IT was a case of mission accomplished for Padiham on Saturday when they travelled to Castle Gabriels for their opening North West Counties League game of the season and returned home with three points following a 3-2 victory.

Dean Stowe gave Padiham the lead after only eight minutes when he raced on to a flick on by Lee Chambers and crashed in a shot past Castleton keeper Darren Ford.

Graham Hicks equalised from the penalty spot midway through the half and at the interval it was 1-1.

Dean Stowe restored Padiham's lead six minutes into the second half after a long clearance from Anthony McCluskey caught the home defence flat footed, leaving Stowe with the chance to beat Ford for the second time when one on one.

Castleton's captain Steven McCann was red carded in the 65 minute for a foul on Dean Stowe and less than a minute after his departure Craig Wilkinson sealed the points for Padiham when he intercepted a poor throw out by Ford and chipped the ball back into an empty net to make it 3-1.

Lee Chadwick gave the scoreline a rather flattering look when he headed in a late goal for Castleton, however by then the game had been won and Padiham had banked their first points of the season.

CASTLETON GABRIELS 2, PADIHAM 3