WITH both sides desperate for points and anxious to avoid another early season defeat, the NWCL Division Two derby clash between Colne and Padiham at Holt House last night was not one for the footballing purist.

It was raw and at times basic but always a committed encounter but at the end of 90 minutes the points were shared.

Anthony McCluskey opened the scoring for Padiham when he converted a 20th minute penalty given for a foul on striker Lee Chambers by Colne keeper Ross Baxter.

Colne's equaliser came 10 minutes into the second half when a fiercely hit crossfield kick from Ben Callam was deflected into his own goal by defender Jason Stubbs.

Robbie Smith and Ian Pilkington could then have given Padiham the lead while Colne almost scored a late winner with Richard Walton claiming the ball had crossed the line but to no avail.

The draw brought to an end a run of three defeats for Colne while Padiham, in the top half of the table last season, have not won in four games.

RESULT: COLNE 1 PADIHAM 1

Padiham's scheduled away game with Leek CSOB on Saturday has been postponed because the home side have been reinstated in the FA Cup competition after a successful appeal at the FA headquarters in London against Nantwich. Leek now play Eastwood Town away.