COLNE let a two-goal lead slip and let two points slip in the process at home to a battling Bootle side in the NWCL Division Two.
John Lister's men were quickly out of the blocks and it was the player-manager who had a hand in the opener.
His 14th minute effort from 20-yards looked to be heading for the top corner but was palmed away by the Bootle keeper. From the resulting corner striker George Craddock scored a cracker with an acrobatic bicycle-kick.
Eight minutes later Colne doubled their advantage from another corner. This time James Webster's cross caused mayhem in the Bootle area and Ben Callan poked ball home.
But within 60 seconds Bootle had pulled a goal back. Callan failed to clear properly and defender Gareth West was adjudged to have tripped Bootle's Neil Storey, who got up and scored from the spot.
With the interval approaching Bootle levelled this time courtesy of a rare mistake by Colne keeper Ross Baxter.
He misjudged a long punt forward by the visitors and Andy Olsen was left with a simple tap-in.
"Conceding so soon after going 2-0 up was disappointed," admitted Lister. "I think if we had been able to hang on to the lead for a while we would have gone on to win the game.
"We felt like we had dropped two points. But it is a measure of how much we have improved from last season that we are disappointed with a draw."
COLNE...2
BOOTLE...2
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