Clitheroe Slip Through in the Rain

The opening weekend of the league campaign saw Clitheroe grind out a narrow victory at a rain lashed Littlemoor. The heavens opened almost at the kick off and never abated throughout causing handling errors, spilled balls and sliced kicks a plenty.
In fact the overall quality of rugby on show left something to be desired from both sides, but for full blooded commitment and basic hard graft you could not ask for more.

A thunderous encounter indeed and not for the faint hearted.

Ashton started at a tremendous tempo, obviously wanting to stamp their authority early especially having suffered relegation last season. So much so that they immediately had Clitheroe in all sorts of bother defending desperately on their own try line. A series of punishing close drives from the visitors were repelled time and again. But eventually a penalty kick was forced and Ashton were 3-0 to the good.
Clitheroe began to get into the game at last adapting to the pace of this league having moved sideways during the close season from the NW Raging Bull set-up, But the slippery bar of soap that passed for a rugby ball thwarted them time and again, and this time Aston made it through the defensive line to score just wide of the posts. Crucially as it transpired later, the conversion sailed wide.

Clitheroe roared back and started applying pressure of their own on the Ashton defence. Some strong drives from the pack brought them within range and Ashton were forced into retreat and then down to 14 men, with their prop sin binned following an off the ball altercation.
Now Clitheroe cranked it up and as Ashton tried to clear their line, centre Nathan Peel charged down the kick and fly half Stuart Railton [pictured] was on hand to toe poke the ball over the line and dive on it to claim the score. Martin Lafranceschina was on hand with the extras.

With the interval looming Ashton slotted another penalty put it 7-11 at the break.

With such a close game it would be mistakes in handling or indiscipline that could cost either side. Both sides were guilty of the former but it was Ashton who felt the wrath of the referee's whistle the most.
Another penalty to the town team, again courtesy of the right boot of Lafranceschina, and suddenly there was just a single point in it.

It now felt that the next team to score would undoubtedly hang on for victory. Ashton were now rotating thier large bench to bring on fresh legs though Clitheroe, with less resources, had to be canny in shuffling round tired bodies to keep up the momentum.

Clitheroe's increased fitness seemed to tell and some barnstorming runs from the two props Aaron Atkinson and Jim Smith helped push Clitheroe forward, and even little Adam Penny was in the vanguard; his diminutive stature no obstruction to his effectiveness.

Eventually pressure told and with one more kick from Lafranceschina, Clitheroe were ahead for the first time in the game.
With 10 minutes to see out, the home team had to withstand a trial by fire as the Aston team strived for the elusive score. But Clitheroe declined to yield and the relief at the final whistle was palpable.

In all and excellent team performance and with a number returning from holidays team selection will become a difficult pleasure for the Captain and coach.