On the first real wet Saturday of the season, Clitheroe traveled to Carr Lane the well appointed HQ of Tarleton RFC.
As back home the Littlemoor pitch was under water and out of action, it was a pleasant surprise to find a flat relatively dry surface.
The home team were already warming up and a cursory glance told Clitheroe that they were a youngish set with bags of running in them. 'Keep it tight' the elder members of the pack were heard to mutter.

Fortunately the rest of team just about ignored this message and Clitheroe produce one of their most stylish performances for some time.

Three tries to none was no more than they deserved and it could have been more. Some of the passing and interplay was of top quality; with backs and forwards combining seamlessly at times.

The squad is beginning to have a settled look about it but there are still players knocking on the door to join the party; with three quality men as Jamie Farrell, Matt Bleasedale and Nat Dickenson only able to make the replacements bench, plus Luke Hayton returning from injury a frustrated spectator, shows there is a greater depth of talent to draw from.
It also emphasised the fact that no player can rest on his laurels or reputation with others contenders clamoring for the starting jersey.

In calm clement conditions Clitheroe started strongly and soon had the upper hand in the tight scrummage. Only some slightly baffling refereeing decisions let the Tarleton scrum off the hook.
Some continued and eccentric decisions by the man with whistle, left Clitheroe unable to maintain pressure on the home side for any extended periods.

To their credit, the team bottled up any frustrations and focused well on the task in hand.

Clitheroe's backs were getting a good supply of front foot ball from both first and second phase, and after making a few half breaks that came to naught, outside centre Chris Stewart opened the scoring with a trademark powerful burst.

The maroons then upped the ante even further and after a series of leg sapping driving mauls from close range it was skipper Richard Few who ferreted over for his 13th try of the season.

A comfortable0-10 up at the interval, and the message in the huddle was more of the same and the points will flow.

Unluckily for Clitheroe the breeze that had abated till the decided to gather strength and rather favored the home side.

Not that this dented Clitheroe's attacking intention. After weathering an early attempted fight back by the home side, Clitheroe reasserted themselves and attacked with some vigour.

The fact that they only secured one further try was testament to Tarleton's high work rate in the tackle,just clinging on to many a shirt tail when a maroon & gold player seemed to be through and away.

However when the try did come it was a crackerjack. Back on their own 22 a break out of defence swept to the right with the three J's: Joe Hopkins, Joe Smith and Joe Weld-Blundell, all playing their part. When the move appeared to be stalling the omnipresent back row trio of Will Dickenson, Richard Slinger and James Haynes, kept the move alive. As the ball was moved to the left - up popped the man who started it all – outside half Marco Vaghetti – to triumphantly dive over in the corner.

A contender for Clitheroe's try of the season so far.

So an excellent win on the road for the town team, who were just as pleased to keep their line intact as well as beginning to play with some confidence