CLITHEROE took derby bragging rights with a 2-1 victory over Ramsbottom United at Shawbridge on Saturday.

The three points saw Phil Brown’s side move up to second in the BetVictor North West Division while Rammy are ninth after four defeats in their last five games.

The visitors, after two weeks without a game, had three new additions in their side with the hugely popular Luke Thompson making a welcome return at the heart of the defence and Ben Hampson and Reece Fishwick making their bows.

The first attempt on goal arrived for Clitheroe just after the quarter-hour mark when Jacob Gregory’s effort was parried by Tom Stewart.

This stung the away side into action and, after Fishwick’s 20 yard effort at goal was parried, Mason Fawns was denied with his attempt to follow up by some frantic defending from Clitheroe.

With almost half an hour gone the hosts opened the scoring when the dangerous Gregory picked up the ball on the right wing before gliding past his marker and curling his finish past the despairing dive of Stewart and into the far corner of the net.

Clitheroe twice threatened to double their advantage but some resolute defending from the new-look Rams defence and wayward shooting kept the deficit at one goal.

Shortly before the break, the Rams had their best period but Iyrwah Gooden could not make the most of two openings and the half-time whistle came with Clitheroe 1-0 ahead.

They almost doubled their advantage shortly after the restart but Stewart turned a far post header around the post.

Rammy restored parity when a long pass from Tom Kennedy found Nic Evangelinos, who got the wrong side of the defender before skipping around on-rushing keeper Connor King and rolling the ball into an unguarded net for his third strike in consecutive matches.

Just after the hour mark came the winner, via an incisive Clitheroe breakaway by Terry Cummings.

His simple pass caught out the Rams defence and unmarked substitute Charlie Mulgrew, barely on for five minutes, had the time to take a touch and send his shot past Stewart.

Without a recognised striker on the pitch the Rams were finding it difficult to generate any clear-cut chances with Clitheroe happy to hit them on the break.

The visitors pushed forward and edged the possession, but the Clitheroe defence dealt comfortably with what the Rams were throwing at them.

Teddy Perkins’ cross on 89 minutes was as close as Ramsbottom came to a second equaliser but Evangelinos’ far-post header narrowly missed the target.