Disappointing Barnoldswick Town are beaten by the ten men

TOWN plunged to a disappointing Premier Division defeat on Tuesday night despite playing against ten men for more than half the game.

Both goals came after Cammell Laird's Danny O'Brien was harshly sent off and Stewart Airdrie's side will need to perform much better if they are to get anything from their two tough Easter home games against Colne on Saturday and Nelson on Monday.

As seems to be the norm with midweek games, Town were forced to make changes. Scott Moore, Jake McEneaney and Chris Ridehalgh came into the defence to replace Elliott Firth, Anthony Pollard and Carl Ellerton.

The home team started the brighter and the lively Craig Cairns shot just wide of Jordan Gidley’s goal in the fifth minute.

Town’s first attack saw home keeper Mike Langley race outside his penalty area to beat John Beckwith to a through ball.

This triggered Town's best spell of the match and Langley again denied Beckwith when he blocked his shot from a McEneaney cross.

The visitors almost took the lead on the half hour when Shaun Airey headed an Arley Barnes corner against an upright. Michael Woodvine hooked the rebound over his shoulder but just wide of the goal.

When O'Brien was dismissed for receiving a second yellow card it looked as if the game was there for Town's taking, but Cammell Laird had other ideas.

Adam Hughes shot wide from a Cairns cross before the home side took the lead. Poor defending let Cairns in during first half injury time and he made no mistake.

Town started the second half on the back foot. Slack marking gave Cairns the chance to get in a shot which Gidley saved.

Cammell Laird extended their lead in the 55th minute when the Town defence gave the ball away and Hughes made them pay.

Desperate to get back into the match, Town replaced James Crorken and Ridehalgh with Ben Gorman and Michael Hodson, but it was Laird who should have increased their lead almost immediately.

A corner on the Town right found Paul Tosney unmarked at the near post and his header was deflected across goal.

Town couldn’t make any further headway against their mobile opponents and Gidley had to be alert to tip a Jay Clare shot over his crossbar. Cairns, unmarked just outside the Town penalty area, had time to volley the ball onto the crossbar and over.

This was a disappointing display from Town who dominated the last 25 minutes of the first half then fell away for the rest of the match as Laird refused to let them settle.