowed to reach Church who directed an excellent header back across Chis Thompson and into the far corner.

That lifted Town and moments later they almost doubled the lead as substitute Eli Hey steered a cross from Joe Jagger just over the top.

Boyle also dragged a shot wide on the break as Brig again looked to add a second.

But the Blues had been stung into life and after Ross Dent had seen a shot deflected just wide with his first touch after coming off the bench to drive Clitheroe forward, fellow substitute Gaul was denied by keeper Matthew Smith after a typical turn inside the box.

An occasionally feisty encounter then briefly boiled over when Haigh was sent off when a late challenge on Gary Stopforth earned the Town midfielder a second yellow card.

And from the free-kick that followed the Blues were level.

Lonsdale’s delivery into the box wasn’t cleared and when the ball dropped for Priestley, the skipper drilled a shot into the bottom corner.

With an extra man it was the Blues who then pushed for a winner and once again it was the captain leading from the front.

Once more, Town couldn’t deal with a deep corner and when the ball was hooked back into the danger area, Priestly turned to fire home and seal the points in front of the delighted travelling supporters to get the Lynch era up and running.

Brighouse Town: Smith; Wilkinson, Harris, Beeden, Tinker; Haigh, Grant; J Clarke (Hey 57), Boyle (Fishley 71), Church (Sorhaindo 79); Jagger. Substitutes: Mattock, Sorhaindo, G Clarke.

Clitheroe: Thompson; Foulds, Poscha, Priestley, Lonsdale; Cummings, Stopforth, O’Neill (Dent 67), Moncrieffe (Gaul 34); Feeney, Adams (Hobson 81). Substitutes: Wilkins, Tanner.
Attendance: 327 (70 Clitheroe)