Clitheroe were beaten 1-0 away at Prescot in a closely contested and hard fought game that was ultimately settled by an effort from distance flicked on with a header, and the Blues reduced to ten men late on as they searched on for an equaliser.

Harry Scarborough had the first real chance of the game, combining for a quick one-two with Freddie Machell before having an effort from distance that went wide of the target, showing promising signs for the visiting side. Similar to the previous weeks game, Prescot were opting for a more physical approach in the opening stages, looking to disrupt Clitheroe with hard challenges, though the Blues still managed to fashion a couple of half-chances of their own. Prescot came closest of the two sides in this early spell, working a cross in from Sharif Deans that was met by Francis Smith just behind the penalty spot, but the header narrowly missed the right post and drifted wide. Both teams continued to break forward without either really taking control of the game or creating a clear-cut opportunity. Prescot’s Adam Thomas was shown a yellow card early on for bringing down Nathan Sandison on the counterattack, giving Clitheroe a free kick in a promising area, though Newton's effort came back off the wall and resulted in nothing for the blus. Harrison then picked up a yellow card of his own for a high tackle as the game continued in a similar, feisty fashion.

Prescot had another chance on goal from a corner swung to the edge of the box, finding Jack Loughran, who met it on the half-volley, but his effort again went just wide of the post. Prescot's Charley Doyle was then booked for a late tackle on Dent as the challenges continued to fly in from both sides, really testing whether the referee would manage to keep control of the game going into the second half.

Both teams remained relatively quiet heading into half time, with few real chances created and the ball largely being played end to end for the majority of the first 45 minutes. Despite it being an unappealing style of football, it was probably the right choice for both teams given the horrendous weather conditions causing players from both sides to be constantly slipping and not really allowing for the ball to be played on the floor. Clitheroe did have a late opening before the break, as Demi Rhami was played in behind by a long ball from Sean Newton and found Scarborough, who touched it past the oncoming goalkeeper and pulled it back to the edge of the box, only for Machell to be smothered by defenders before he could get a shot away. Wilkins then did well to receive it short a corner and fizzed it across the six-yard box, but it couldn't find a Clitheroe boot and was eventually cleared.

Half Time: Prescot Cables 0-0 Clitheroe FC

Prescot made a substitution at the break as they looked to freshen things up with Charley Doyle making way James Foley, probably a necessary precaution with the midfielder being on a booking. Clitheroe responded with a change of their own, bringing on Windass in place of Harrison, similarly with the defender also being on a booking. Much like the first half, both sides had a quiet opening spell after the restart, unable to create any real chances as the game continued in the same end-to-end. After a free kick was given away by Clitheroe following Sharif Deans driving into open space, Newton was shown a yellow card for dissent as frustrations began to show. Another long ball from Newton found Rhami running into the box, who nodded it back into the path of Scarborough, but he could only drag his effort wide of the far post.

Clitheroe made a further change, with Touray replacing Machell, as they looked to find an outlet going forward and have a target to play to while having to resort to playing it long. It was Prescot who took the lead, with an effort from distance by Sharif Deans hitting the head of John Murphy, redirecting the shot into the far side netting and leaving Isherwood stranded. Clitheroe responded by bringing on Walder in place of Dent as they searched for a way back into the game. Wilkins was then booked for pulling back a Prescot player, and the resulting free kick from distance narrowly cleared the crossbar. It was soon after that matters were made worse for Clitheroe as Newton then lunged into a tackle on the halfway line, diving in just a fraction too late and catching his opponent, and the referee had no hesitation in showing a second yellow card, leaving Clitheroe with ten men for the dying stages of the game.

Prescot almost doubled their lead late on, swinging a cross to the back post where their Francis Smith was waiting, but he couldn't react quickly enough to get a touch on it. Two more late substitutions were made by Clitheroe to try change up their attacks, with Alston and Gilchrist replacing Rhami and Scarborough, bolstering the Clitheroe attack to pile more pressure onto the Prescot defence. Despite a late flurry of chances through driving into space and playing the ball in behind, it wasn't enough to find a way back into the game, especially with Clitheroe pushing for an equaliser with ten men.

A disappointing evening for Clitheroe, who matched Prescot for large parts of a scrappy contest but were undone by a lucky goal and a late red card that made the closing stages an even tougher one to manage.

Full Time: Prescot Cables 1-0 Clitheroe FC

- Charlie Barnes