CLITHEROE bounced back from their first NWCL Division One defeat of the season with a convincing victory over promotion rivals Salford.

The Blues made sure they kept the visiting keeper busy all afternoon.

Chris Whittingham, Jason Jones from 25 yards and Lee Buggie from six yards out, were all foiled by great saves by the keeper.

Whittingham opened the scoring after seven minutes when Lee Cryer slid the ball to the winger who beat the keeper with a right foot shot.

Jones and Matin Aspinwall ran the midfield while the home defence, led superbly by manager Lee Sculpher, kept Salford to the odd long distance effort.

Clitheroe doubled their lead on 38 minutes when a fine five-man move started by defender Adam Gardner was finished from just inside the box by the same player with a fierce drive.

It was his first goal for the Blues in his third season at the club.

Salford did put up a fight and only a fingertip save by Kris Richens, turning the ball onto the bar, kept the scoresheet clean for the home team.

After the break, Clitheroe still never let the visitors into the game.

And the result was put beyond doubt when, on 82 minutes, the oustanding Lee Cryer tapped him from close range after good work on the right by Jones.

With long term injuries to Carl Greenwood (broken leg) and Neil Reynolds (cruciate) and shorter ones to Neil Spencer (hernia), Andy Cowking (knee) and Mark Stewart , Gary Rishton and Stuart Todhunter all unavailable this week, manager Sculpher is quietly building a more than capable squad at Shawbridge.

CLITHEROE...3

SALFORD CITY...0