Chairman steps down but Reds earn first win

The win was a shot in the arm for the Reds in a week of turmoil that has seen the resignation of their chairman Ryan Haigh.

In a statement Haigh said: “It is a decision I have questioned numerous times already and one I will regret for longer but ultimately it is my time to relinquish the custodianship of this fantastic football club.

“This journey, since 2017 has for me been a family love affair, with both myself and Kirsty focused on driving the club forward, improving the facilities and in general pushing the club to be better, setting standards, aiming higher.

“The mantra, the goal of the process was to create a club that the community could be proud of, not only for its on the field success, but more so for its facilities that would be used by the community as a whole.

“Regrettably that has proved a task too far for me, but it hasn’t been for the want of trying.

“Several applications have been submitted and thousands of pounds have been spent on a process that has been littered with obstacles and objections from numerous bodies, associations and organisations, some of which in my opinion, had a duty to help push the project forward.

“The development was a dream I thought I could make a reality, but in essence it needed community backing and support.”

However, Phil Brown’s men did their best to lift the club’s spirits with a fine performance.

They got off to a great start, taking the lead in the first minute of the game. Owen Watkinson’s angled shot was cleared from the visitors’ goalmouth but only as far as Brad Knox who tried a speculative 25 yard shot which the visitors’ keeper let slip from his hands into the net.

The Purps came back strongly with some surging attacks and first time crosses into the Colne goalmouth to set up some inviting chances for an equaliser. But the Reds defended determinedly and their new goalkeeper Andre da Silva Mendes, on a month’s loan from Morecambe, produced some excellent saves to keep the ball out of his net.

As the half wore on, Colne came more into the picture and on the stroke of half-time, they doubled their lead when Watkinson beat three defenders and found the net with a shot from a tight angle into the far corner of goal.

As the second half began, Colne pushed forward and Purps keeper Ryan Hamer was kept busy.

A well-worked move on the left wing by Tom McCann and Harry Jones gave Weaver a sight of goal but his curling shot was beaten away from under the bar by Hamer.

In the closing stages, it was the Purps who pushed forward and they pulled a goal back through Jack Hazelhurst, who unleashed a vicious swerving shot into the top corner, but it was too little too late.

Colne travel to Bridlington Town in the first qualifying round of the FA Trophy on Saturday, before travelling to Glossop North End on the following Tuesday.