THINGS didn't work out for a trainee accountant on the day he made his debut for Great Harwood Town football team.

Blackburn magistrates heard Paul Brian Haythornthwaite's team lost, he had a row with his girlfriend and ended up being arrested after crashing his car and failed a breathalyser test.

Haythornthwaite, 23, of Timbrills Avenue, Sabden, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol. He was fined £220 with £55 costs and disqualified from driving for two years.

Haythornthwaite, who gave a reading of 75 against the legal limit of 35, agreed to be referred to the drink driver rehabilitation programme which, if completed successfully, would reduce his ban by up to 25 per cent.

Tom Snape, prosecuting, said police received a report of a crash in Parsonage Road, Wilpshire, at 12.30am on Saturday.

On their way to the incident the officers were told the driver had run away from the scene.

As they drove up Parsonage Road the officers saw Haythornthwaite and when they stopped to speak to him he was panting heavily as if he had been running.

When questioned he said; "I have been stupid. I had a row with my girlfriend and all I wanted to do was get away."

Ian Huggan, defending, said that on Saturday Haythornthwaite had been invited to play for Great Harwood and his first game had gone well.

He had then been out celebrating a friend's birthday and had not intended to drive at all.

" When the police found him he had made his way back to his girlfriend's house to make the appropriate phone calls," said Mr Huggan.

He said Haythornthwaite worked in Manchester and hopes to qualify as an accountant in May. The inevitable ban would cause him enormous difficulties.

"He is extremely ashamed of his behaviour and has been to see the owners of the wall which he crashed into and apologised," added Mr Huggan.