Atherton Collieries secured a 1-1 draw against Radcliffe Borough in an entertaining fixture under the floodlights at the Skuna Stadium.
A breathless first half saw Arran Pettifer’s wonderstrike cancel out Jake Thompson’s opener, with Colls perhaps unlucky not to take all three points in the second half.
The visitors took the lead after 25 minutes, striker Thompson firing into the bottom corner after being played in by Courtney Meppen-Walters.
Colls replied less than a minute later however, Arran Pettifer scoring his first goal for the club in superb style with a dipping 30-yard strike into the top corner to level the game.
Taking confidence from their equaliser, the stripes ramped up the pressure before the break, going closest through a Cusani cross diverted behind by ex-Colls man Rick Smith.
After a spell of Radcliffe dominance following the break, Colls fought their way back on top and saw a quick trio of half-chances spurned by Bakkor and Peet.
Colls’ best chance to take the lead came from a whipped-in free kick headed back across goal by Clive Smith, with Meppen-Walters inches from turning the ball into his own goal.
Energetic forward Jesse Ebosele came into the fray and almost scored with his first touch from the bench, lashing his powerful effort narrowly over the bar at the near post.
With minutes left on the clock, Arran Pettifer worked his way into the box and fired the ball across the face of goal, but no one was there to tap home for Colls.
Colls are next in action on Saturday 5th November as they make the trip to the North-East to face Marske United away from home.
Colls: Nico Defreitas-Hansen, Clive Smith, Gaz Peet, Adam Rooney, Danny Lafferty ©, Luca Defreitas-Hansen, Ethan Kershaw, Ollie Brown, Scott Bakkor (Aaron Smith 74’), Arran Pettifer, Marcus Cusani (Jesse Eboele 84’)
Subs: Jack Lenehan, Joel Amado
Report: Danny Brown
