Clitheroe aren't scared by toothless Goole (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Clitheroe aren't scared by toothless Goole

4:32pm Monday 8th October 2012 in Football

Paul Moore’s Clitheroe are up to second in the Evo-Stik First Division North after beating Goole at Shawbridge.

New boy Mark Buchan, Alex Johnson and Leon Williams scored first-half goals to give the Blues a commanding lead before Jack Cross replied for the visitors.

Both sides had a man sent off in the second period while Hakan Burton saved a Bill Law penalty as Clitheroe did enough to seal another three points.

Buchan went close to opening the scoring in the 11th minute but lifted his shot over the bar before the former Greenock Morton for-ward saw a goal-bound effort cleared off the line.

But he was not to be denied for a third time and raced on to Johnson’s through ball to coolly side-foot past Adam Reid in the 26th minute.

The Blues were completely dominant and doubled their lead in the 33rd minute as Johnson hooked the ball home after a firm Daley Woods shot had been blocked.

Goole right back Chris Ovington was booked for deliberately handling the ball as it crossed the line.

Two minutes later Williams, whose clever pass had released Woods for Johnson’s goal, made it three as he rounded Reid to slide home his first goal for the club.

Goole had barely threat-ened but pulled a goal back on 39 minutes as substitute Cross found the roof of the net with the Clitheroe defence failing to deal with Ovington’s cross. The visitors made a bright start to the second period with Sam Grimshaw rifling over before the match became disjointed as both sides were reduced to 10 men.

Rob Bodie saw red in the 57th minute for an apparent kick at an opposing player although the numerical imbalance lasted a minute as Ovington received a second yellow for a lunge on Buchan.

The Blues looked to have steadied the ship after a shaky start to the half only for Goole to spurn a golden opportunity to make the final quarter of an hour much more uncomfortable.

But Burton came to the Clitheroe’s rescue when he saved Law’s spot kick after after Callum Richards was tripped by Lee Pugh.

As the game entered the final 10 minutes, Simon Nangle’s low curling effort was saved by Reid after good combination play between Pugh and Smith.

In stoppage time, Burton tipped over a Russell header while Johnson struck a post after a Nangle drive from the edge of the area was palmed away by Reid.