COLNE made it four games without a win as their slide down the First North Western Trains League second division continued.

Bacup - now unbeaten in 15 games - dominated most of the game after a promising first 15 minutes failed to produce a goal for Colne, striker Mark Towers squandering three one-on-one opportunities.

Towers was clearly frustrated after missing the third of these chances, side-footing the ball wide after being put through by Barry White. Borough Winger Nicky Taylor was a constant threat and it was his battle with full-back Dave Birch that caught the eye.

Although clearly struggling to contain Taylor, Birch did enough to prevent the youngster from making a difference in the game.

However, it was Birch who unwittingly gave Bacup the lead on 20 minutes. A low cross from the left was clumsily bundled past Mark Canning by his own defender. Birch's own goal, however, was only the first of three defensive lapses that proved costly on the day.

Birch was one of three defenders who let Taylor ghost through before pulling the ball back for Karl Stanley to make it 2-0. The same player soon hit the net again after Colne's defence went to sleep from a corner. As keeper Canning came to punch on the penalty spot, nobody moved back to cover the goal-line and Stanley's strike from the edge of the area through the crowd, put the game beyond Denzil Hart's side.

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