ON A DAY when very few scheduled non-league football fixtures beat the weather, Padiham's North West Counties Football League Division Two derby encounter with Darwen at the Arbories on Saturday proved to be the exception, providing a venue for those brave enough to come out in the rain, snow and cold to watch two sides try and master what turned out to be atrocious playing conditions.

The pitch cut up right from the start and for 20 minutes neither keeper had a real shot saved, in fact the opening goal came from an horrendous mix-up in the Storks defence when a back pass by Carl Parker caught Padiham keeper Kirk Marsden off guard and as a result his sliced attempted clearance fell straight to Mark Westhead who had the simplest task in placing the ball into an empty net to give Darwen a 1-0 26th minute lead.

Things got worse for Padiham a few minutes later when a break through the centre resulted in Denny Khan shooting over. The same player then tried a 25 yard chipped shot but once again Khan's attempt was just off target.

In the last minute of the half Padiham's John Harrison shot wide summing up just how miserable the opening 45 minutes of the game had been for the home side.

This all changed after the break with the Storks introducing a more attacking line-up that soon began to test the visitors defence and lead to a 63rd minute equaliser when John Harrison finished off a move involving Gill and Thompson.

James Gill very nearly gave Padiham the lead in the Storks next attack with a curling right wing shot that needed Darwen keeper Rob Batty to be at his very best.

Damian Ingham then rattled the Darwen crossbar with a 20 yard swinger, Craig Williamson had a close-range effort scrambled away and Ian Pilkington a one-on-one chance denied by Batty.

In the 75th minute Martyn Thompson broke free and looked odds-on to score for the Storks but once again missed the target. A chipped shot from 25 yards out by James Gill missed by inches as Padiham's second half pressure began to tell.

All credit to the Darwen defence, they held out and at the full time whistle both sides at least had a point apiece.