Stand Athletic...2 Colne...1

STAND's injury-ravaged side overcame a determined Colne outfit on Tuesday night and now need just two more wins to clinch the North West Counties Division Two title.

On a hard Ewood Bridge pitch which made it difficult to play passing football, the match, at times, became a lottery, but it was the Latics' eye for a goal that saw them through.

Early chances fell to both sides, but it wasn't until the 35th minute that the home side scored. Stuart Telfer raced down the left side and drilled a low cross to the back post for Chris Denham to score.

Colne hit back when Stand failed to clear a corner and the unmarked Gary Dalton headed in Webster's cross at the back post to equalise.

Stand upped the tempo in the second half and their constant pressure was rewarded when Steve Davis powered home Gary Massey's corner for the winner and Latics 99th goal of the season.

Stand hope to have Neil Dawes and Lee Wilkinson back tomorrow for the visit of Cheadle Town to Ewood Bridge, but Lee Anderson is likely to join Steve Carroll and Micky Wolstenholme on the casualty list for the rest of the season.

Padiham...0 Stand Athletic...4

AFTER the uncharacteristic and surprise draw at home to lowly Daisy Hill, normal service was resumed as Stand inched closer to the title.

Padiham, struggling to get out of the lower half of the table, decided on a mix of youth, experience and -- especially in the later stages -- strongarm tactics to see if they could build on what Daisy Hill had done.

If any damage was inflicted it was not in evidence last Saturday as Stand made their intentions clear from the start, taking the game to their hosts.

With the early pattern laid, an early goal came in the 10th minute. Lee Wilkinson turned on the edge of the box and his shot was tipped over by Padiham keeper Andy Kirk. Neil Dawes corner was handled by centre half Shaun Kersall and Steve Stott stepped up to make it 1-0 from the penalty spot.

It looked as if Latics would now go on the rampage and in the 23rd minute Chris Denham was brought crashing down just outside the box. Wilkinson expertly bent a left foot shot around the wall and into the net.

Padiham had no chance to mount a fightback as the second half got under way. With less than 30 seconds on the clock a Tommy Allen goal kick was flicked on by Stott, picked up by Denham and despatched superbly across field to Stuart Telfer who calmly finished to effectively kill the game.

Padiham then resorted to rough house tactics, but they were punished in the 65th minute when Wilkinson tapped in Denham's low cross to claim his second and Stand's fourth goal.

The inconsistency of the referee was there for all to see when he sent off Latics' defender Dave Channon for what was deemed a reckless tackle after all that had gone before from the opposition.

STAND ATHLETIC: Allen, Stott, Hannan, Gallagher, Anderson, Channon, Telfer (Rushton), Denham, Wilkinson, Carroll (Massey), Dawes. Referee: Mr D Enright (Bolton).