Witton Albion 1 Clitheroe 1

Clitheroe would have settled for a point before the game started against a side which had already beaten Macclesfield and Workington at home, but in the end they rued their inability to see the game out when leading.

The first half was an open affair albeit slightly shapeless. Clitheroe probably shaded the chances in the first half but it took until the 38th minute for a chance of note, when Max Cane received a cross from Lee Pugh, and from his downward shot Billy Priestley headed over in a good position. Five minutes later, Sefton Gonzales received a long Pugh throw and having spun in the box, he shot straight at the keeper. When the half time whistle came, it felt like all the players were still slightly confused by the 1pm start time.

The second half was infinitely better and Clitheroe could have been out of sight within the first few minutes. On 46 minutes, Reece Webb-Foster forced a great save with a fierce shot, before Pugh’s follow up effort was equally well saved. From the resultant corner, Webb-Foster then hit the post from the edge of the box.

Minutes later Cane had a goal bound header tipped over, before Webb-Foster twisted and turned on 55 minutes and shot narrowly wide. Witton were still lively though, and five minutes later they themselves hit the bar after they had tacked across the edge of the box with the ball. Minutes later, Witton had the first of two major penalty shouts as Priestley went to head the ball clear, but as the ball dipped alarmingly he ended up literally feet from the ground with a distinct whiff of hand in the equation.

Witton entered a purple patch of possession and the Clitheroe line started to creak under the pressure. However, on 80 minutes, Clitheroe finally got the goal they deserved, as a deep Ross Dent cross was headed back across the face of goal by Gonzales before Webb-Foster converted.

Minutes later, Dent hit the outside of the post and Edwards had his own jinking run which just failed to produce a goal. However, Witton were still in the game and after an uncharacteristic air shot by Priestley, the ball was driven in from the right and finished off smartly from the edge of the box. As injury time beckoned, Witton scented an unlikely victory and after a number of excellent attacks, Clitheroe contrived to defend their goal in the final minute by literally throwing bodies at the final shot, with another huge shout for a handball from the fans behind the goal.

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