Prescot Cables came from two goals behind to snatch a draw with two late goals in a fast exciting game at Hope Street.

Cables Manager Dave Powell made four changes from the team which had lost on penalties to Burscough in the Liverpool Senior Cup in midweek. Culkin, Benn, Murphy and Evans replacing Lowton, Beattie, Shinks and Parish.

Cables kicked off defending the Hope Street End and were soon awarded a free kick when local lad Lloyd Dean playing for Clitheroe kicked the ball out of Nick Culkin’s hands. It was Clitheroe who applied the early pressure and they stunned Cables by taking the lead on 4 minutes. The Cables defence failed to clear George Conway’s cross from the left into the penalty area, allowing Lloyd Dean to pounce in front of goal and score from close range. Soon afterwards the Cables defence had to deal with another dangerous cross, this time from the right by Miller. Rob Doran then played the ball into Sean Breen inside the Clitheroe penalty area but the ball was cleared for a corner. From the corner Breen headed back to Ryan Dunn who blazed his shot over the bar from the edge of the box. Cables began to get back into the game and Joe Evans came close when his low shot was pushed past the post by Ollerenshaw. From the corner Evans had a shot deflected over the bar for another corner, from which Ged Murphy had a shot blocked. It had been a good spell of pressure from Cables and they had been unlucky not to be on level terms. Wilkins then went on a long run from deep for Clitheroe setting up Dean who fired over the bar. Conway and Miller then linked up down the right to again find Dean inside the penalty area whose shot was blocked by the Cables defence.

Menagh went close for Cables taking Bannisters pass and firing narrowly wide then a long ball from Culkin for Doran was cut out by Clitheroe centre back Morton. Another long clearance from Culkin for Doran was intercepted by Clitheroe keeper Ollerenshaw. Clitheroe caught Cables on the counter attack to go 2-0 up after 35 minutes. Walker broke down the left side and his cross was headed across goal by Conway for Dean to score at the far post. Dean could have had a hat trick minutes later when he received the ball from Miller but he hit his shot straight at Culkin in the Cables goal.

Cables made a substitution at the start of the second half, Isaac Kusaloka replacing Sean Breen and he certainly added some pace and presence to the Cables attack. Jamie Menagh playing in an unfamiliar central midfield role for Cables went on a long run from deep finding Kusaloka inside the penalty area whose shot was deflected for a corner. From the corner taken by Menagh, Doran had a shot blocked then Lynch fired over. Cables were awarded a free kick for a foul on Menagh. Menagh took the free kick himself, his shot being deflected over for a corner. Menagh then linked up with Doran who crossed for Kusaloka whose header was saved by Ollerenshaw at the far post. Ollerenshaw then miskicked when attempting to clear a long ball intended for Kusaloka but recovered in time to clear at the second attempt.

Cables made their second substitution, Shirley replacing Evans. Cable shad another opportunity when Doran flicked the ball on to Ryan Dunn whose low shot was pushed away by Ollerenshaw for a corner. Back came Clitheroe on the counter attack with Walker and Dean whose low hard cross just evaded the in rushing Walker. Another long ball out of defence for Kusaloka was cut out by James. It was then Clitheroe’s turn to venture into the long ball game, Miller and Dean linking up down the right and Culkin pushing Miller’s shot past the post for a corner.

From a free kick taken by Menagh, Kusaloka tried a shot on the turn which was pushed past the post by Ollerenshaw for a corner. From the corner taken by Menagh, Doran got up well to head back across goal for Ged Murphy to prod the ball into the net at the far post on 79 minutes. This goal lifted Cables and they surged forward in search of an equaliser. It arrived on 82 minutes when Murphy received the ball from a short corner and passed inside to Menagh on the edge of the box. Menagh’s powerful shot was parried by Ollerenshaw but Isaac Kusaloka following up scored from the rebound.

Clitheroe almost caught Cables out on the counter attack yet again, Wilkins firing wide. Back came Cables and Bannister won the ball in midfield setting up Ryan Dunn who fired a long range effort narrowly wide. Cables won a corner in added time taken by Menagh, from which Ged Murphy headed just over the bar.

Prescot Cables: Culkin, Benn, Lynch, Murphy, Cairns, Menagh, Evans, Bannister, Breen, Doran, Dunn. Substitutes: Beattie, Cliff, Shirley, Kusaloka, Lowton.

Clitheroe: Ollerenshaw, Wedge, Thornton, James, Morton, Griffiths, Miller, Wilkins, Dean, Conway, Walker.

Substitutes: Smith, Bakkor, Byrom, Dent, Garner.