Atherton Collieries suffered a calamitous 4-0 defeat to Liversedge, ending the game with nine men on a frustrating evening at the Skuna Stadium.
Goals from Joel Walton, Nathan Cartman, Jack Stockdill and Robert Guiffoyle saw Liversedge run out clear winners on the night, with Ollie Brown seeing a straight red in the first-half.
The visitors came into the game fighting desperately for survival and the early action was close and cagey, with Jay Fitzmartin and Jack Lenehan both testing the keeper in the opening minutes.
It was Liversedge who made the breakthrough on the half-hour mark, the ball ricocheting around the box with Joe Walton's eventual effort trickling into Mackenzie Chapman's far corner.
Colls thought they were level minutes later, Jay Fitzmartin racing through on goal and squaring to Bailey Thompson, however the offside flag went up as the Colls man slotted home.
The turning point came shortly before half time with Oli Brown shown a straight red card for a heavy challenge on Jack Stockdill, in what looked a harsh decision from the referee.
Colls were punished just moments later, as Nathan Cartman bundled the ball over the line to double Liversedge's advantage and leave Colls with a mountain to climb going into the break.
Injury forced Brad Cooke into a double substitution at half time and things went from bad to worse as Adam Rooney limped off just minutes into the second half.
In the midst of the substitution Liversedge added a third, a well-worked free-kick routine saw the ball squared to Jack Stockdill who tapped home at the back post to extend his side's lead.
Captain Danny Lafferty became the next injury casualty for an out-of-luck Colls side, leaving the stripes reduced to nine men facing what was already an uphill struggle.
Liversedge eventually added a fourth, Nathan Cartman's shot parried out into the path of Robert Guiffoyle who struck to put the visitors well out-of-sight with fifteen remaining.
With nine-man Colls struggling to make in-roads up front it was sheer determination that kept the scoreline as it was, Robert Guiffoyle's late effort cleared off the line and Nathan Cartman also denied at the death.
In the end it was a frustrating night for the stripes, punished by a clinical Liversedge side who were deservedly applauded off by the Colls faithful at full time.
Brad Cooke's side will now have to lick their wounds and prepare to bounce back at Belper on Saturday, amidst a worrying injury pile-up and congested late season fixture list. Kick off for that one is 3pm.
Colls: Chapman, Smith (Cusani 45'), Amado, Lingouba (Haw 45'), Lafferty, Rooney (Sephton 53'), Hardcastle, Brown, Thompson, Lenehan, Fitzmartin
Unused: Peet
Report: Danny Brown
Photo: Dave Featherstone
