Winsford Holden on to promotion drive (From Warrington Guardian)

Winsford Holden on to promotion drive

COLNE are widely regarded as the best team in the North West Counties Division Two, but if this is the case then Winsford cannot be far off.

They led for most of the match and with a little more luck would surely have taken all the points.

Torrential rain an hour before the start put the match in doubt but the referee, after a long and careful inspection, declared the game could be played.

The pitch cut up very badly but it did not stop the teams providing the crowd with an entertaining match.

The first half was mainly confined to midfield with the ball often sticking in the mud and preventing Winsford playing their usual, short-passing game.

The first moment of real excitement came in the 13th minute when Neil Holden's 25-yard free kick whistled just over the bar. Colne striker Scott Gizon was the hero last week when his goal gave them a fine win over AFC Wimbledon in the FA Vase but he couldn't repeat the feat in the 20th minute when his tame shot was saved well by Barry Crellin.

The Blues came out for the second half with all guns blazing and it was no surprise when they took the lead on 54 minutes.

Neil Harrison caused the visitors all sorts of problems down the left and his pinpoint cross was swept home by Neil Holden.

On 58 minutes Ian Simpson had a great chance to equalise but he shot wide with just Crellin to beat.

However, he made amends just two minutes later when the Blues defence stopped to appeal for offside, but the flag stayed down and although Crellin got his hands to Simpson's shot, the ball flew into the bottom left-hand corner.

Stuart Wellstead was brought on and his 64th minute burst down the left resulted in a shot that hit the side netting.

And Winsford's constant attacking paid off when they took the lead for the second time on 81 minutes.

Good work by Chris Melia set the ball up for Holden and the striker, who has been a revelation since signing a few weeks ago, calmly slotted the ball home.

Winsford looked as if they would take all three points, but on 87 minutes a long throw from the right saw the ball headed on to the far post where Lee Slater had a simple tap-in to level the match.

Once again the Blues defenders were appealing for offside but failed to stick to the old adage of 'play to the whistle' and were made to pay.

Wellstead had a chance to clinch it on 90 minutes but his shot was well saved by Ross Baxter in the Colne goal.

WINSFORD: Crellin, Stockton, Frost, Chambers, Sweeney, Hutchinson (Melia 78), Hope, Quinn, Holden, Givin (Webber 78), Harrison (Wellstead 57). Attendance: 107. Star Man: Rob Hope.

CHALLENGING: Winsford United captain Mark Quinn (right) gets stuck in against Colne during the 2-2 draw at Barton Stadium.