Clitheroe were beaten 2-1 by Pontefract Collieries despite leading for the majority of the game, as a stoppage-time free kick condemned the Blues to defeat in a tense and hard-fought contest.

It was a lively start from both sides, with Clitheroe finding an early opening down the right as Touray and Rio Alston combined, though the resulting cross came to nothing. Touray continued to look the brightest player on the pitch, driving at the Pontefract defence before getting a shot away, only for his effort to go straight at the goalkeeper. The breakthrough arrived in the 8th minute, and it was a special one. A long ball forward found Nathan Sandison, who took a superb first touch on the left before cutting inside and wrapping a finish into the top right corner to give Clitheroe the lead. The game had a tense, scrappy edge to it from the outset, with a few scuffles breaking out as both sides made their presence felt. Pontefract were awarded a free kick in a dangerous area on the edge of the box after Rio Alston was penalised, but the resulting effort flew over the bar.

Clitheroe continued to look the more threatening side. Sandison was involved again, latching onto a flick-on from Jason Gilchrist on the edge of the box before cutting inside, only for his effort to take a deflection and go behind for a corner. Touray then produced a moment of real quality, dancing past a couple of Pontefract defenders before drilling a low cross along the floor, but Gilchrist couldn't quite get across his marker to make contact. The Blues had another sight of goal when Sandison drove forward on the counter-attack, only to be brought down on the edge of the box, but nothing came of the resulting free kick. Pontefract had a few half-chances of their own during this spell, but nothing to seriously trouble the Clitheroe defence. A long ball from Ditch was kept in play by Maine Walder, who pulled it back to the edge of the box, and Rio Alston got a shot away, but it drifted just wide of the target. Clitheroe were dominant for large parts of the first half and deservedly went in ahead.

Half Time: Pontefract Collieries 0-1 Clitheroe

Pontefract started the second half the stronger of the two sides, but without creating anything to really worry Liam Isherwood in the Clitheroe goal. The game settled into an end-to-end battle, with both teams struggling to fashion clear openings. Clitheroe gradually found their rhythm again and looked more like themselves, with Rio Alston, Sandison, and Freddie Machell all going close, though none of them could find the target. Against the run of play, Pontefract levelled the game in the 69th minute after a mistake at the back from Clitheroe. The ball was played into the box, and Jack Wilson was left unmarked to finish from close range at the back post.

The goal shifted the momentum firmly in the home side's favour, and Pontefract began to create the better chances as the game wore on. Wilson was brought down on the edge of the box, earning another free kick, but this one went straight at Isherwood. Both sides continued to battle hard through a tense finish, each looking to avoid the mistake that would prove costly. That mistake came deep into stoppage time, when Dent brought down a Pontefract player on the edge of the box, handing the hosts a free kick in a dangerous position. Jack Wilson stepped up and found the top right corner from 18 yards to complete his brace and hand Pontefract a dramatic late win.

Clitheroe will feel there was more to take from the game, having led for large periods and dominated the opening 45 minutes, but a costly error and a moment of brilliance from Jack Wilson in stoppage time proved enough to hand Pontefract all three points.

Full Time: Pontefract Collieries 2-1 Clitheroe

- Charlie Barnes