SQUIRES GATE 2 PADIHAM 1

A GOAL seven minutes from time by Squires Gate's number 10 Scott Sugden ensured the home side secured all three points after a gutsy second half performance by Padiham's defence looked like they might hold out for a point despite being under some intense pressure by the Fylde Coast side.

The first half produced nothing of real significance but within a minute of the restart for the second half, the sparks began to fly when Padiham took a 46th minute lead through Anthony McCluskey and very nearly added another from the same player four minutes later.

Squires Gate's response was immediate. Scott Sugden forced Kirk Marsden to make a great save whilst Steve Longworth rattled the Storks crossbar with another shot. Padiham countered by a right wing break and low, hard cross by Jason Stubbs that had to be scrambled away but from then on in it was one-way traffic with the home side in top gear.

The breakthrough for Squires Gate came in the 70th minute when Alec Rawson converted a right wing cross. Goal line clearances by Jason Stubbs and Andrew Kelly and saves by Kirk Marsden kept Padiham in with a chance of the points.

Unfortunately, a bizarre winning goal lost the Storks a share of the points. From another right wing cross Kirk Marsden tried to punch the ball clear only for it to hit home striker Scott Sugden and rebound back into the net for the winner.

Near the end, Squires Gate were unlucky not to score again when their leading goalscorer hit the Padiham upright with a well curled shot.