Clitheroe 1 Colwyn Bay 3 in the Unibond League

BAY manager Gary Finley’s pre-match announcement of two new signings produced the perfect response to stretch the new boss’ invincible record.

Whether it was the added awareness of fresh competition heading their way that induced the extra sparkle or not the outcome was entirely to Finley’s liking.

“If we keep this up then we’re in for a storming finish,” he beamed. “We had to come from behind after they caught us with a wonder goal on quarter of an hour but once we got level there was really only one team in it.

“We were strong in all departments but you’d have to mark down Neil Black for an especially fine performance. He never stopped running.”

Taking root in the Bay half for the first 30 minutes, Clitheroe led through a remarkable overhead volley from the edge of the box which Joe Byron blasted beyond keeper Matt Parry, but man-of-the-match Black miraculously squeezed a volley inside the near post on 33 minutes for 1-1 and then it was chocks away.

Within seven minutes they had stormed into a 3-1 lead, John Lawless netting from the spot after Black had been felled. Black then resurfaced to hammer home a beauty from Darren Wright’s cross.

The Bay played possession football to stifle Clitheroe’s predictable comeback and Parry had to produce a spectacular double-save in injury time to deny the hosts.