DARWEN won their fifth consecutive league game to go seventh in NWCL Division Two.

Cheadle had two players sent off late in the game with the score at 1-1 before Paul Baker scored the winner in the last minute.

Darwen could have been three-up within the first 15 minutes but Matt Anderton scooped a shot over the bar and Paul Baker missed two one-on-one chances.

Just after the hour mark Darwen went ahead through Denny Khan after his brother Jimmy chipped a ball in to the back post.

Cheadle got back into the game through a controversial penalty on 75 minutes.

Andy Noons went down under the challenge of Anderton and the ref pointed to the spot - or what he thought was the spot.

The pitch markings had disappeared and the penalty spot was not visible.

Darwen's players protested that Noons had put the ball down just eight yards out, four yards short.

But the referee allowed the penalty to be taken and Noons scored.

Cheadle then suffered a double sending off, first Jimmy Shiels for a challenge on Craig Shaw on 80 minutes and then Scott Clemens for an alleged kick at keeper Lee Purvis around five minutes later.

Darwen then threw everything they had at their hosts and with just a minute remaining Dennis Hill went past his fullback and knocked it into the back post where Baker was waiting to score his 31st of the season.

CHEADLE...1 DARWEN...2