DARWEN kept hold of top spot in the FNWTL Second Division thanks to a gutsy display at fellow title-contenders Castleton Gabriels.

But player-boss Steve Wilkes was left to rue a couple of missed chances late on which cost his side two points.

"We should have won it," said Wilkes.

"We had two or three great chances in the last 10 minutes but we couldn't put them away."

Godfrey Williams missed an early chance with a header but the Anchormen's reprieve didn't last long.

Abbey Paul latched onto a long clearance from keeper John Ogden in the 25th minute and flicked the ball past Lee Purvis to put the home side ahead.

But the visitors fought back and Michael Douglas should have put them level but volleyed over from 10 yards.

The Anchormen did grab an equaliser, however, when Lee Slater bent a brilliant free kick past Ogden from the edge of the area.

Then in the last 10 minutes, they could have won it but a Steve Lynch effort was ruled out for a foul on the keeper.

Andy Meehan also had a goal disallowed for the home side.

And Castleton keeper Ogden made superb saves to deny both Paul Baker and Slater.

At the death, Slater then got to the by-line and whipped over a cross for Douglas on the edge of the box but his goal-bound effort was blocked by a defender to leave Darwen and Wilkes frustrated.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.