As this was a development fixture, we played with a larger group than usual, including our three new junior players making their first appearance for the team — Alex, Seb and Leo — all of whom were outstanding.

Clitheroe also brought a strong squad, with most of their juniors older and physically bigger than ours, so today was always going to be a real test. This report is less about the scoreline and more about how well everyone stepped up.

At the back, we had our usual solid trio — keeper Steve, supported by strong defenders Paul and Jamie — giving us a reliable spine to build from. Across midfield and up front, everyone worked incredibly hard to balance game time and keep the tempo high.

Our juniors and younger players were fantastic: Will, Reuben and Findlay battled brilliantly; Andrew made a real impact every time he came on; Noah worked tirelessly; and Gus gave his usual all-action performance. Matthew on the left side is improving every single match and continues to grow in confidence.

In midfield, Shaun showed lovely composure on the ball despite not being 100% this week.
And as for our debutants — Seb, Alex and Leo — you were superb. You showed real character, worked hard, chased everything, tackled fearlessly and never let your heads drop, even against physically stronger opposition. You should all be incredibly proud.
We had a few shots and half-chances, but their very experienced keeper kept us out. Goals will come — there’s loads to build on, and the effort from every single player today was outstanding.

Improvement isn’t a straight line, but the commitment, attitude and team spirit you all showed were excellent.

Well done, everyone — keep going and keep believing!