COLNE and Clitheroe’s FA Trophy adventures are over after the both slipped to narrow 1-0 defeats at higher league opposition.

Colne were beaten at South Shields while Clitheroe suffered the same fate at Ashton United to go out of the competition in the third qualifying round.

David Lynch took his Clitheroe side to Ashton looking to bounce back from a 2-1 defeat at Workington Town – the Blues’ first loss of the season.

But despite putting in a highly competent performance they were left to rue missing gilt-edge chances and for switching off for one of the rare attacks by the home side with Michael Brewster getting the only goal of the game on the stroke of half time.

Clitheroe dominated the opening 45 minutes against their higher-ranked opposition, with Kielen Adams and Iwyrah Gooden proving to be an effective pairing up front.

It was Gooden who first sprang the offside trap and his lay back to Danny Wilkins was driven narrowly wide.

It was then Adams’ turn as he latched on to a big bouncing goal kick and as Ashton keeper Greg Hartley came to clear the ball, he lifted the ball expertly over him only for it to bounce away off the bar.

Shortly afterwards, Adams lashed a fierce left-foot shot across goal, forcing an excellent save, and as the ball came back into the box, Conor Gaul headed the ball unchallenged into Gale’s midriff, with the goal gaping.

Just before the break. Clitheroe were hit with a sucker punch when Brewster fired home from close range.

In the second half, Ashton were content to launch the ball with the wind down the pitch and to invite the Blues on to them.

Clitheroe continued to push forward but could not find an equaliser with Wilkins hitting the woodwork before Cole Lonsdale let fly with a piledriver that thudded against the post and ran across the goal line to safety.

Further pressure was applied but the home defence held firm to book their passage through.

Colne can also count themselves unfortunate as they also piled on the pressure after going behind to Robert Briggs’ 54th minute effort at South Shields.

The Reds were without captain Alex Coleman but gave a full debut to former Wigan Athletic and Newcastle United midfielder Ryan Taylor.

In the Reds first attack, Taylor’s free-kick was headed down by Tom Dean for Jamie Cooke who saw his shot blocked in the home penalty area. Taylor also had a shot blocked while Sam O’Halleron was denied by the keeper.

Early in the second half, the Reds were caught napping by a corner kick played low into the  area and Briggs was allowed time to turn and shoot into the bottom corner.

Colne were spurred on by the setback and Reece Webb-Foster went close before Dean headed just over.

With 10 minutes to go, Webb-Foster had a sight of goal after a good build-up but the keeper got down low to save his shot .

And four minutes later, Anthony Williams won the ball in midfield and made a great run before forcing another save from the home keeper.

Colne kept battling and deep in injury time they were again denied when Harry Winstanley’s close-range effort was saved by the keeper on the line to prevent what would have been a deserved equaliser for Nathan Rooney’s men.

RAMMY HOPE CHARGE ISN’T HALTED

LEE Donafee admits he is unsure when Ramsbottom United will return to action with a national lockdown set to be introduced on Thursday.

But the assistant boss was delighted to see the Rams move in to top spot in the Northern Premier League North West Division thanks to a hard-fought 2-1 win over 10-man Prescot Cables. Kyle Harrison netted the winner four minutes from time after Anthony Donaldson’s opener had been cancelled out by Jamie Rainford.

Ramsbottom welcomed back Jamie Rother and Richie Baker who both returned from injury off the bench and Donafee is pleased to see the squad getting back to full strength and the competition for places it creates.

But he admits he is not sure when he will see them in action again with the Northern Premier League most likely to suspend its season.

“It’s good to see us top of the league and the squad is getting stronger and obviously we don’t know what’s going on with this lockdown thing but it’s good to have them involved,” he said.

“It’s good to have them back because they’re going to make the squad stronger, Max Leonard as well on the bench, unfortunately didn’t get on but again he makes your squad stronger.”

“The gaffer has said to them ‘keep your shirts’ because these lads can take shirts and stay in the team.”

PADIHAM EXIT FA VASE

PADIHAM were knocked out of the FA Vase in the first round after going down 2-0 at Warrington Rylands 1906.

It was always going to be a tough task for the Storks against their North West Counties League Premier Division rivals who have yet to lose a game this season.

After a goalless first half, the home side broke the deadlock just past the hour mark through Elliot Nevitt.

Padiham remained in the tie right until Nevitt grabbed his second with a stoppage time penalty.

In the Premier Division, Barnoldswick went down 4-0 at Longridge Town with Paul Turner (2), Owen Watkinson and Scott Harries on target for the hosts.

In First Division North, Nelson thumped Daisy Hill 5-0 just days after losing to Lower Breck by the same scoreline.

Jack Foster bagged a hat-trick with Zach Clark and Charlie Lloyd completing the scoring.

Clubs will be hoping to get their final games in before a potential halt to the season with Barlick at Burscough and Padiham hosting Avro tonight.

Tomorrow, AFC Darwen welcome Lower Breck in the First Division North.

MAGPIES’ WAIT FOR WIN GOES ON

Chorley should be able to continue their season as they are classed as ‘elite’ in the National League North.

They are still looking for their first league win of the season however after a missed penalty saw them draw 0-0 at Bradford Park Avenue on Saturday.

But, the penalty apart, the Magpies had enough chances to have won a match they largely dominated and they were left to rue their failure to find the net for a third consecutive National North game.

Striker Connor Hall, back on loan from Woking, was at the centre of the game’s main talking point – the role of Avenue keeper Dan Atkinson.

He pulled off a brilliant save to keep out Lewis Reilly’s spot-kick – but arguably should not have been on the pitch to face it.

 Having already been yellow-carded for charging out of the penalty-area and clattering Hall, Atkinson brought down the same player a second time to concede the penalty with less than 15 minutes to play, yet escaped a second yellow card.

In the event, Reilly, who had converted all three Chorley penalties this term, struck a decent effort low to Atkinson’s right only for the keeper not only to save it but quickly get to his feet and keep out the rebound.

“Overall we’ve dominated the game,” said manager Jamie Vermiglio. “The clean sheet is a positive but the negative is that we’ve not picked up three points. We’ve had six or seven really good opportunities but we are still not scoring goals and something has got to change.”

The Magpies are next in FA Cup first round action at Wigan on Sunday.