Author: Chris Musson
On the back of a good FA Cup win in midweek, Brighouse named an unchanged side, but they did not register a shot of note in the first half. The Blues were clearly in the ascendancy with their brand of pacy, passing football. The Blues were making inroads into the home defence and Mike Hampson and Alex Newby were first to show down the right flank.
On 22 minutes, a Clitheroe corner fell to the feet of Danny Brady on the edge of the box, who slipped it to his left, only for Dylan Smith to blaze over. Four minutes later, Clitheroe took the lead. A Brady throw on the right saw Newby dart down the flank and hit an early cross to the feet of Dimitri Tuanzebe, who turned on the edge of the box and stroked a left foot shot in off the far post.
Kurt Willoughby got in on the action and on 35 minutes, he received the ball on the right, pushed it past his defender, beat him for pace and saw a panic header clear his driven cross. With the half time whistle imminent, the Blues should have extended their lead when a surging burst down the right from Newby saw a great cross find Tuanzebe in space, only for his header to glance awkwardly rather than goalwards.
The Blues kept on the pressure in the first minutes of the second half. Willoughby surged past his defender on 46 minutes, but his cross eluded everyone. Brighouse responded and minutes later their own cross flashed across the box.
The home team was getting into the game and on 68 minutes a home forward connected poorly with a hanging cross. On 69 minutes, Mo Cham on as substitute was through on goal and was clearly taken down, only to receive a yellow card seemingly for diving. The away fans were incandescent. The Blues could not switch off though as one minute later another Brighouse cross was spooned wide.
In quick succession more chances fell the home team's way, with another header wide and a pile driver skimming over the bar. On 84 minutes, the sides were level, when a deep free kick was headed back across the box, before it was smartly swept in. Minutes later, Jimmy Walker overlapping was crudely hacked down in the box, only to see play waved on. To rub salt in the wound, minutes later, the home side had a throw in which was not defended and the ball was scruffily kicked home.
There was no further score and the Blues must learn to kill a game dead when they have the upper hand.
Team: Thompson, Hampson, Smith, Roberts, Brady, Walker, Mitchell, Carroll, Willoughby, Newby, Tuanzebe
Subs Knox, Hill, Cham, Cattermole, Stirzaker.