It is a home loss that could have been prevented but is still ten wins from twelve as Clitheroe continue to put pressure on the top half of the table.

We have had some hot-headed displays at Shawbridge this season but this one probably tops the lot in what was a very difficult afternoon for referee, Edward Stapleton.

Right from the off it was made clear that no one taking any prisoners with several early free-kicks.

It was the visitors who got off to a flying start however when Almond latched onto the end of a corner and, completely unmarked, heads past Thompson.

It became apparent then that Clitheroe were going to have to have a 90 minute dog fight to salvage something from this game and did respond well with two excellent chances one after the other.

Firstly, Ross Dent with a super cross into the box that almost caught out Barnes in the Cables net who just tipped it away and then straight after, Danny Byrnes, clean through on goal dragged his shot wide.

Near the half hour mark and Clitheroe cannot believe their luck when they are handed a penalty, step up Kurt Willoughby.

You would put your mortgage on the league’s top scorer burying it away but a good save from Barnes denied Willoughby adding to his tally.
Straight after though Clitheroe bombed forward again and Newby, one on one with Barnes, coolly slotted in to level the score.

It became a game of whoever makes the next mistake you are going too concede and Clitheroe found this out for the second time when some sloppy defending helped Klein-Davies curl a deflected shot over Thompson. Half-time: Blues 1-2 Cables.

Onto the second half and Clitheroe didn’t look like they had woken up from the first and conceded just five minutes in catching the Blues on the break and Cables, with two on one with Thompson, meant a simple square ball to Almond gave the visitors their two-goal advantage back.
It became a cat and dog fight again from this moment forward with the referee really struggling to control things.

Clitheroe continued to give it their best efforts as the second half progressed and Newby must have been certain he had his second when his shot was cleared off the line to which everyone believed it had crossed.

In the end Prescot were simply the better side in a game which Clitheroe will ponder their mistakes which the Cables rightly capitalised on. Full-time: Blues 1-3 Cables.

Team : Chris Thompson, Ryan Ellison (Jacob Gregory), Stephen Rigby, Ian Rowlands, Danny Brady (c), Ross Dent, Charlie Russell, Brad Carroll, Kurt Willoughby, Alex Newby, Danny Byrnes (Harry Blackburn). Subs - Harry Blackburn, Jacob Gregory. Not used - Joe Mitchell, Robbie Bromley, Jamie Hodgson.