Clitheroe's senior men's XV got off to a stuttering but winning start to 2025. The New Year had brought the usual winter weather and after a frosty and wet week Colne had deemed their pitch could not pass muster on Saturday morning. Fortunately the Silcock Park pitch was in decent nick and a venue swap was agreed at the eleventh hour.
Fair play to Colne & Nelson RFC players and staff for agreeing to the switch - the return match is only in a fortnight so hopefully the weather gods are smiling on our trip over Pendle on the 18th Jan.
Meanwhile, for the Clitheroe selectors, some latish cry offs , Thursday/Friday did little to improve Coach Tom Lavelle's grumpiness - come on lads get a grip!

And so to the game. It certainly looked like Clitheroe had Christmas-ed well on the brandy pudding and roast potatoes. There was little of the zip and speed of thought and action shown in the previous game.
But despite this Clitheroe too an early lead with a nicely struck penalty from Nathon Burns [3-0] . The next half hour the game was reduced to almost a stalemate in the central area of the pitch. Both teams had little forays into opposition territory but it came to nought on each occasion.
Colne's well marshalled defence was the stand out feature, leaving little room for advancement for the maroon and gold shirts.
A penalty to Colne just before the break levelled the scores at the turn around [3-3]

In the first half of the second half Colne were on top and another 3 pointer was just reward. [3-6] Clitheroe had not really got into the game and Colne were looking the more likely side to score.

Clitheroe did break out and a sharp attack put them in a good position ; a penalty awarded under the sticks was spurned for a tap and run which again proved fruitless. An easy three points gone begging. Fortunately Colne transgressed again and from a more difficult position Burns leveled up the scores [6-6].

Again neither side could wrest control of the game and it took till the 70th minute for Clitheroe to finally get motoring. Two tries in rapid succession; both for the front row union - prop Tom Walton crashing over with several black jerseys clinging on. And skipper Ed Sinclair spinning out of a couple of tackles to dot down on the line. Both conversions over by Nathon Burns to wrap up a far from convincing victory.

Credit to Colne - who made life difficult and the rematch will be one to savour; but in a tricky trip to Bury this Saturday Clitheroe must be on their mettle to get a result.