Fulwood Amateurs 2 Colne 2

Colne had to settle for a point at Fulwood Amateurs on Tuesday night as they conceded an equaliser in a dramatic finale to the game after looking well on the way to their first league win of the season. The Reds created a bagful of chances throughout the game and led by two goals midway through the second half but were stunned by a late comeback by the home side.

In the first half both sides looked to attack in an open game with some end-to-end play that promised goals. Fulwood threatened with some great runs by Charlie Ridge as he took advantage of some long clearances up the left wing where he was assisted by Charlie Howarth as they tested the Colne defence where Joe Pennington was outstanding.

But it was Colne who created the better chances with Saul Guffogg opening up the Fulwood defence with runs on the right wing linking with Barney Wiggin to supply crosses into the home goalmouth. The home goal led a charmed life as a series of near misses kept the scoresheet blank with shots by Miles Storey, Jack Holt and Jamie Walker just off target and headers by Wiggin flashing just past the post.

As the second half began, Colne pushed forward on the right wing and Guffogg's cross was headed home at the far post by Storey to give the Reds the lead.

Fulwood looked for a quick reply as Finlay Wallbank and Lucas Wane combined to supply a cross to the far post where ex-Red Owen Watkinson headed narrowly wide.

On the hour, Colne attacked on the right wing yet again and Jack Banks' cross brought a powerful header from Wiggin as the ball flashed into the net to double Colne's lead. Ten minutes later, Fulwood struck back when a free kick just outside the Reds area was rolled to Howarth who fired a curling shot inside the far post to reduce the arrears to 1-2.

After 82 minutes, Fulwood came close again when Ridge jinked his way through the Colne area but fired over the bar of an open goal in a let-off for the Reds. As play switched to the other end, Holt saw his well struck shot come back off the post of the Fulwood goal and as Tristan Fitzpatrick followed up with a goal-bound shot, it was deflected over the bar by a defenders header. And from the resulting corner, Pennington hit the crossbar with a rising shot as the ball fell to him in the six yard box.

As the game went into added time, Storey had the ball in the net only to be denied by a marginal offside flag. And deep into injury time as Fulwood threw bodies forward in a last attempt to save a point, they forced the ball home in a crowded goalmouth for a 95th minute equaliser.