PILKINGTON 2 LUFFS 1 (22/3/03) IF IT was entertainment and excitement this was the game but the Luffs were after the points and this was a bitter disappointment. A goal up until the last five minutes and beaten by an offside strike and a fluke in that short space of time. The Loughborough squad looked a bit thin on the ground for this one, absent were some crucial players in striker Paul O' Callaghan and midfielders Steve Mould and Steve Aylward all injured for this one and they could just have made the difference in this tight game. Back in the side was veteran Phillip Bouchard and he so very nearly opened the scoring in the first minute of the game connecting with a cross from Boyce and shooting just wide. It was Boyce again in the opening minutes surging through the middle to send Gunn down the right flank, but there was no one there to connect with his low cross and it ran to safety. The game began at an alarming pace and stayed that way throughout the ninety minutes and on an afternoon when the sun shone down brightly at this Kings Norton ground. Cooke shot just over for Pilkington while a glancing header from Gunn went just wide. Skipper Carl Springthorpe went on several surging runs but Pilking ton were solid and skilful in defence and gave little away. There followed a period of pressure from the Birmingham side, they showed good passing skills and possession gave them the edge for a while. A goalmouth scramble was eventually cleared by Watkiis for Loughborough and 'keeper Paul Springthorpe had to make a save from Meridith. For twenty minutes Loughborough gave the ball away far too easily and had to work hard to protect their goal but the tables eventually turned again. A penalty appeal was a bit desperate for the Luffs and Fairey's deflected shot was saved by 'keeper Leech as it was Pilkington's turn to defend. With a couple of minutes to go to half time Gunn connected with his head to a Stevenson cross and Loughborough had the lead at half time. Loughborough began the second half well enough as Gunn went on a run and forced a save from Leech but within ten minutes Watkiss was taken off with concussion and replaced by manager Simon Tebbutt. Pilkington stepped up the pace and put pressure on the Loughborough defence but they stood firm. Springthorpe made a finger tip save from Rickett and at time it did resemble the Alamo as Loughborough worked hard to survive a period of intense presure from the home side. With five minutes to go it looked as if the Loughborough lads had done their job, Pilkington had thrown everything they could at The Luffs defence and had nothing to show for it and were beginning to look a bit spread at the back. This was the time when the second goal should have come but the Loughborough side were incapable of taking advantage of an overstretched side and they paid the penalty. A cross found Meridith's head at the back post who himself looked to be offside and when his header across was knocked in on the line there was little doubt Foley was offside but the referee and his assistant both missed it and Pilkington were level. If that wasn't bad enough with a minute to go Foley let fly from outside the area and just as it looked as if Springthorpe had it well covered it struck a bump in the pitch and squeezed through his grasp. This surely wasn't the day of the Luff and a second defeat in two games will probable have put paid to any lingering thoughts of promotion. It remain important for the Loughborough side to finish as high as possible, there may well be some resignations throughout the pyramid which might reverberate down and give an extra few places in the Premier Division it is a forlorn hope but nevertheless not to be ignored in these days of impending structural reorganisation. Saturday sees the visit of Old Hill Town (kick off 2.45pm), it was 4-4 at their place so maybe a few goals to be savoured at The Drome this Saturday. TEAM:  Paul SPRINGTHORPE, SCORERS:  Paul GUNN ATT: N/A HT: 0-1