DARWEN manager Steve Mullen had nothing but praise for his team's battling performance against FC United and even reckoned: "Perhaps the best team lost."

Despite being on the wrong end of the scoreline against the NWFCL Division Two leaders, Mullen said: "It was a fantastic performance. We went out there to knock them off their usual pace and we did it very well. We didn't let them play and a draw would have been a much fairer result."

Darwen came agonisingly close to taking an early lead but could only watch in disbelief as goal attempts crashed against the crossbar and the post.

However, it was FC United, the team created by break-away Manchester United fans, who took the lead in the 22nd minute before Darwen responded in style.

In front of the season's biggest crowd at the Anchor - 1715 - Mullen's men equalised through Neil Zarac (58), the front man beating the offside trap to latch onto a high through ball before nipping in between the defender and the keeper to slot the ball home.

Zarac would have added another but for a great save from the United

stopper, but it all ended in tears for the home side when William Ahern (76) bagged the winner to record FC United's tenth win in 13 outings.

"It was encouraging to see the lads perform so well against such a quality team," said the Darwen boss. "And on another day we would have won. I cannot pick out any individual for it was simply a fine team performance. If we play like that week in, week out we should be in for a good season."

Darwen face Alsager Town in the League Challenge Cup round two tomorrow and Mullen thinks it will be a tough game:

"They are a league above us and are doing extremely well. In theory it should be even tougher than Saturday. I will need to make a few changes, the lads worked their socks off and there are a lot of tired legs."