CLITHEROE have finally kick-started their season.

Dave Burgess's side ran riot at the Riverside in the North West Counties First Division derby proving they are still a force to be reckoned with.

The Blues had not won a game in five league and cup attempts and the critics had begun to doubt that they could repeat the success of last season when they finished second in the league and reached the semi-finals of the FA Vase.

"It just shows what happens when you get one or two of your injured players back in the side," said manager Dave Burgess.

"Ramsbottom are a good side and I bet that is the biggest margin they will be beaten by at home this season.

"We just didn't give them a minute on the ball. I think that is the best we have played not just this season but in the months toward the end of last season as well."

Clitheroe got a dream start when, after just eight minutes, Lee Cryer took the lead after a Richard Fogarty shot was parried by Rams keeper Damian Rooney.

And it was no surprise when the visitors, who had Andy Cowking, Adam Gardner and Carl Greenwood back in the side after injury, doubled their lead on 22 minutes when Andy Taylor smashed a superb volley past Rooney from a Gardner cross.

And Cryer could have got his second on the stroke of half time but he saw his header fly back off the post.

Any hopes Ramsbottom had of a comeback vanished in the 53rd minute when Richard Fogarty curled a shot past Rooney from 10 yards.

And 10 minutes later Cryer got his second of the night, latching on to a Barry Hart cross.

In the dying minutes Ramsbottom got a consolation when a Danny Robinson shot hit the post and was sent goalwards by Brad Francis.

"We were disappointed to concede one at the end but we have still got Stuart Todhunter, Neil Spencer, Mark Stewart and Jason Jones out so there is more to come from us," said Burgess.

"This could be our time to put a good run together now because when we are full-strength we are hard to beat and we will always score goals.

"We worked really hard and that made all the difference."

RESULT: RAMSBOTTOM...1 CLITHEROE...4