Clitheroe managed to beat the weather to get their Evo-Stik League First Division North game with AFC Fylde on – but they must have held regrets after their hard work to make Shaw-bridge playable was rew-arded with a 6-2 hammering.

The Blues, whose recent three match unbeaten run ended a sequence of taking just six points from 27 available, went into the game against the big spending high-flyers quietly confident after a series of improved displays.

And in the early stages they looked good, forcing Fylde onto the back foot.

However, the locals were rocked on 20 minutes when Ritchie Allen opened the scoring with a stabbed effort past Blues' keeper Zack Hibbert to cheer the Seasiders.

The Coasters were pegged back inside four minutes, though, as Ashley Parrilon levelled the game and gave the Blues heart with another goal to enhance his reputation.

But it was not to be their day and after Glenn Steele had made it 2-1 five minutes before the break, Clitheroe's feelings of misery were only added to as visiting keeper Zac Jones pulled off two stunning saves to keep Fylde ahead.

Straight after the re-start Clitheroe also hit the bar from a corner – but Fylde swept down field and made it 3-1 thanks to Andrew Fowler's effort.

Allen bagged his second and Joe Booth made it 5-1 on 64 minutes to effectively wrap up the points.

Lee Pugh scored the goal of the game to reduce the arrears for the Blues and his stunning 30-yard strike at least had the consolation of being the best goal of the game.

The game lost its way after that moment but Brad Barnes did at least have the last word for Fylde as he scored his side's sixth and the game's eighth goal just before the end to lift them into the top four and leave Clitheroe six points above the drop zone.