CLITHEROE striker Neil Spencer believes fate may have played a part in the Blues' untimely FA Vase exit.

They were beaten 3-1 by Devizes Town after extra time on Saturday, denying them the chance to progress to the final after quarter-final and semi-final appearances in the last two years.

But Spencer says they will have the chance to put the record straight against Skelmersdale in the Worthington Trophy quarter finals tonight, despite it being a competition they haven't excelled in over recent years.

"This is the furthest we've been in the last five or six years," he said.

"We've got knocked out in the first round for the last two years, but the final's at Bury's Gigg Lane this year and I think a few of the lads are keen to play there.

"Maybe it's our turn to do well in that competition instead of the Vase. But we were bitterly disappointed to get knocked out on Saturday.

"We were expected to win but we didn't perform as well as we know we can.

"Devizes got a controversial penalty with virtually the last kick of the game just after we'd scored. None of their players appealed for it and it really knocked the stuffing out of us.

"We still had chances to win it in extra time because we'd been the better side. But when they scored a second that was it."

Spencer added that tonight's game at Shawbridge (kick-off 7.45pm) would be a golden opportunity to put things right.

But he feared the team maybe suffering the after effects of their shock Vase exit.

"It could go either way," he said.

"We need to go out there and try to get that defeat out of our systems. We need to prove to everyone that we are a good side.

"Hopefully Saturday's result will spur us on in this cup and the league because, although it's a long shot, we still have a chance of winning the league with Prescot Cables slipping up at the weekend.

"We need to win something this year because we've worked so hard and we can't let that go to waste."