DARWEN pulled off a great win over highly-rated Squires Gate as their rollercoaster NWCL Division Two season continued.

After losing to Chadderton at the weekend - in a game they were expected to win - they bounced back against the fourth placed side last night thanks to a late goal from Mark Heys.

Darwen started well and found Squire's Gate striker Lee Catlow, being chased by a number of UniBond clubs, in good form.

But they made the first effort count on 26 minutes when a long ball over from Jimmy Khan found Paul Baker who was one-on-one with keeper Andy Miller and rolled the ball under him for 1-0.

Denis Hill then had a good chance to make it two, when a David Rhodes cross found him unmarked in the area and instead of heading, the left winger tried to volley the ball and it ballooned over with the goal gaping.

The ball went straight up the other end from the goal-kick, player-manager Steve Wilkes slipped and it was 1-1 when Catlow nipped in and fired past Lee Purvis.

Matt Anderton then cleared a Catlow effort off the line and minutes later Wilkes made amends for his earlier error when he too denied the lively striker with a goalline clearance.

Baker then missed a sitter from eight yards out but he got the second after the break when an Andy Walsh free kick bounced under the wall and Baker nipped in to whack the ball home - taking his tally to 13 for the season.

But that man Catlow made sure they were back in it with 25 minutes left when Langhorn crossed for Catlow and he volleyed the ball into the net.

Yet Darwen did not lie down and Walsh fired in a shot which was pushed onto the crossbar by Miller and it fell for Heys to back heel home the winner.

Catlow hit the post in the 88th minute and Simon Stevens missed a great chance for Darwen a minute late but it proved irrelevant as the Anchor Ground side held on for three points.

RESULT: DARWEN...3 SQUIRES GATE...2