Clitheroe rack up another decent score but it doesn't all go their way

After playing the last few Saturdays in warm sunshine, Clitheroe travelled to Kirkby Lonsdale in driving rain and a biting wind – on arrival the rain had stopped but the wind remained, which was always going to make running rugby hard for both teams. Fielding a team unchanged from the starting line-up which put Fylde to the sword last week, they took to the park with confidence and started well. With the opening exchanges mainly going to the Maroon & Golds, the scrum was strong, taking opposition ball at will and the forwards dominated in the loose. The back line looked sharp with Smith & Peel in half back positions and plenty of pace outside them. It was with a degree of frustration that Kirkby Lonsdale managed to keep Clitheroe at bay for the opening 15 minutes. Eventually the pressure told and Joe Basquill touched down in the corner for his first senior try after the ball had been shipped out down the line to reach him.

Pressure again told 5 minutes later when Peel went over and the score ticked over to 12 nil to the away team and Kirby Lonsdale rallied themselves again and with some good pressure pushed further and further up the pitch. Stoic defence kept out the home team but Clitheroe time and time again put themselves under pressure with some careless handling and a reluctance to kick given the strong cross wind. Eventually they pushed towards the Kirkby line and after the forwards took the ball against the head at the scrum, Smith flicked it out to Peel who had Bartle storming up his inside to take the pass and bulldoze his way over in the manner of a prop rather than a centre. Try converted and the scoreboard moved on to 19 nil to the men from Littlemoor.

Kirkby Lonsdale were rewarded for their tenacity and improvisation with a good try which they duly converted and shortly after the half time whistle went. During the break Captain Oliver McEntyre reiterated the need to keep the ball tight within the forwards to counter the smaller quicker Kirkby pack and spin the ball out when in the opposition half for the backs to do their work. This appeared to work as Basquill again touched down in the corner after some great interplay between backs and forwards, a factor which was so evident in the teams performance of previous weeks. The tough conversion was added by Lafranceschina and the scoreboard ticked over to 26– 7, this galvanised Kirkby into some great attacking play and again they were rewarded with an unconverted try 12 – 26.

Clitheroe were chastened and sprung out of the re-start to camp in the Kirkby half, quick ball was won on the floor by the back row and Smith took to right option in going blind with his pass, Peel onto bulky second row Chamberlain who had popped up in the line and got a good pass away to Nathan Edmondson for him to slide over for the try – again his first for the club. The pace of the game was beginning to take its toll and with 4 players having to leave the field of play for the Maroon & Golds it disrupted the forwards with plenty of them having to play out of their usual position. With that in mind, it was Kirkby who finished the stronger, putting another try past the injury ravaged Clitheroe men.

With the final score 17 – 31 to Clitheroe, there is a lot to take from the game – despite not playing at their best and capitalising on the possession they had in the first 30 minutes, the squad pulled a win out of the bag and the first club tries for Edmondson and Basquill were good. But Clitheroe will need to focus on their game for the full 80 minutes in future if they are to put daylight between themselves and their closest rivals in the league, which they currently top on points difference.

Clitheroe's next match is at home this coming Saturday against Wigan 3rd XV. This will be a good challenge and no doubt a thoroughly entertaining game to watch. Kick off is at 3pm.