GREEN SEES RED AS BLUES CRASH

A poor performance from Blues was punished by bottom of the table Clitheroe who won 2-1 to pick up their first points of the season.

Neil Baker chose to make three changes to the side that won at Newcastle Town with Niall Maguire, Jordan Johnson and Zeph Thomas coming in for Harry Brazel, Charlie Walford and Tim Grice.

He was forced into a fourth change during the warm-up when Joe Kearns broke down meaning that Andy McWilliams was drafted in for his first start.

Town were slow out of the blocks and the visitors went close on 14 minutes but were unable to turn the ball home following a goalmouth scramble.

Blues put together a nice move in the 18th minute which ended with Thomas heading narrowly over.

Six minutes later Leek were awarded a penalty when Niall Green burst into the box to collect a quick free-kick and was tripped by Joe Mitchell.

Thomas stepped up to take the spot-kick and despatched it down the middle as Clitheroe keeper Ed Wilczynski dived to his left.

On the half hour Danny Roberts was at full stretch to push away Josh Gregory's free-kick and two minutes later Blues could have doubled their lead.

Dan Trickett-Smith's low shot was pushed away by Wilczynski, Thomas poked the loose ball goalwards but his effort was blocked, then Johnson tried to backheel it in without success.

There was a let-off for Blues in the 41st minute when Max Hazeldine shinned the ball against the inside of the post with Roberts beaten but it bounced out to safety.

Eleven minutes after the break Stevenson set up Thomas with the only the keeper to beat. However, Wilczynski got a hand to the shot and took just enough pace off the ball to prevent it from going in.

On 61 minutes Blues were awarded a second penalty when Stevenson was floored in the box, Thomas stepped up again and put the spot-kick down the middle once more but the keeper stood firm this time and made a comfortable save.

Four minutes later Clitheroe were reduced to ten men as Andreas Bianga was shown a second yellow card for a late tackle on Maguire.

However the numerical advantage lasted only three minutes as Niall Green was shown a straight red for a lunging challenge right in front of the visitors dugout.

In the 80th minutes Jason Jefferies headed home from close range from a corner to equalise for the visitors and ten minutes later in the final minute of normal time, Clitheroe scored a carbon copy goal this time Derek Ubah the man to nod home a corner from the same side.

This capped a really dismal performance from Blues and Baker will be looking for a big improvement for Tueday's night's FA Cup tie at Charnock Richard.

Line-up:

1. Danny Roberts
2. Niall Green
3.Andy McWilliams
4. Marc Grocott
5. Scott Lycett
6. Mat Bailey
7. Niall Maguire
8. Jordan Johnson (16. Jessy Bavanganga, 89)
9. Zeph Thomas (12. Tim Grice, 73)
10. Dan Trickett-Smith (55. Charlie Walford, 55)
11. Rob Stevenson

Unused subs: 15. Harry Brazel 17. Ben Chapman

Red Card: Niall Green

Attendance: 304