Clitheroe 2-0 Colne
20/08/2022
FA Cup
Att. 604

In a scrappy tussle with local rivals Colne, it took a goal in injury time to finally put the game to bed. With the wind at their backs, Colne showed they were not here simply to make up the numbers and ex Blue Owen Watkinson was in the thick of most of the action, with early half chances. He was also on hand to dispossess a back pedalling Cameron Lancaster after 13 minutes and as the ball was passed across the edge of the box to two waiting forwards, the ultimate shot was turned for a corner.

It was not all Colne and Sefton Gonzales had a good chance on 17 minutes when he rode two tackles, tacked to the left but put his shot outside the post. In a game where no tackles were shirked, both keepers would ultimately be tested to the full, with Chris Thompson being the first to go down with a cut head from a brave save midway through the first half. Gonzales had another chance on 34 minutes when he headed tamely at the keeper from a deep cross, but it was Lancaster who saved Watkinson having a clear sight of goal as he executed a superb covering tackle where there was no margin for error.

Colne started the second half equally brightly, but a challenge from Gonzales on Hakan Burton, the Colne keeper, saw a yellow for the Clitheroe striker and the keeper being taken off for his arm to be put in a sling. The game still defied any great shape, but progressively Clitheroe begin to assert themselves. The breakthrough came on 71 minutes when Ross Dent rode a tackle at pace and slotted home with precision, much to the delight of the large Clitheroe crowd.

Minutes later, Richie Baker volleyed over from a cleared corner but as the clock ticked down, it was Colne who could have levelled the game on 88 minutes, but for another trademark fingertip save from the excellent Thompson. However, four minutes later, the game swung the other way and after a great run down the left by Reece Webb-Foster, his geometric pass to Max Cane was swept home by the predatory striker.

The game itself was not a classic by any means, but Clitheroe will take any good fortune the FA Cup throws their way.

Team : Chris Thompson, Waqas Azam (Terry Cummings), Bailey Sloane, Richard Baker, Cameron Lancaster, Billy Priestley, Jamie Edwards, Danny Wilkins, Sefton Gonzales (Max Cane), Ross Dent (c) (Callum Leigh), Reece Webb-Foster. Subs - Terry Cummings, Max Cane, Callum Leigh. Not used - Jack Burrows, Joel Byrom, Lewis Richmond, George Bristol.