ROSSENDALE took the points from the East Lancashire derby against Chorley last night, thanks in part to the referee's decision not to send off keeper Mark Andrews for a professional foul in the opening minutes.

Andrews brought down Chorley striker Andy Mason, clean through on goal, in the ninth minute and the ref pointed immediately to the spot but didn't show the red card, or even a yellow.

Andrews then saved the spot kick from Mason, who had tried to place the ball in the bottom right hand corner.

Dale went on to score two second half goals, through Darren Bowman and Steve Cunningham, to seal the UniBond First Division win.

"You never like to see players sent off but sometimes keepers do get sent off for that," said disappointed Chorley boss Ken Wright.

"It would be nice to have a bit of consistency from referees.

"I thought we could have had another penalty as well soon after that. But we had the chances to win the game in the first half and didn't take them. Football is all about scoring when you are on top and we didn't do that.

"Then after they got their first goal it lifted them."

The home side had the better of the opening exchanges with David Leaver hitting a long-range effort and Mason sending a header over the bar.

Top scorer Mason was causing the Dale defence all sorts of problems and the Chorley

players were appealing for another spot kick midway through the half when debutant Chris Scott, the former Burnley defender, brought down Mason.

Dale were struggling to contain Chorley and manager Jim McCluskie took winger Gareth Gardner off on the half-hour, bringing on the busy Carl Howarth, who caused problems up front for the Magpies.

He turned and hit a shot straight at Chorley keeper Simon Marsh just a minute after coming on. And just moments later Andrews made a crucial save from Scott Bradford.

Dale put the home side under pressure late in the first half with a string of corners and free kicks. Scott could have sealed his debut with a goal but his effort, which found its way past Marsh, was cleared off the line.

Mason was soon on the prowl again, though, and only a great tackle from Dale defender Matt Houldsworth stopped him from racing clear.

The Magpies deserved to take, and should have taken, the lead on the stroke of half time when Mason, on to a great ball again from Leaver, turned Jason Heffernen and curled his shot inches wide.

The second half was a much more low-key affair, with Chorley never really getting going.

Just six minutes in, Bowman put Dale into the lead with a deflected shot from the edge of the area. Howarth had done all the hard work, putting a ball in that was headed away by Ian Leather only to the feet of Bowman who rifled home.

The goal boosted Dale who were on the attack again six minutes later through Paul Lynch, who tried a long-range effort that Marsh tipped around the post.

Chorley were restricted to long-range efforts and just seven minutes from time, Dale secured the points. Heffernen's cross was dummied by Craig Sargeson for Cunningham who fired home from the right.

"I thought we were poor," said McCluskie. "We may have had a bit of luck with Mark Andrews not getting sent off but we needed that. Maybe that means our luck is changing."

CHORLEY...0 ROSSENDALE...2