Clitheroe, who visit Borough Park on New Year’s Day to face Workington Reds are a team on the up – both on and off the field.
Workington, who won 2-0 at Clitheroe earlier in the season, host a side fresh from a 5-1 derby win over Colne on Monday.
A near record attendance was at Shawbridge with 1,679 thought to be the second highest home attendance in the Blues’ history – bettered only by an FA Vase semi-final gate 25 years ago.
Clitheroe were chasing national glory back then and are again in the hunt for honours as they try to finally move up from Northern Premier League West Division level.
There’s still a long way to go and automatic promotion will be a tough ask as Marine currently lead them by eight points and they are four behi9nd the Reds.
But that was a fifth successive home win and the four-goal winning margin was enough to lift them into third spot on goal difference ahead of the NPL West’s match of the day at Borough Park.
Clitheroe were missing a number of players, including skipper and former Colne striker Sefton Gonzales, but most clubs in the League have suffered, if not because of injuries, but through Covid.
Workington had six players absent in the 3-1 win at Kendal – two of them COVD related – and manager Chris Willcock is getting used to late withdrawals.
Willcock said: “We played very well to win at Clitheroe earlier in the season and we will need to produce again for the return. It’s a good test to start the New Year but I know all thye lads are looking forward to it.”
One of the Clitheroe players particularly looking forward to the game is Ben McKenna, the former Carlisle United and Workington winger.
“Back to where the non-league journey started.. Many miles have been put in the tank since then. Can’t wait for it,” he tweeted.
McKenna made a single first team appearance for Carlisle in 2011 against Sheffield Wednesday after making his debut as a sub against Tipton Town in a 6-0 FA Cup win in November 2010.
He then had a 14-match loan spell with Annan Athletic before joining Workington in 2013 where he played 44 times for the west Cumbrians, scoring four goals.
Since then his CV has suggested a nomadic non-league career taking in the likes of Stalybridge, Ashton United, Bradford PA (twice), Southport, Stockport County, Curzon Ashton, Chester, Spennymoor and Farsley Celtic.
