ANDY Cowking scored a last gasp goal to settle this NWCL Division One local derby in Clitheroe's favour.

Great Harwood boss Denis Underwood had hoped his side could hold on for a point but once again they fell to a sucker punch which keeps the Showground side rooted to the foot of the table.

But Underwood, whose side have lost five on the trot, was upset at a number of events.

He lost his keeper Daryll Sloane after only about 20 minutes and was forced to play former Burnley player Les Thompson in goal.

"Daryll hurt his knee in a challenge with a Clitheroe player and I felt it was late but the referee did nothing about it so you can't do anything about it," said the Harwood chief. "It just makes it difficult.

"To be fair, the lads in front of Les defended well to protect him. I don't think he has every played in goal before but he said he would so I had no complaints."

And it looked to be going okay when the strugglers went ahead on the stroke of half-time. Midfielder Andy Clarkson nicked the ball off Clitheroe's Gary Rishton and set up Graham Lightbowne who chipped it over the Blues keeper for his 18th goal of the season.

The second half was pretty even but Clitheroe drew level 20 minutes into the restart. Mark Stewart fired in a perfect cross which Chris Whittingham got on the end off at the far post.

"Those type of crosses are difficult to defend against, it was a good cross," admitted Underwood.

The Harwood chief was then furious with the dismissal of Paul Haythornwaite who was sent off with around ten minutes left.

"He was sent off for what the referee said was a two-footed challenge but to me he got a bit of the ball," fumed Underwood. "The Clitheroe players reacted strongly and he was sent off.

"When I asked the referee after the game he said it was for a two-footed challenge but I would have had eight players left on the pitch if they were all dismissed for challenges like that as there were similar tackles."

Ten men Harwood looked like they could hold on for a morale-boosting draw but then Cowking tried his luck from 25-yards out and the ball went past Thompson.

"If Daryll had been in the goal he would have got that but you can't blame Les," said Underwood who refuses to give up on his relegation-threatened side.

"We have got to keep plugging away. If we play like this against Skelmersdale on Wednesday then we will win but if we play like we did against Woodley Sports on Saturday then we will lose."

One boost for Underwood was the return for 60 minutes of striker Martin Horsfield who, after starting the first game of the season, had been sidelined with injury ever since. He is also waiting on the fitness of Dave Sharples, Neil Baron, Shaun Bursnell and James Coonan for the home clash with Skelmersdale.

GREAT HARWOOD...1

CLITHEROE...2