Mountain rescue, two signings and a phone call

The journey to Dark Lane is a relatively short one from Burnley but was held up tonight by sirens and flashing blue lights just as we came into Rawtenstall. Was it the police? No. An ambulance? No. How about a fire engine? No. Twice we had mountain rescue vehicles storming past us.

Into Rawtenstall, the centre of the communication world, and it was good to see a billboard outside the newsagents shop revealing that the Clarets had swooped to make two signings in the day. I couldn't wait to get home to read Clarets Mad to see who they were.

Eventually we were at Dark Lane and into the ground in time to see the two teams warming up and I'm still wondering how the Burnley coaching staff would have coped with one of the players suddenly pulling up to answer his mobile phone. "I can't do the shopping love, I'm playing football tonight. No, I can't come home straight away," he said as his team mates continued to loosen up.

We were finally ready for kick off and Rossendale's Les Battersby look-a-like read out the teams, the home side including two former Clarets Phil Eastwood and Joe Booth. Times have changed for the 28-year-old Eastwood, eight seasons ago the Blackburn born striker was scoring a league goal for the Clarets at Deepdale.

Rossendale on the attack at the far end

Rossendale were the better side, they went two goals up in the first half with the visiting Gresley Rovers goalkeeper at fault with both, and things were even worse for the visitors when they had a player sent off. It looked from the distance that he'd been sent off for an elbow but apparently not, he decided to have some words with referee Butler over the decision to award a free kick against him.

It was all too much for one bandana wearing away supporter who lost it with the referee and treated us to a far greater range vocabulary wise than the dismissed player could possibly have done. He really wasn't happy, his side on the end of a two goal deficit and down to ten men.

Assistant referee Mr Wright in action on the line

The second half for much of the time was a bit of a scrappy affair but some entertained with the facial features of the assistant referees. Mr Wright, officiating in front of the main stand did have a somewhat well defined chin and was asked by one Rossendale based Claret if he was related to Jimmy Hill.

On the other side poor Mr Polkey suffered from the same spectator who, on noticing the size of his nose, was told that he'd need a handkerchief bigger than his flag to wipe it. He, unlike Mr Wright, was hardly amused although he did lose concentration enough to miss a blatant offside.

Rossy added a third, they could have got more, and would certainly have done so in the closing minutes but for two superb saves from the visiting keeper, one down to his left and then clawing away an effort that look bound for the top corner to his right.

So 3-0 it stayed after an enjoyable ninety minutes, and as people left Les Battersby was once again appealing for people with an interest in the club to attend a meeting tomorrow night that will be held in the social club at the Dark Lane ground at 7:30.

We can only hope they get the support for that meeting, and that they get the support to take the club forward. We don't want to be losing non-league clubs in our area such as Rossendale United.