Atherton Collieries’ struggles continued with a difficult Tuesday night home defeat to title-chasers Stalybridge.
The first half was a marked improvement for the hosts on Saturday’s defeat in Oldham, however the Black & Whites couldn’t take their chances when they arose, Oli Putnam coming closest with an effort from the edge of the box following great work from Eden Bailey. Max Bardsley-Rowe and Alex Doyle also proved threatening players for the Stripes.
However, as was evident throughout the evening, the experience of Stalybridge was lethal, and it was journeyman leader Liam Tongue who was quick to stamp his authority on the game.
Following a penalty for a handball by Alex Doyle, Tongue converted to the bottom right comfortably for the visitors to lead, and quickly doubled his tally after volleying home from a corner.
The Colls fought hard to regain a slim foothold in the game at the beginning of the second half, with Lewis Mansell threatening on two occasions alongside Oli Putnam failing to convert a Max Bardsley-Rowe cross.
However, the narrow hope of a Colls fightback ended as Jack Tinning converted a corner, and from here the visitors asserted their dominance, with Josh Quarless catching Ellis Litherland off his line for a fourth goal with ten minutes remaining shortly after.
Frustrations mounted for the Collieries all evening, with regular fouls from Javid Swaby-Neavin on Eden Bailey remaining unpunished, whilst an obvious goal-scoring opportunity was also denied on the Colls forward in the first half. These vexations came to a flashpoint following a quick succession of unchecked fouls in the midfield in the 85th minute, as Alex Doyle received his matching orders for a lunge in retaliation for the sequence of heavy tackles on himself, Eden Bailey and Adam Dawson.
Though there was no doubt about the red card itself, questions were raised in David Chadwick’s post match interview as to whether the passage of play should have been brought to a close sooner.
Stalybridge completed the rout moments later as Joe Edwards cut through defense and slotted home a fifth against a beleaguered Collieries.
The Colls will soon have a chance to make amends as they visit Silsden in the FA Cup on Saturday.
