Clitheroe 1 Workington AFC 1

In comparison with the tepid display on Boxing Day away at Colne, this New Year fixture could barely have provided a greater contrast. In front of over 900 fans, including a healthy contingent from West Cumbria, the Blues took on perennial title chasers Workington in a pulsating game that could easily have seen Clitheroe take the points late in the game.

Clitheroe gave debuts to right back Jack Hatton and to winger Abimbola Obasoto as the management team looked to freshen up the squad, but with Workington unbeaten in nine, this was never going to be easy. As early as the fifth minute Obasoto went through his paces and instantly secured a place in the hearts of the Blues’ fans as he jinked down the left at pace and sent in a pinpoint cross, which only just eluded a clean header from Sefton Gonzales.

This was end to end stuff though and on 11 minutes, Billy Priestley was adjudged to have struck an opposition player with his leading arm as he stretched for a header. Workington’s top scorer Allison stroked the resultant penalty home. The lead only lasted two minutes before Obasoto repeated his previous work and this time Gonzales made no mistake with his head.

On 19 minutes, Gonzales found himself free behind the Workington defence and as he rounded the keeper, a despairing dive from a back-pedalling defender was adjudged to have taken the ball first as the entire ground appealed for a penalty. On 32 minutes, Obasoto went on another run and after laying the ball through to Danny Wilkins, his shot was well saved. As the half time whistle approached, the Workington right back finally dropped Obasoto for a yellow card before a great flowing move from Clitheroe saw Gonzales receive the ball and as he eased the ball on to his left foot, the resultant shot skimmed across the face of goal.

In the second half, Obasoto found himself with a new marker after the previous right back was withdrawn and on 50 minutes he went for goal after another twisting run and his great shot was well saved. This was not all one-way traffic though and Cameron Lancaster was called upon shortly afterwards to make an inch perfect, decisive tackle as Allison shaped for goal. The game settled for a period but as the last 15 minutes came, Clitheroe made two substitutions and the game was very much in their favour.

On 76 minutes, Obasoto made yet another drive forward and laid the ball to Callum Leigh who screamed the ball narrowly over. One minute later, after some fine pressure from Clitheroe, a Workington defender saved a certain goal as he put his head in the way of a thunderbolt volley from Max Cane struck only six yards from goal. Half chances came and went as the clock ticked down, although in injury time Gonzales forced a great fingertip save from a powerful drive, before with the last attack of the game, Chris Thompson unusually got mixed up in a melee as he parried a shot but tangled with a Workington striker as he looked to take the corner.

In the end the game was drawn. Without doubt one of the finest games seen at Shawbridge for some seasons, and it would be no surprise if both these sides met again in the play offs come the end of the season.

Team : Chris Thompson, Jack Hatton (Jack Burrows), Darren Holden, Richard Baker (c), Cameron Lancaster, Billy Priestley, Abs Obasoto, Lee Pugh, Sefton Gonzales, Danny Wilkins (Callum Leigh), Jamie Edwards (Max Cane). Subs - Jack Burrows, Callum Leigh, Max Cane. Not used - Reece Webb-Foster, Ross Dent.