By Liam Price
Clitheroe won for the first time in 6 games with a 2-1 win over Nantwich Town at the Loom Loft Stadium.
The Dabbers made only 1 change from the win at Chasetown on Saturday, with Fenton Green replacing Paddy Jarrett.
Danny Wilkins lashed an early effort wide for the home side from a corner.
Byron Moore headed over the bar from the Dabbers’ first corner as he won it at the near post.
The Dabbers were carrying the bigger attacking threat albeit were getting caught offside one too many times.
Credit must be given to the Clitheroe ground staff as the grass pitch was in very good condition considering the terrible weather from the start of 2026 in this part of the country.
Nantwich came agonisingly close to opening the scoring from another corner; it was cleared off the line not once but twice as they tried to force the ball home.
Feeling that luck was maybe on their side, the home team took the lead on the half hour. A low ball from Jordan Windass on the right seemed to catch the Dabbers defence off guard, not something you could accuse them of recently, but it was forced in by Harry Scarborough who got there ahead of his man.
Anwar Murtesa was on target with a free kick but Garratt was able to hold.
Scarborough was lurking again in the penalty area and was well found, the difference this time was Paddy Kenndy being able to block his effort.
A bit of a scramble from the subsequent corner meant the Dabbers were starting to live a bit dangerously.
However, that feeling didn’t last long as Nantwich equalised 6 minutes before half time.
Finally a ball over the top found its target, and onside as well, as Byron Harrison brilliantly brought it down and fed Alex Panter who took a touch or two to get it out of his body and another to fire in low across Hadi to make it 1-1.
Panter is now joint top of the NPL West golden boot race with 2 others on 16 goals, pending the outcome of the Avro/Kidsgrove game which could change things again.
In the second half, Byron Moore had a sniff of an opening but the shot was quickly charged down and deflected to Hadi.
James Baillie swept a free kick on the edge of the box wide after Panter had been brought down on the D. Attacking set pieces do feel like an area this squad has been lacking this season more generally.
Joel Connolly, playing more advanced with Jarrett on the bench, missed the target with a difficult shot, before both he and Joe Robbins had to be subbed with slight injuries.
Perhaps that is where the game pivoted as, combined with effective subs from Clitheroe, the home side largely bossed the last 20 minutes of the game.
Windass was a danger from the right flank again with his pinpoint low crosses, one that had to be dealt with again but Nantwich weren’t learning the lessons of the first goal.
Another who impressed was Jack Morris, dropping deep to receive then turning and running at and invariably past his man as the home side tightened their grip on things by turning up the directness and aggression to a level the Dabbers struggled to manage.
Garratt did well to dive at the feet of Luke Gill who’d come on at half time. Then there was an undoubted goal saving block tackle by Kennedy near the penalty spot.
But the pressure did tell moments later when, seeing things open up for him, Windass just hit it hard and low, probably to try and cause chaos in the box rather than shoot, but he hit it well enough that it went off the far post and in.
The Dabbers tried different personnel on that side with Baillie, Perry Bircumshaw, Moore then Jordan Hodkin ahead of them but none of them were able to contain Windass throughout. It wouldn’t be unfair to say that in him and Aidy Roxburgh you were looking at 2 of the best right backs in the division out there.
Naturally the home side did drop back after retaking the lead but there weren’t really many chances to equalise again until deep in stoppage time, when a ball from the right found its way to Hodkin but he fired it wide when sadly it looked easier to score.
As a young forward, in the long run its moments like that he’ll learn more from than the good stuff like his goal on Saturday, even if it doesn’t feel like that in the moment. Ultimately it was the team that fell short and will look to respond on Saturday.
Teams
Clitheroe FC: Zac Hadi, Jordan Windass, Josh Briggs, Anwar Murtesa, Cameron Lancaster, Jake Carroll (C), Ben Woods (Luke Gill, 46) Danny Wilkins, Harry Scarborough, Lewis Trickett (Kaleb Parkinson 75), Jack Morris
Subs not used: Veron Parny, Somto Ifezue, Sean McConville
Goals: Scarborough (29), Windass (79)
Nantwich Town: Ben Garratt, Aidy Roxburgh, James Baillie (Perry Bircumshaw, 65), Joe Robbins (Adam Rooney, 73), Ben Hockenhull, Paddy Kennedy, Alex Panter, Fenton Green, Byron Harrison, Joel Connolly (C) (Joe Collins, 65), Byron Moore (Jordan Hodkin, 73)
Sub not used: Paddy Jarrett
Goal: Panter (39)
Attendance: 407