HIGH-flying Hyde United became the latest promotion chaser to fail to take all three points from the Kensite as Ben Hardcastle’s second half penalty secured a well-earned point for the Colls.

Hyde’s visit saw the final instalment of Colls’ recent trilogy of home fixtures against the top three of the Evo-Stik League Division One North, with a victory over Scarborough Athletic being followed by defeat against leaders South Shields.

In what was a game of two penalties, Hyde went in front from 12 yards through Max Leonard on 12 minutes, with Ben Hardcastle levelling the scores with Colls’ own spot kick on 63 minutes.

Colls faced a final nine minutes with ten men after skipper Brad Cooke was sent off for a foul on Luke Porritt, but Colls held out for a point to add to the three earned with Saturday’s 3-2 win away to Ossett Town.

Visitors Hyde had an early chance when Colls goalkeeper Greg Hartley was called upon to make a smart save at the back post, but there was nothing he could do to keep out Max Leonard’s twelfth minute penalty, awarded for a handball against Danny Lafferty.

Luke Porritt was to be something of a pivotal figure on Hyde’s left flank, drawing a foul out of Lewis Doyle that brought an early yellow card and a degree of reorganisation in the Colls defence with Lafferty moving to right back, though he too was to be booked for a foul on Porritt.

With Colls attacking up the slope in the first half, their best chance fell to Marcus Cusani, who curled a twenty fourth minute effort just wide of the target after cutting inside on to his right foot just inside the Hyde penalty area.

Jack Kenny replaced Jordan Cover at the break as Colls looked to level the scores, which they duly managed on 63 minutes when Hardcastle sent Peter Crook the wrong way to roll home his second penalty in three days.

The higher status of the visitors – a Conference National side as recently as four years ago – was counting for little as Colls started to create the better chances of the game with Hardcastle at the centre of things, flashing the ball agonisingly across the face of goal on seventy minutes after neat footwork had created the opening before seeing Crook save his attempt from the edge of the box eight minutes later, albeit after a deflection had taken much of the sting out of his attempt.

While Hyde predictably dominated possession after Cooke was sent from the field on 81 minutes, it was actually Colls who had the better chance of the remainder of the game, substitute James Sigsworth breaking clear on goal but denied by Crook from a narrow angle before the home side safely saw out five minutes of added time to claim a share of the spoils.

On Saturday Colls played out a tepid 0-0 home stalemate with Tadcaster Albion. It had a real feel of an end of season dead rubber as both sides lingering play off hopes foundered. Gary Burnett had a chance to win the game for Colls with the last kick off the game but the Taddy keeper saved smartly to his right.

On Thursday Colls host Ramsbottom United, 7.45pm and then play tithe final league game of the season at Bamber Bridge on Saturday. 3pm Ko.