On Saturday, Neil Reynolds and Peter Smith's charges play their final warm-up game when they entertain UniBond Premier Division Buxton at Shawbridge (kick-off 3 p.m.).

And ahead of the big kick-off at home to Mossley a week on Saturday, there have been several plus-points in the camp.

While the Blues still search for their first clean sheet to go into the new campaign, the performance on Saturday in a narrow 1-0 defeat at home to UniBond Premier Division promotion hopefuls Bradford Park Avenue gave great encouragement.

And the return of several key players to fitness and form is a further boost.

Against Bradford, the side heeded Smith's call last week to tighten up and the back and make themselves harder to break down.

Clitheroe more than held their own against Avenue's expensively-assembled side, who have been tipped to win the Premier Division title at the first attempt after promotion – despite the Blues missing a number of players for various reasons.

And Smith said: "We were superb, especially in the first half. We could have been four or five up, and defended well with that.

"The pleasing part was that we kept things tight, but still created chances against a top Premier Division side.
"We tore them apart at times."

Bradford won the game with a Darren Hockenhull goal from 20 yards in the second half.

And Smith added: "In the second half, they put more pressure on us, but I think they opened us up only once, and the winner was a bit of a fluke from the full back.

"But I was hoping to see us perform better as a unit, and we looked a lot better.

"At the back, Ian Flannery and Jonathan Smith did well, and look to have got a good partnership going, which is a massive plus."

Then on Tuesday night, striker Anthony Johnson got 70 minutes for the reserves at home to Burnley United, in a game where several of Lee Boyer and Martin Aspinwall's young charges caught the eye.

Former Ramsbottom United frontman Johnson, who finished last season with four goals in three games, was forced off early in the 2-1 win over Emley three weeks ago with a back problem, and had not featured since.

However, Smith was delighted with his comeback: "He got 70 minutes and looked sharp, which is fantastic news for us.

"He had been to see a specialist, and he has a bulging disc, which will need a bit of physio, but it isn't a major problem.
"He is a big player for us and it was great to see him back. We have four very good strikers at the club, and strikers win you games."

And of the budding first team players in the second string, Smith spoke in glowing terms: "Some of the young kids certainly caught my eye, big time.

"They are all aged between 17 and 20, and hopefully we will be able to grab one or two and bring them through year on year, which would be a big help to us."

However, it has not been all good, as left back Barry Shuttleworth had a recurrence of a hamstring problem on Tuesday, and flying winger Dave Hankin will also miss Saturday's game with Buxton with a hairline fracture of his arm – although he is expected to be fit to face Mossley.

Smith said: "Baz broke down in the reserves with a tight hamstring, and that is a blow because I rate him as one of the best left backs in the league.

"And Dave got a knock on his arm three weeks ago, which turns out is a hairline, but he will be right for the first game.

"We will rest him on Saturday as a precaution. We had thought it was only badly bruised after an x-ray, and he played three games with it, but we found out he has a hairline, and it's not worth risking him against Buxton."

Buxton are expected to field former Clitheroe vice-captain Gregg Anderson on Saturday.