Clitheroe 4 Hanley Town 3

Clitheroe showed plenty of character to see off a determined Hanley side, but will have to tighten up in a number of areas if they are to maintain a sustained play off challenge.

Clitheroe made the perfect start on seven minutes when a deep Richie Baker cross was floated into the Hanley box and Sefton Gonzales headed the ball back across the goal and in off the post. This should have signalled a period of Clitheroe pressure but if anything it woke up the visitors after their long trip up the M6. On 10 minutes, Chris Thompson saved a sharp shot from distance, and on 18 minutes he had to be alert to smother another cross shot from the right.

Hanley were dominating the midfield and had enough pace to cause problems, and Sam Lloyd was called upon to clear the ball from the line on 22 minutes. For the rest of the half, most of the attacks of note came from Hanley and when they finally equalised on 42 minutes it was no great surprise although the manner of conceding was disappointing. A driven corner to the near post saw three visiting players queuing up to meet the ball, and Thompson had no chance with the flashing header.

Hanley maintained the pressure early in the second half, with Thompson called upon to save with his legs as the ball motored through a forest of players. From the two subsequent corners, Hanley went close on both occasions. On 58 minutes, the visitors took the lead as the Clitheroe defenders switched off at a corner, and a simple short corner saw a measured cross into the box for another simple header.

This finally stirred the Blues into action and shortly afterwards the Hanley keeper, who had charged to his own bench to celebrate their goal, found himself dropping a regulation hanging cross, giving Ross Dent a simple chance to bundle home. By now, the teams were trading blows in a great open game.

Max Cane was starting to make inroads down the right and after a swivel shot was saved on 75 minutes, he became provider minutes later as he hared down the wing and drove in a fierce low cross for Sam Lloyd to smash home for his first goal for Clitheroe.

As the clock ticked down Gonzales had a snap shot saved but minutes later he cushioned a high clearance from Thompson, span round and laid the ball in one move to substitute Reece Webb-Foster, who nearly took the roof off the net with his finish. The action had still not finished and as Clitheroe sought another goal, Hanley sprang the static defensive line leaving a simple chance to score, to be greeted by absolute silence.

Whilst Clitheroe showed quality in patches, there is plenty for the refreshed management team to work on.

Team : Chris Thompson, Jack Burrows, Sam Lloyd (Danny Wilkins), Richard Baker, Cameron Lancaster, Billy Priestley, Max Cane, Callum Leigh (Reece Webb-Foster), Sefton Gonzales, Ross Dent (c), Jamie Edwards (Lee Pugh). Subs - Lee Pugh, Reece Webb-Foster, Danny Wilkins. Not used - Charlie Russell, Malick Diakite.