Colne 2 Bacup Borough 1

COLNE inflicted the first league defeat of the season on local rivals Bacup Borough at Holt House last night.

Colne were the brighter side from the off, and their passing game was back in full flow after having to be put to one side in Saturday's win at Chester-le-Street.

Two early chances fell to Carl Haworth, but he failed to convert either of them.

First he put the ball over the bar after a header from defender Dean Repullo failed to reach former Bolton keeper Dave Felgate, then another effort was superbly turned round the post by the Welsh stopper.

Bacup's first half attacks were fleeting, but Lee Wilkinson always posed a serious threat, and his swivel and shot from the edge of the box found the outside of the post.

Colne took the lead from the penalty spot after 43 minutes, but its award was hotly contested by the Borough players.

A tangle for the ball between Repullo and Kieron Roberts led to referee Gary Hilton pointing to the spot, from which Haworth sent Felgate the wrong way.

But Bacup were back on level terms by half-time, as Wilkinson curled a 20-yard free kick over the wall to find the far corner.

However, just three minutes into the second half, the home side regained the lead when Craig Whittaker's long ball into the box was met by Scott Gizon, who scored with a looping header.

Bacup looked more determined in the second half but failed to convert their territorial advantage into many real chances.

The closest they came was a howitzer of a shot from substitute Karl Stanley that struck the inside of the post.

The visitors, who are expected to be without absent captain Steve Stott for at least a month with a broken arm, became increasingly frustrated in the closing minutes, picking up two bookings, and several players angrily confronted the referee at the final whistle.

Their boss Brent Peters later protested: "I thought the penalty was harsh, and I felt the officials were poor, they didn't let the game flow, and that suited Colne more than it suited us because we wanted to start playing.

"But I thought our players were back to themselves tonight, and I thought we were fully justified of certainly a point, if not three."

However his views were not shared by Colne chief Nigel Coates.

"We were the better side in the first half, and on chances alone we just about shaded it," he said.

"And you won't get a much more blatant penalty - he had both arms round him!"