A DISPUTED penalty four minutes from time denied Clitheroe three points at home to Newcastle Town in the NWCL Division One.

"The lads are all bitterly disappointed with the result because they did enough to deserve all three points," said player-boss Lee Sculpher.

"And we certainly didn't feel as though it was a penalty. I wasn't impressed with the decision at all."

Andy Bott scored Newcastle's equaliser from the spot after Clitheroe keeper Kris Richens had been adjudged to have brought down a Town striker.

A Mark Stewart clearance had cannoned up off a visiting forward and looped into the path of another striker.

He knocked the ball past Richens and went down under the keeper's challenge but Sculpher felt it shouldn't have been a penalty.

"Whether there was any contact was debatable but the lad had knocked the ball too far anyway. He made a real meal of it."

Clitheroe had controlled the match for long periods after a bright start by the visitors.

Chris Whittingham came close to breaking the deadlock but shot wide from a Jason Jones left wing cross.

Then on the stroke of half time Whittingham got on the end of a Neil Reynolds through ball and produced an excellent finish.

After the break Jones went close with a header as Sculpher's men continued to look the side most likely to score and the three points appeared to be in the bag when they were rocked by the penalty award.

"It was a real sickener because we played really well. Up until the penalty Chris didn't have a save to make," said Sculpher.

The result leaves Clitheroe fourth in the table some seven points adrift of leaders St Helens, who have two games in hand.

CLITHEROE...1

NEWCASTLE TOWN...1