ATHERTON LR extended their unbeaten run in the NW Counties Premier Division to nine games but they will feel they missed an opportunity when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Bacup Borough on Saturday.

Suspensions and injuries meant manager Dave Hughes was again forced to shuffle his pack, but Rovers led at half-time and were on course to avenge their recent Lancashire FA Trophy defeat by Boro before conceding a second-half equaliser.

Paul Crompton put LR ahead on 31 minutes direct from a free-kick just outside the area after a foul on Dean Tymon.

But Borough’s prolific top scorer Tommy Turner equalised seven minutes into the second half and Hughes had to settle for a point that keeps his side sixth in the table.

The visitors ended the game reduced to 10 men after Sean Roscoe was sent off, but it was too late to influence the outcome.

Daisy Hill slipped to second bottom of the First Division when they crashed to a 5-1 home defeat to Oldham Town.

New manager Craig Thomas is expcted to make a number of new signings this week and clearly has defensive problems to resolve, having seen his side ship five goals for the second successive Saturday.

Defensive errors left them trailing 3-0 at half-time and Adam Chadwick’s goal nine minutes from time was merely a consolation effort after Oldham had secured the points with a Tom Hughes hat-trick and two goals from Matt Landregan.

Thomas was philosophical after the defeat. “It’s no excuse but we only have a small squad and because of a number of cry-offs with illness, we had to field a makeshift team.

“Seven of the players on duty were playing in the reserves five games ago. I can’t fault them for effort, though.”

Daisy Hill will make a third attempt to stage their Lancashire FA Trophy first round tie against NW Counties Premier Division side Ramsbottom United tonight, kick-off 7.45pm.

Atherton Collieries will also attempt to stage their twice-postponed trophy tie against Leigh Genesis.

The Leigh side hope to have young star Richard Chetcuti back in action. The striker has been out of action for two months with a niggling ankle injury but has returned to training and, if he has no ill-effects from a reserve team run-out at the weekend, he could be called into the first team squad.

Leigh, who have put together a team that is playing for no wages had a free weekend but hope to build on their recent confidence-boosting outing, when they grabbed a 2-2 draw at Whitby Town.