Rylands held in hard-fought draw with Clitheroe

By Garry Clarke Pictures Mark percy

WARRINGTON Rylands allowed Clitheroe to come from behind twice to snatch a deserved point in a hard-fought game.

Rylands enjoyed the greater share of play in the first half but only had a Kane Drummond goal to their name, the livewire forward turning a 9th minute Declan Walker cross into the visitors net from close range.

Clitheroe’s Cole Lonsdale had the game’s first attempt at goal firing a shot from distance high and wide in the 3rd minute. Rylands first chance of the game fell to Joe Coveney whose 6th minute side-footed shot from the edge of the area flew just inches off target.

In the 8th minute Clitheroe goalkeeper Chris Thompson dived to his left to pull off a great save to parry away a Callum Dolan shot after the Rylands man had twisted and turned his way past several defenders. Ten minutes later Dolan danced his way through the Clitheroe defence and once again Thompson tipped his shot round the post.

As the first half drew to a close, Drummond shot inches wide of the target and Jack Tinning blazed a shot high over the bar.

Shortly after the restart, Clitheroe caught their hosts napping, breaking down the left McKenna slipped the ball inside to Stefan Gonzales who swept the ball past Rylands goalkeeper Graeme McCall to level the scores.

Dolan squandered a chance to restore Rylands lead in the 55th minute. Racing into the Clitheroe area he went down under a defender’s clumsy challenge promoting the referee to point to the penalty spot. He then proceeded to chip his spot-kick over the bar.

Dolan did however set up Andy Scarisbrick in the 73rd minute to score from close range. Receiving the ball out on the left flank he delivered a delightful cross into the Clitheroe are where it found Scarisbrick coming in at the far post to give Thompson no chance.

The lead lasted barely a minute as straight from the kick-off Clitheroe moved the ball forward down the right-wing, a cross into the box was turned home by McKenna.

Rylands continued to push forward in search of a winner but it was not to be.

In a frantic finale Ste Milne rounded the keeper but was forced too wide and his shot flew across the face of goal, a Lewis Earl cross found Dolan in space at the far post but his shot went over the bar and deep into stoppage time a corner was only half-cleared allowing Milne to shoot from the edge of the area, his shot was well saved, the rebound fell to Joe Bunney whose shot was also dealt with by Thompson.

WARRINGTON RYLANDS: McCall Walker Tinning Earl Egerton Bunney Doyle Coveney Dolan Robinson (Milne) Drummond (Scarisbrick) ; SUBS: Gerrard Wall Smith

CLITHEROE: Thompson Burrows Lonsdale Baker Burke Priestley Clarke (Cummings) Turner (Dent) Gonzales Wilkins McKenna; SUBS: Connelly Stopforth Hodds

GOALS Rylands Drummond 9, Scarisbrick 73 Clitheroe Gonzales 48, McKenna 75

Attendance 276 Referee Simon Kells