Clitheroe 67 Burnley 42
Tries (11): Oscar Duck 2, Adrian Davies 2, Matt Mason, Joe Clarke, Nick Roberts, Matt Owen-Davies, Josh Richards, Connor Fletcher, Tom Walton
Conversions: George Barnes 6 from 11
Burnley: 6 tries, 6 conversions

Clitheroe opened the 2026/27 season at Silcock Park on Saturday with a pre-season run-out against local rivals Burnley, who brought over a mixed squad to open their account for the season too. It was also a first game in charge for our new club captain, Oscar Duck. The lads have trained well through pre-season and have come together with the intention of enjoying their rugby more than anything else, and that showed.

Matt Mason opened the scoring after five minutes and George Barnes converted. Burnley hit straight back with a converted try of their own within a couple of minutes, and it was level before either side had settled. Joe Clarke was next on the scoresheet on nine minutes, Barnes again converting. Then came the score of the afternoon. The kick-off went straight to Duck, who drew his defender and popped the ball up to a rampaging Jonny Walter. Walter scythed through the onrushing defensive line with only the full back left to beat, drew him, and put his new captain in under the posts. Barnes made it 21-7 inside twelve minutes.

Burnley’s 12 shone throughout the game, and his evasive, low-slung running took them back to within a try. Clitheroe hit back straight away through our own majestic centre, Nick Roberts, for his first.

After the water break Tom Lavelle showed a clean pair of heels, drew his man nicely and offloaded to Adrian Davies, who finished at the side. It was around this point that the Burnley captain took a bad cut to his knee and had to come off. We hope there was no significant damage and wish him a quick recovery. Straight from that, scrum half Matt Owen-Davies sniped brilliantly close to the line after lock Gil Stanton had made the hard yards. Josh Richards was next, over on the left wing, before Burnley finished the half’s scoring with a fine try down the left.

Seven tries to three at the break and Clitheroe were dominating. What was also clear was that Burnley couldn’t be given room. Whenever they got it, they exposed us, especially out wide.

Burnley were first to score in the second half and it took Clitheroe a while to get a foothold back in the game. After sustained pressure in midfield the Burnley defensive line crept up, and a sharp offload from Joe Clarke left Duck to round the last defender for his second.

A fumble on their own line then let Connor Fletcher pick up and dot down for his first of the game. Burnley’s 12 showed his class again, outpacing everyone for a try from more than fifty metres, before full back Adrian Davies scored his second on the left-hand side. Burnley scored again, as we had come to expect by then.

The last say went to Clitheroe. Winger Bill Preston made the initial bust, Gil Stanton shovelled it on knowing his prop was flying, and Tom Walton ran a brilliant line from nine yards out. He was unstoppable.

Eleven tries to six, and plenty to work on out wide. For a first outing under a new captain, with a squad still coming together, it was a good afternoon. Moreover, the fun in the bar afterwards with the significantly upgraded "wheel" in play, combined with the most eclectic selection of colourful shirts you've ever seen, rounded off a brilliant day.