On a sultry evening, Clitheroe took a team of nine first team squad members, three trialists and six from the under 21 team, and were unlucky not to come away with victory after they switched off towards the end. It was a good game, which the Blues dominated in large part, and it was gratifying to see the strength in depth that there is now at the club.

The opening side had a very familiar feel about it, with David Lynch starting his first pre season friendly, and it was clear that the pace of Terry Cummings and Jake Connelly on the flanks would prove difficult for the home team and so it proved. Both players also had early sight of goal and it was no surprise when Cummings burst down the right and from his pull back Hyuga Tanner steadied himself on the edge of the box and thumped the ball home. It was soon 2-0 following a crunching tackle from Lynch in the middle of the pitch, leaving Jordan Scott with the ball at his feet, and he put his head down and unleashed a shot which went under the keeper’s hand. Further chances came, not least from Cole Lonsdale overlapping and a diving header from Cummings just arcing over the bar.

Lynch started to ring the changes in the second half and the play became slightly more disjointed as the home side came back into the game. As the clock ticked down, Longridge broke down the right and the forward cut inside on to his left foot and expertly picked out the far corner (the ball going in off the post) beyond the despairing dive from Chris Thompson. As the clock ticked down, the ball was floated into the packed Clitheroe box and from the uncharacteristic hesitation, a Longridge forward controlled well and slotted home. When the final whistle went, both sides were able to reflect on a solid 90 minutes of play.

Starting XI: Thompson, Gray, Lonsdale, Howson, Trialist A, Scott, Connelly, Lynch, Trialist B, Tanner, Cummings.