Rossendale United 2 Clitheroe 0 (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Rossendale United 2 Clitheroe 0

9:34am Monday 22nd March 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(1)

WITH both teams wearing Rossendale shirts, there was only going to be one winner - but it was those in the home kit who emerged victorious.

The Clitheroe kit man was caught up in traffic so the visitors were forced to pull on Rossendale’s away strip.

And after goals from Tom Smith and Daniel Shannon guided John Hughes’ side to victory, Rossendale had double the reason to celebrate - regaining the local bragging rights and climbing off the foot of the table.

With persistent overnight rain continuing right up to the kick-off, it took a marathon effort to get the pitch playable and the greasy surface made it a game when mistakes could prove to be crucial.

Rossendale opened the scoring in the 12th minute when a cross came in from the right and Smith’s acrobatic overhead kick was handled.

The referee pointed to the spot and Smith took it himself, sending Danny Handford in the Clitheroe goal the wrong way.

Rossendale did not have it all their own way in the first half and an almighty goalmouth scramble nearly led to the equaliser but as the ball was eventually cleared the home crowd sensed that perhaps it was going to be their day.

Rossendale kept the pressure on in the second half as first Shannon and then Owens almost increased their lead but Handford made good saves to keep Dale at bay.

Clitheroe then began to get into the game but Rossendale’s defence held firm as the Blues piled on the pressure.

And after weathering the storm, Rossendale made the points safe in the 68th minute when Ryan Zico-Black played in Shannon.

Although he was forced wide he managed to squeeze the ball home from the tightest of angles to cap a fine afternoon’s display.

Clitheroe’s cause was lost when ex-Dale man Kevin Brown was sent off and the Stags were able to complete a fine afternoon’s work and take all three valuable and most welcome points.