Report: Scarborough Athletic 0-1 Colls

Atherton Collieries recorded a third straight win in all competitions, following a hard-fought 1-0 win away at Scarborough Athletic. It was a tale of two penalties, Matty Gillam’s first-half spot kick earning the visitors the three points, as Scarborough missed their own spot-kick deep into stoppage time. Watched by a bumper crowd under the lights at the Flamingo World Stadium, the game was end-to-end in the opening minutes, Boro’s Dylan Cogill saw a shot from distance charged down by skipper Danny Lafferty and Scott Sephton’s looping header was easily caught by Ryan Whitley in the Boro goal. The first penalty came after 16 minutes, Joel Amado catching an elbow to the back of the head as the home side attempted to clear a Colls free-kick. There were few protests as Matty Gillam stepped up and lashed the ball past the keeper - the striker has been lethal from penalties this season, with five out of five scored from the spot. Boro’s first clear-cut chance followed, with Jake Day shooting straight at Luke Hutchinson following a slick passing move. Meanwhile Marcus Cusani was proving a handful for defenders again, sprinting clear of his man and dragging a low shot across the box just before the half-time whistle. The home side dominated possession after the break, attempting to break Colls down with a barrage of crosses and long balls into the box. Will Thornton headed narrowly wide from a Boro corner and Luke Hutchinson made his first save of the half denying Lewis Maloney’s stinging effort on 51 minutes. Colls’ defenders put in a staunch display, winning countless headers and charging shots down, the visitors threatening on the break with Marcus Cusani and Ethan Kershaw leading the charge. Danny Lambert saw a good effort blocked on the edge of the area and Gaz Peet struck the wall with a free-kick taken from a promising position. With the game deep into the fourth minute of stoppage time, the home side were handed a chance to undo all of Colls’ hard-work, awarded a penalty as Luca Defreitas-Hansen clattered into Jake Day in the box. Ryan Watson stepped up and with the last kick of the game fired his shot wide, via the outside of the post. Atherton Collieries: Hutchinson, Battersby, Peet, Amado, Lafferty (C), Defreitas-Hansen, Kershaw, Lambert, Gillam (A.Smith 71’), Sephton, Cusani (Omotalo 85’) Unused subs: Lenehan, Rokka Bolton Arena Man of the Match: Niall Battersby (Sponsored by MIDAS Roller Shutters Astley) Photo: Dave Featherstone Report: Danny Brown