COLNE and Padiham produced a humdinger of a North West Counties Football League Division Two encounter at a fog-bound Holt House ground on Saturday which had not one, but two goals in the final minute of the game to produce an astonish finish to this East Lancashire derby.
Former Padiham player Carl Haworth came back to haunt the Storks scoring a hat trick for Colne, notching his first from close range after he converted a flicked on, right sided corner after 10 minutes play.
Padiham hit back three minutes later with a similar goal, this time James Gill heading in directly from a John Harrison corner. Chris Ingham shot over for Colne on 18 minutes and Jason Stubbs blazed over a glorious chance for Padiham on 20 minutes as both sides went for the jugular.
It was Padiham however, who scored next. A right wing run and cross by Martin Thompson being headed home by John Harrison to make it 2-1. James Gill chipped just over for Padiham on 35 minutes and in the run-up to half time the Storks controlled the game.
After the break it was a different story. Colne came out all fired up and soon forced Padiham keeper Kirk Marsden into action when he tipped over a dipping shot. Lee Slater and James Webster also went close before Colne's pressure finally told and the home side equalised.
A poor pass on the halfway line by Harrison allowed Colne to gain possession following a break down the left Carl Haworth slid in to convert a low, hard cross and make it 2-2. Paul Haworth forced Marsden into action again in the 75th minute and a minute later James Gill tested Colne keeper Ross Baxter at the other end.
By now the fog looked increasingly likely to force the game to be abandoned as visibility was becoming very poor. The game continued however and when Carl Haworth completed his hat trick in the 89th minute, it looked likely to be the winner.
Not so. As Padiham went straight down the other end and unbelievably James Gill fired in the equaliser to make it 3-3 with virtually the last kick of the game.
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