Clitheroe 3 Chorley 21

9:13am Tuesday 15th April 2008

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Chorley built on their close win over North Manchester last week with an emphatic win over Clitheroe to lift them off the bottom of the league.

The home side opened the scoring with a penalty on five minutes, but were never in the game after that.

After conceding the early penalty Chorley rallied to run several phases of play taking them deep inside the Clitheroe half.

Quick ball from a ruck was put through hands before centre Stewart Harris broke through the defence to score and Martin Whitfield added the conversion.

The rest of the half saw Chorley dominate but they failed to add to their score due to handling errors.

Early in the second half the forwards went close to extending the lead as lock Mike Harwood was held up over the line after a pick up and drive from the back of a ruck.

As Chorley piled on the pressure a brilliant passage of play combining forward and backs saw great passes from flanker Martin Riley and second row John Jackson hold up the Clitheroe defence to allow winger Ian Rigbye to scamper home in the corner, followed by a long range conversion from Whitfield.

As the game wore on Chorley continued to put pressure on the Clitheroe defence.

Eventually a failed clearance kick ricocheted into the arms of Harris who flopped over the line for his simplest score of the season Following his third conversion Whitfield marshalled the Chorley defence for a brief Clitheroe surge which was well contained.

Chorley 2nd XV had an impressive 18-9 win over Bolton 4ths at home.

Chorley host Thornton Cleveleys in their final game of the season on Saturday.