Clitheroe could have few complaints after they were beaten by a well drilled Leek side, which had sufficient flair at the top of the pitch to ensure the home team did not take liberties during the game, writes CHRIS MUSSON.

Clitheroe flew out of the blocks and for more than 10 minutes, the reputation Leek came with looked undeserved. Harrison Burke had the ball in the back of the net after heading home a Cole Lonsdale free kick, but it was ruled offside.

Debutant Louis Almond then saw his attempt deflected over after holding off a defender’s attentions, and it was not until the 13th minute before Chris Thompson was called into action to save comfortably at feet. The large crowd did not have to wait long for the next attack, and one minute later the stand out Leek player, left winger Will Saxon, hared down the left flank, cut inside and lashed in a fierce shot. The crowd was genuinely stunned at the reverse in fortune.

Two minutes later, the visitors could easily have scored again as a shot from the left skimmed across the face of the Clitheroe goal. The home side to their credit regrouped and Burke saw his header from a Lonsdale corner desperately cleared off the line. However, it was Leek who were to score next after 34 minutes, when another burst down the left saw a cross find striker Tim Grice on the edge of the ‘D’ and totally unmarked. He scored with the minimum of fuss.

Clitheroe upped the pace again, but with Sefton Gonzales being shepherded by the compact and sizeable Leek defence, they were reduced to shots from distance. Clitheroe made their intentions clear in the second half as Lonsdale was substituted and the home team went to three at the back.

Chances came the way of home debutant Zak Clarke as he found himself one on one with the keeper, and for substitute Ricardo Pembele in a melee in the Leek box. But it was Thompson who was the busiest keeper as he twice saved at feet as gaps appeared in the Clitheroe defence.

In the end few argued with the score line and were left to consider that as Leek have played virtually all their games away from home as they have a new plastic pitch installed, we may well have seen another credible contender for the title come the end of April as the Saffordshire outfit climbed to fifth in the table - two places behind the Blues.

Team: Thompson, Burrows, Lonsdale, Stopforth, Burke, Priestley, Almond, Baker, Gonzales, Dent, Clarke. Subs (used) Wilkins, Jeanne, Pembele. Subs (not used) Turner, Mills.

Attendance: 452