IT was apt that there were four Boyles in the Old Toll Bar side in this nasty cup clash as it was a match that continually threatened to boil over.

And it certainly reached boiling point when Jason Boyle's inexplicable attack on Griffin Celtic's Mark Whittaker almost rounded off the tie with a knockout of another kind.

Only a last minute duck by Whittaker prevented Boyle's right hook from connecting which would have caused some serious damage.

The actions of the Old Toll Bar defender were bad enough but this was from a player who minutes earlier had been sent off for a second bookable offence.

The phrase losing the plot comes to mind.

The two players made up at the final whistle but the damage had been done - and it did little to promote the Blackburn Combination from two sides in the top three of the Premier Division.

It was a shame because there was some good football played.

Toll Bar came closest to opening the scoring when John Fairbrother's fine deep cross found Dave Ainsworth whose header hammered against the post and Liam McManaman saw his follow up shot blocked on the line.

Earlier big Mark Boyle showed some good touches before testing Griffin keeper Lee Gallagher with a low drive.

For Griffin, Craig Foulds was in the thick of the action - and he was a marked man.

For wherever he was a late tackle or foul was nearby. He managed to get one early shot in that flashed wide then was even further off target with another effort with the over lapping Craig Hall better placed.

But it was his strike partner Darryl Winnard who was having more of an influence on the game - once he leant how to avoid the flying tackles and late challenges. In one run down the left, his pin-point cross found Hall and he controlled the ball well but missed the target.

By now Griffin were getting more of a grip on the game and Lee Gough hit the crossbar with a curling free kick. Foulds then shot across the goal after a good through ball by Neil Cook.

Griffin eventually took the lead when a defensive mix up saw the ball bobble free and Winnard stooped to head the ball home.

And it was another defensive blunder that lead to Griffin's second goal.

Foulds appeared to be second favourite to a long through ball but keeper Fenton Boyle and defender Andrew Bush dithered over the ball and Foulds nipped in to score. Whittaker then hit the crossbar direct from another free kick.

After the break Winnard came into his own.

He was soon into action to set up Mark King who headed over. Then a piece of magic on the left gave him space to cross but Foulds headed over from five yards out with the goal gaping.

Winnard then fired just wide and, in a superb flowing move featuring Gough and King, he saw his shot well saved by Boyle.

With decisions apparently going against them, Jason Boyle could not contain his frustrations any longer and after a few choice words to the referee he was shown his second yellow card for dissent.

Soon after Whittaker clashed with John Fairbrother and Mark Boyle and Jason Boyle returned to the pitch to try and make his mark.

Ten-men Toll Bar nearly pulled a goal back when Ainsworth went close with two headers before the tie was sealed when Neil Cook scored from the spot.

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