League Player of the Month

Mark Battersby was awarded with the NWCFL Premier Division Player of the Month award for February. He was presented with his award by Ian Williams prior to the victory over AFC Darwen. Mark got the nod from the Atherton Collieries panel for Player of the Year for February. During the month, the club won six out of the seven games played and Mark's 10 goals were pivotal in the good run. The first win was in possibly the most hastily arranged game in League history when Bootle and Colls agreed to play less than 24 hours before the game took place. Bootle led at half time but Colls went goal crazy after the break for a 5-2 win. Mark didn't score but he got the MOM award. He then scored a hat trick, as did Dave Sherlock, in a 7-3 triumph at AFC Darwen. Mark maintained his goalscoring run with the goal in the 2-1 late defeat at Abbey Hey and then hit another 3 goal salvo in the 5-1 victory over AFC Liverpool. He got MOM nominations in both these games. He then received a 4th nomination when he scored a brace in the 5-1 Bacup Borough MEN United triumph. He didn't get on the scoresheet against Runcorn Town and Colne in the final games in the month, but he led the line well. This campaign hasn't seen Mark as prolific as last year when he broke the League goalscoring record with 62 goals as he has played in the number 10 role on occasions, although he has assisted on more than his fair share of the team’s 116 goals. However, a 10 goal blast in February, added to the 4 MOM awards, make him the logical choice as Premier Division Player of the Month.