CLITHEROE are still searching for their first win of the season after another below-par performance at Atherton in NWCL Division One last night.

Blues boss Dave Burgess was not a happy man after he saw his side miss a penalty and have to come from behind to rescue a point.

"It's not going to be easy for us this season because we finished second last year teams are raising their game," he said. "But we aren't playing as well as we can. We seem to think we only have toturn up to get the points and it doesn't work like that."

In a first half of few chances Clitheroe came closest to scoring when Danny Heys struck a shot that came back off the bar but Lee Cryer hit the rebound wide.

Then on the hour the usually reliable Mark Stewart blazed over the bar from the penalty spot.

The home side took the lead with a breakaway effort 15 minutes from time and that sparked Clitheroe to life.

That said, there was an element of good fortune about their 80th minute equaliser. Richard Fogarty's shot from the edge of the area took a big deflection on its way into the back of the net. Clitheroe dominated the last 10 minutes but could not find a winner.

RESULT: ATHERTON LR...1 CLITHEROE...1