WHEN it rains it pours, and Eagley have been flooded with more than their fair share of dreadful luck this season.

The Eagles have been flying low throughout a miserable Premier Division season and are propping up the rest with four games to go.

They dominated visitors Coppull United on Saturday but, having wasted a string of chances, conceded the only goal of the game on a breakaway, the 1-0 loss leaving them six points adrift of second-bottom Crooklands Casuals, with Lostock St Gerards a further point ahead.

Simon Whaley’s side have four games to go, and some of their rivals have completed their fixtures, but Eagley are yet to win an away game in 13 attempts, making victory in tonight’s final home game, against Hesketh Bank, a necessity.

“We worked hard and didn’t deserve to lose but we are not putting our chances away,” Whaley told The Bolton News. “I’m pleased with the number we’re creating but we’re not finishing teams – we got caught on the break completely against the run of play and that’s been the story of our season.

“I can’t fault the squad, if we had this squad from the start of the season I’m sure we would be up near the top of the table, lads like Jon Stevenson, Zack Hargreaves and Danny Holroyd have come in and improved us a lot, but we have picked up a lot of injuries as well and we don’t have the depth that we need so mathematically we’re not looking as bad but teams are picking up points all over in games you wouldn’t expect them to.”

To add to Whaley’s woes, Eagley lost Dilon Ashton to a nasty injury against Coppull, and the best they can hope for is that he will return in time to start next season.

“Dilon came back into the team on Saturday but landed awkwardly when he went up for a header, he’s snapped knee ligaments and fractured his tibia too,” revealed Eagley’s luckless manager. “He is going to see a specialist, if it’s his medial ligament he could be out for three months, if it’s his anterior cruciate it’s probably something like nine months.

“Sometimes you just know things aren’t going to go for you, and it’s a real shame for Dilon, everything about him is bang on but we’re just expecting things to go wrong for us now!”

Eagley were moments away from their first away win earlier this month, when they were ahead at local rivals Turton.

However, failing light saw the match abandoned just three minutes from time, with Eagley 3-0 up and Turton down to 10 men.But league officials have ordered the match to be replayed, a decision which baffled Whaley.

“There has been no common sense used there,” he said. “That result could make all the difference in the end so it feels like we’re fighting a losing battle.

“We have four games to go, and we will be fighting for everything. If the lads can’t get up for a game at Blackpool they’re in the wrong game, it’s a great place to go and play football.

“And we still have the Turton match to replay, they’ll need no motivation for that one.”

Elsewhere, Tempest United enjoyed a 5-1 win at home to Slyne With Hest and, ahead of going to league leaders Longridge Town tomorrow night, are sitting pretty in sixth.

Turton, who had no weekend fixture, host Garstang this evening.

After a six-week wait to complete their fixtures in Division One Ladybridge ended the league season with a 2-1 win at Hurst Green.