Walsden C & FC rounded off their league season with a good performance but not the win they felt their efforts deserved last Saturday.
Dan Howley’s side were beaten 3-1 away to third-placed Whitworth Valley at Fearns Community Sports College in the Rochdale Online Alliance.
Valley scored twice in the last five minutes to snatch victory, leaving Walsden to rue missed chances in the first half and their ill-fortune.
Walsden were without Nathan Rooks and Joe Gale but spokesman Paul Marrow said: “We played well and should have been 3-0 up at half time.”
The opening 45 minutes finished goalless but Marrow and Danny Brown missed golden chances and Garry Brierley hit a post.
Whitworth took the lead with a superb individual effort midway through the second half.
That prompted Howley to bring himself on at centre half and push Marrow up front. Within a couple of minutes Marrow had equalised, cashing in on good work from Brown.
The luckless Brierley then hit the underside of the bar as Walsden pressed and looked the more likely winners.
However, Valley scored a breakaway goal and then added another with the last kick of the game.
Rochdale Alliance, Premier Division
P W D L GD Pts
Balderstone 18 14 2 2 26 44
FC Bury Town 17 14 0 3 25 42
Whitworth Valley 14 10 0 4 20 30
Walsden C&FC 20 8 3 9 -1 27
Oldham Boro 17 7 4 6 15 25
Woodbank 15 7 1 7 0 22
White Lion 19 6 3 10 -13 21
King William IV 15 6 2 7 -7 20
Rochdale SH 18 4 3 11 -8 15
Fothergill & W 13 4 2 7 -10 14
Star Athletic 18 1 2 15 -47 5