A DRAMATIC equaliser by full-back Jimmy Moore, four minutes into stoppage time, salvaged a point for Trafford in an intriguing Evo-Stik West encounter against Clitheroe at the First Point Shawe View Stadium on Tuesday night.

Both defences were on top in the opening half hour with the first attempt on goal falling in the 32nd minute when Clitheroe striker Phil Marsh saw his snap shot comfortably saved by Matty Cooper.

Cooper saved a long-range effort by Josh Gregory at the second attempt before the visitors took the lead in the 42nd minute with a sensational goal, Max Hazeldine cutting in from the left and rifling an unstoppable drive into the far top corner from 25 yards.

On the stroke of half time Marsh almost made it two when he connected with a right-wing cross by Bevan Burey but was denied by a brilliant point-blank save by Cooper.

Trafford were struggling to create chances against the well-drilled Clitheroe defence but the introduction of substitutes Declan Rydings and Darius Palma on the hour mark appeared to give them fresh impetus.

Adam Farrell was desperately unlucky when his volley rattled the bar following a Joel Amado cross and then he saw his header fly inches wide of the upright as Trafford upped the pace.

At the other end Cooper tipped a great drive by Burey over the bar but it was the hosts who were dominating, inspired by their vociferous supporters.

Palma ended a jinking run with a shot that was deflected inches wide and it seemed it was not to be Trafford’s day when penalty appeals fell on deaf ears following an obvious push on Rydings.

However, deep into added time they were awarded a throw on the left which Adam Farrell hurled into the packed penalty area, Clitheroe failed to clear, and Moore popped up at the back post to crash the ball into the roof of the net.

The draw came four days after manager Tom Baker saw his side win 2-0 at Kendal Town.

The uneven playing surface made creative football almost impossible but the visitors made the perfect start when, after just four minutes, Jack Dorney released Liam Ellis who slipped the ball past the advancing Murray O’Rourke with Kendal vainly appealing for offside.

Trafford continued to dominate with Farrell heading just over and Kamar Moncrieffe seeing his close-range volley brilliantly saved by O’Rourke.

Ellis went close with another header that was parried by O’Rourke who then superbly pushed a 25-yard piledriver from Danny Wilkins past the upright.

Kendal created their first goalscoring opportunity in the 33rd minute when Danny Keenan found himself in space on the right but screwed his shot wide of the far post.

In the 38th minute Wilkins skipped past three Kendal defenders and was bundled to the ground by Ionut Anghel, Ellis stepping forward to side-foot the resulting penalty past O’Rourke.

The second half was scrappy with both sides repeatedly squandering possession and Trafford content with their two-goal advantage.

Kendal showed very little adventure and appeared to be in damage-limitation mode, restricting Trafford to long-range efforts by Ellis and Wilkins that flew well over.

In the 80th minute the hosts' impressive young keeper O’Rourke produced a fine point-blank save to thwart Trafford substitute Mason Fawns and in the dying seconds he was in action once more when he saved from Wilkins.