FORMER Clitheroe and Great Harwood keeper John Morrey was in inspired form to deny his old manager Denis Underwood some crucial points in this NWCL Division One relegation battle.

Morrey is now shot-stopper for Maine Road and he dealt with everything Great Harwood threw at him as they failed to take their chances.

"He just stopped everything. I don't know how he did it at times," admitted Underwood.

Maine Road dangerman Jock Russell opened the scoring for Maine Road early in the game. "He was the one man I warned them about but then we got the bit between our teeth."

Harwood levelled through defender-turned-striker Steve Pickup who scored his third goal in two games since he has been pushed up front. Neil Kennedy fed Graham Lightbown who knocked it into Pickup and he smashed it into the net.

But then it was the Morrey show as he denied Shaun Bursnell, Lightbown, Kennedy and Paul Demain. "He just kept appearing from nowhere."

Then Maine Road broke at the other end through Russell, Alex Dawson saved but the referee gave a penalty saying Neil Baron had pulled one of their players back. "I didn't see it properly," said Underwood. "But we need to win on Saturday now."

GREAT HARWOOD...1 MAINE ROAD...2