Clitheroe 2 - 2 Colne

The 500+ crowd was treated to a tremendously entertaining game between these two neighbours, who were meeting for the first time.

For the first 20 minutes, Colne looked totally overawed by the occasion and looked like lambs to the slaughter. Without the woodwork, they would have been three goals down and out of it. On three minutes, Alex Newby took a great free kick on the edge of the box and Dimitri Tuanzebe powered his header against the bar. Six minutes later, Brad Carroll was dropped on the edge of he box and Newby tested the keeper again.

On 15 minutes Newby struck a sweet volley and the bar was tested once again, before one minute later Danny Brady thundered a Newby corner into the net. Colne were still misfiring and on 29 minutes, Kurt Willoughby ran 50 yards, weaving between players, and it took a desperate block to stop his powerful shot. Two minutes later the home fans were baying for a red card as a Colne striker appeared to slide in on Chris Thompson after he had gathered the ball.

This incident seemed to serve as wake up call for for the visitors and they went up a notch. On 32 minutes they sent a free kick just past the outside of the post. On 40 minutes, Brady was called upon to sweep up the danger as a Colne striker threatened, but even he could do nothing three minutes later when after a goalmouth melee the ball fell at the feet of Seear, who fired the ball across the keeper into the far corner of the net.

The second half saw a much more even exchange as both sides traded chances. Ex Blue Chris Lynch put Colne's noses in front as he headed in an inswinging corner on 49 minutes. Clitheroe kept their shape and on 56 minutes, sub Chris Churchman saw his shot heavily deflected beyond the stranded keeper.

Half chances came and went, but on 70 minutes Tuanzebe wriggled free and forced a great save from the keeper. One minute later, new sub George West powered down the left but Willoughby was blocked before he could loose off his shot. Colne almost had the final word on 87 minutes when a Colne striker found himself wide, but screwed his shot across the goal.

When the whistle went, both sides could point to chances to have won, but were probably satisfied with a point.

Thompson, Bromley, Roberts, Ellison, Brady, Russell, Mitchell, Carroll, Willoughby, Newby, Tuanzebe
Subs used: Churchman, West
Unused subs: Walker, Tserpes, Paulat-Brigg