BACUP earned themselves a well-deserved point on a pitch more suited to cattle grazing than football.

The visitors had a good early chance when Nicky Taylor played a long ball into Darren Emmett, whose shot went just over the bar.

Fleetwood, who were always a threat from set pieces, won a corner which was played to the near post. The ball was flicked on before rebounding off the bar.

Bacup then got the ball to Lee Anderson, whose long range effort went wide of the post, before the visitors had a valid penalty claim turned down when Rhrodi Giggs was bundled over in the box and injured in the challenge.

On 30 minutes, Emmett lost possession in the centre of the pitch, Fleetwood typically knocked the ball long but Bacup were caught surprisingly flat at the back and the home striker got in to finish.

At half-time both sets of managers - Fleetwood's Tony Greenwood and Bacup's Brent Peters - were both complaining about the performance of the match official. This seemed to work in Fleetwood's favour as, in the early part of the second half, the referee ruled Sean Cryer had impeded their striker and awarded a penalty. The ball was struck well to the keeper's right but David Felgate showed his international class to tip the ball round the post for a corner.

Bacup got themselves back into the game midway through the second half when captain Steve Stott released Wilkinson, whose powerful shot could not be held by Banks in the Fleetwood goal and Taylor was on hand to fire in the rebound.

Fleetwood had the final effort after Giggs and Emmett failed to make a good opportunity count.

The home side's lively winger got the better of Anderson before hitting a stunning shot that Felgate tipped over the bar.

It was an important save which secured a well-earned point for Bacup, making it four points out of a possible six this season from Fleetwood.

FLEETWOOD ...1

BACUP BOROUGH ...1