CLITHEROE'S impressive late season form continued with an emphatic NWCL First Division success over struggling Congleton.

The final scoreline failed to paint a true picture for the Ribble Valley lads could easily have doubled the goals tally.

"We should have been five up by half-time," said player-manager Lee Sculpher. "But we paid the price for not taking any number of chances. Eventually though our pressure brought its reward and it was a pleasing performance.

"I made a few changes to try to freshen things up after the holiday programme and it worked well which was satisfying.

"Sometimes you try things and they don't work out, but this was not such a case and credit to the players for making it work."

Clitheroe made the perfect start when a long throw from Mark Stewart was flicked into the path of Andy Cowking who scored from a yard out on three minutes.

Time after time again the home side bombarded the Congleton goal with Lee Cryer and Chris Whittingham both going close.

But Congleton sprang the ultimate sucker punch just six minutes after the re-start when they broke to level things up through John Paul Jones who made the most of sloppy defending.

But, in the final quarter-of-an-hour, Clitheroe came good to take the points.

Stewart, pushed further forward on the left in a tactical switch, produced cross after cross and eventually Cryer spotted a route to goal with a rocket header.

On time, Stewart was involved in the third, nodding into the path of Jason Jones who sent a shot soaring into the top corner.

CLITHEROE...3 CONGLETON...1

CLITHEROE travel to Nantwich tomorrow night.