TEENAGER Joe Duckworth came off the bench to turn around a contest that Winsford United had trailed at the interval.

The 16-year-old, younger brother of Blues’ player-manager Lee, claimed a second-half double to secure points that felt precious following his side’s slide down the table.

He was placed perfectly to prod a loose ball over the line on 67 minutes after Padiham goalkeeper Marcus Burgess failed to keep hold of Callam Gardner’s high lob into the penalty area.

The attacker followed a first goal for the club with a second seven minutes later when he lifted a smart finish over the Storks’ custodian after running onto Gardner’s lofted pass.

Winsford protected their lead for the game’s remainder, and are now 12 points clear of the North West Counties League Premier Division’s bottom four.

However up to half-a-dozen sides could be demoted this season when the FA restructures the National League System, and a distance to Abbey Hey in 18th place is only six points with seven games to fit in.

Padiham had been better in the opening period, and applied pressure to their hosts’ defence with a series of corners.

They took the lead on2 4 minutes when Spencer Jordan, despite not making a clean contact, found the bottom corner after Jay Hart’s free-kick had been diverted into his path.

Winsford goalkeeper Matthew Green, standing in for suspended Ben Chapman, kept out an effort from Aaron Fleming before Jordan blazed high ahead of the interval.

Hart almost doubled the Storks’ lead when his long-range effort, after Green had raced from his goal to head clear, dropped the wrong side of an upright.

Blues gave warning of their improvement when Michael Taylor headed wide from Scott Taylor’s corner before Dean Clarke’s shot was smuggled off the line by a defender after he had broken clear.

Fortunately Joe Duckworth’s shooting was sharper.

Winsford | Green (GK), Fowles, Lee Duckworth, Michael Taylor (Rothwell 84), Kerr, Foster, Scott Taylor, Hopper, Clarke, Gardner, Steele (Joe Duckworth 46) Subs not used Bircumshaw, Manko Goals Joe Duckworth 67, 74 Booked Michael Taylor, Gardner

Padiham | Burgess (GK), Hoskin, Kenneth Taylor, Morrison, Sanders, Ayres, Fleming, Craig, Jordan, Hart, Hargreaves Subs not used Boyle, Freeland, Duffy Goal Jordan 24 Booked Morrison, Fleming, Craig

Attendance 116