DAVE Twite will tell his players to carry on regardless after watching his Winsford United fail to win a high-scoring thriller for the second time in a month.

First they drew 4-4 with Ashton Town, then, at the weekend, they were beaten by the odd goal in seven at Padiham. Neither game has done their promotion chances much good.

But manager Twite is delighted with all other aspects of United's game, though he laments their lack of concentration.

'Our performance in the first half was the best of the season,' he said. 'It was superb - the best I have seen from any Winsford side for many years.

'We deserved our lead at the break, when I warned them to expect to come under a lot of pressure.

'We did and our marking was slack and concentration poor and we let four goals in quickly.

'It was hard to believe after what we had seen in the first half.

'We got back into it and were camped around their goalmouth at the end.

'We should have got all three points, but I told them they were tremendous and they were.Itis just that we are being caught cold.

'It goes back to the concerns I expressed at the beginning of the season - that we are a young side that has to learn quickly. Padiham had the experience and had us weighed up.

'But I am not going to be meaner. At the start of the season we did play five across the middle and got a lot of draws. We are not adapted to play tighter.

'In Dave Chambers and Dave Turner we have got the best centre back pairing in the league and I shall be looking to them to lead. And everyone has to keep their concentration for the full 90 minutes. We have scored three goals away from home and not won, so we have to sharpen up our thinking.'

United minds will be fully tested for alertness tonight at the Barton Stadium when Greaty Har-wood arrive in the North West Counties League First Division Cup.

Blackpool Mechanics follow them to the Barton Stadium on Saturday and Twite reports a fully fit squad - including Chris Melia, sidelined for a month with an ankle injury.

UNITED have put their appeals to the Cheshire FA against the sendings of Dave Turner, Neil Harrison and Stuart Wellstead at Squires Gate in the NWCL Cup tie.

Winsford are not contesting those issued to Jamie Williams and Ian Wilkinson.

They are fighting the charge of failure to control their players and Williams is denying he deliberately got sent off to get the game abandoned.