Witton Albion 1 Clitheroe 2

Clitheroe finally secured their first away league win at the sixth time of asking and were very good value for the three points.

Starting with a tweaked formation, which saw Veron Parny and Jake Connelly roaming behind Sefton Gonzales, Clitheroe were always dangerous when the ball crossed the halfway line. A clumsy early challenge by Parny on the edge of his own box in the first minute set pulses raising, but the free kick came to nothing. The first 10 minutes were generally even, although on 10 minutes, Hakan Burton stopped a speculative shot and was alert to drop on the rebound as a striker followed up. Connelly was being given some firm treatment as he had a number of surges down the middle of the pitch and from one of these free kicks, the ball went for a corner. A pinpoint delivery from Connor High, saw the keeper misjudge his claim and Gonzales brushed aside any challenge to head firmly home from close range. Minutes later, Parny hurdled three challenges and put his shot narrowly wide across the face of goal. Jacob Hanson was starting to get some reward for his overlapping runs down the right and Gonzales headed a deep free kick back across the face of goal.
In the second half, it was clear Witton were primed to attack. They had the ball in the Clitheroe net in the first minute, but it was ruled offside. The home side lacked quality with the final ball and were vulnerable to counter attacks from Hanson and Gonzales, but the pressure was certainly increasing. On 62 minutes, High lost the ball in the centre of the pitch and a quick burst down the right was followed by a low cross which was thumped home for the equaliser. Two minutes later, Emerich Poilly could have restored the lead as he chested the ball into the opposition half and headed for goal, but having taken the ball past the keeper his shot was ultimately saved. Jimmy Bell rang the changes to bring on two fresh pairs of legs as Louis Potts and Luke Gill came on for Parny and Connelly. Minutes later, a long ball was neatly diverted towards goal by Potts, and as the keeper came to clear, his shot hit Gonzales, who was first to react as the ball bounced towards goal and he buried the chance. Witton tried to come back but minutes later, Gill picked up a long ball, slalomed past the keeper and as he looked to stroke the ball home, a covering defender slid in with a superb challenge. The pressure from Witton built and on 89 minutes Hanson was adjudged to have fouled the attacker as he tacked across him. However, Witton’s poor recent form from the spot continued as Burton pulled off a great save with his legs. There was still time for Gonzales to go agonisingly close to a hat trick as he was one on one with the keeper but his shot was saved and span inches wide of the post in slow motion.
TEAM: 1 Hakan Burton (C), 2 Jacob Hanson, 3 Dylan Dwyer, 4 Sam Olawumi, 5 Mark Hughes, 6 Charlie Hayes-Green, 7 Emerich Poilly, 8 Connor High, 9 Sefton Gonzales, 10 Veron Parny, 11 Jake Connelly. SUBS USED: 15 Louis Potts, 16 Luke Gill, 17 Ross Dent. Not Used: 12 Sean McConville, 14 Domaine Rouse.