League Leaders too hot for the Maroons

So a top of the table clash at a sunny Littlemoor, a good crowd had assembled and with a revitalised squad full of fresh faced senior colts making their debuts alongside some older heads.

The toss was won and Clitheroe kicked off down the slope and started strongly; getting up in Aspull's faces, pressuring at the breakdown & winning turnovers. It was then that the errors crept in; a missed tackle here, a sloppy pass there, and Aspull, not top of the league for nothing, capitalised with 3 tries plus extras before half time.
At the dying of the half a penalty was won a kick at goal opted for & Matt Probart, making his first full 80,stepped up and put narrowly wide.

A few changes at the half saw all the young guns on to show their skills. Patrick Enion and George Hamlett up to flanker - just as Richard Thornber and Martin Lafranceschina limped off. Joe Clarke moved onto the wing with Oscar Duck [pic] holding Matt Bleasedale's hand in the centres. Stepping onto to the pitch for the 2s is a big ask but with Oscar's guidance Matt"stick boi" Bleasdale even started to enjoy himself.

So down to business the forwards started to work their magic with the two Pete's - Farnsworth and Mitchell carrying and doing the grunt work while the younger lads ran well.
Dan Jones was causing a nuisance around the fringes and Connor White cleaning up - linking well with Probart suddenly made a 2 on 1 with Bleasedale and Duck against the full back. Bleazy ran the line, giving Oscar the ball and space to easily run in under the sticks for his first try on his senior debut. Extras were added & this was the kick start the maroons needed.
They were winning breakdown after breakdown but couldn't just make the final bit stick. Aspull's counter attack was excellent scoring a couple more try's and extras .

So to the death - this maroon side does not no how to quit no matter the score. 5 meters out, and Aspull complaining about a penalty given Clitheroes way. With all the big lads in front of the posts you would have thought this was heading only one way: a huge push over and a grinning big lad under the sticks. But no! As the forwards charged for the line screaming for the ball,Simon Wrigley, on at 9, went behind the charging confused forwards who couldn't understand why none of them had the ball - those sneaky backs had done the double cross.

Probart with the softest of hands glided a ball to young Oscar who jinked & jived drawing defenders left and right while floating a well weighted pass to Bleasdale. Not to be out done by the youngsters, he didn't pass to the late coming Mike Floyd with the overlap on the out side . Instead taking a leaf out the skippers book, went for the Samoan sidestep and with a fully outstretched arm to reach the line.

The maroons regrouped on half way to watch Probarts kick narrowly going wide, that was to be the last kick of the game final score 12-42 to Aspull with them looking more like the beaten team than the deserved victors.

Report by KK