CLITHEROE take on a young Blackburn Rover's XI in a pre-season friendly at Shawbridge on Saturday, 3pm.

"Rovers will bring an Under-21 squad in a fixture that is very similar to one we had last year when Blackburn won an entertaining game 3-1, said chairman Steve Rush. "

The Rovers squad is expected to include: Williams, Mulchrone, Hitchen, Broomes, Whealing, Reed, Coughlan, Morgan, Malone, Gill, Beattie, Chisholm, Duff, Hope and Benson.

Clitheroe have strengthened their squad in readiness for their North-west Counties Division 1 campaign.

They started their build-up with a 1-1 draw at Squire's Gate last Saturday, and last night, came from behind to draw 2-2 with North-west Counties League side Feniscowles at Shawbridge.

Ian Pilkington gave the home side the lead before they went 2-1 down, but David Horrocks produced an equaliser to even things up.

Tonight Clitheroe entertain Turton, 7.30pm, and next week they travel away to Great Harwood (Tuesday, August 6), and then play host to a Burnley XI (Thursday, August 8), - both matches kick-off at 7.30pm.

The Shawbridge side - led by joint-managers Denis Underwood and Gary Butcher - have been busy this summer strengthening their playing squad.

Former Burnley player Les Thompson has been recruited from Accrington Stanley to bolster the defence, and ex-Derby County man Mike Ward joins the strike force.

Two players vie for the keeper's role vacated by Carlo Nash's dream move to Crystal Palace at the end of last season for £35,000.

They are James Goodman and Lee Greenacre, a former Clitheroe youth player who was with Feniscowles last year.

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