Report: Cammell Laird 3-4 Atherton Collieries

A midweek trip to Rockferry on the Wirral to face Cammell Laird is never going to easy but the lads dug in and despite a late wobble gained a vital 3 points. In form striker Jordan Cover gave Colls the lead as early as the 11th minute when he outstripped the defence before rifling a 20 yarder into the bottom corner of the net. Lairds were soon on level terms through leading goalscorer Craig Cairns. Cover scored again on the half hour Mark after being teed up by Mark Battersby. Colls were in irresistible form for the majority of the second half and Cover completed a well deserved hat-trick in the 58 minute with a quality volley from distance after a dinked Battersby pass. Battersby then got in on the act with a close range header from an accurate Krissy Holt centre. The hosts did not give up and Cairns immediately scored with an header from a debatably awarded freekick and then he completed the second 3 goal haul of the game from a penalty after a push in the box. The comeback was all the more admirable Lairds has been reduced to 10 men. Colls were rattled but regrouped to hold out for a famous victory. Special mention must go to Jordan Cover who had arguably his best night in a black n white shirt, he was nigh on unplayable. The football the two teams played was excellent and again showed what a good product the NWCFL Premier Division is. The game was ultra competitive, what do you expect it's the NWCFL Premier Division. Fit young men trying to get the best result for the clubs. In games there are always going to be fouls and frustrations. There are also always going to be cautions. As much as I dislike bookings from a secretaries perspective, if we get away with two a game I think we have done well. It's doesn't mean we are an indisciplined rabble. It's just the nature of the game. The 10 cautions in this game (the Laird no 2 was dismissed for a 2nd yellow) makes it look like it was an as crazy game as a World Cup qualifying game between two warring Latin American neighbours. Yes there were some deserved cautions but I think there was an equal amount which didn't deserve a booking, maybe a word with the skipper would have sufficed. Of course I am biased but I am also objective. Michael Clegg was also dismissed from the touchline when he vented his frustrations at the referee just after the 3rd Lairds goal. Perhaps he was wrong and both he and the club will summarily be punished by the LFA and the league but if I am being objective he only said what the rest of the crowd were thinking. Match report by Emil Anderson