Atherton Collieries slumped out of the Lancashire FA Challenge Trophy at the second round stage as North West Counties League Division One North hosts Garstang held their higher division opponents for 90 minutes and then scored all five spot kicks to run out 5-3 penalty shoot out victors. Having thumped fellow high flyers Mossley 6-2 at the Skuna Stadium on Saturday, Colls just made three changes with Josh Messer and Tom Bentham being replaced outfield by Josh Peet and Adam Farrell, while Dale Latham lined up in goal in place of Greg Hartley.
Hot on the heels of winning an early penalty in the win at the weekend, Gareth Peet was once again at the foreground of the action as he charged down the left wing in trademark fashion, driving forward with the ball before drilling it across the face of the goalkeeper and in to the far corner of the net to put Colls in front inside three minutes of action.
That was about as good as it got for Colls though on a drizzly night by the Wyre as the hosts pulled level only nine minutes after going behind, Colls failing to take heed of an earlier warning shot from Jack Swindlehurst and being unable to prevent Reece Barrett from firing an equaliser past Latham from distance.
An occasional threat was provided in attack by Colls with both Dave Sherlock and Ben Hardcastle sending teasing crosses in to the centre that were crying out for a decisive touch, while Matt Grimshaw and Adam Farrell both narrowly missed headed chances, though Shaun Sailor did go close for Garstang with another shot from distance flying just past the frame of Latham's goal.
Ben Conway and Luke Giverin were introduced from the bench during the second half as Colls looked for a decisive goal, but the hosts weren't in charitable mood and more than matched the green-clad Collieries, with only a scrambled Conway effort and an admittedly excellent William Kitchen save from a rasping Cover strike to show for their efforts.
Sherlock was shown a yellow card in stoppage time for a late challenge on Phil Nagy as the game somewhat inevitably headed for a penalty shoot out with neither side managing to find a breakthrough in 90 minutes. Tom Enwistle stepped up first and scored the first of what would prove to be a 100% conversion rate for Garstang, with Kitchen cruically keeping out Colls' opening penalty from Conway, ensuring a shock victory for the hosts and with it progress to the quarter final of the competition where they will welcome Vanarama National League North side Southport to The Riverside.
With cup commitments ended for the season, Colls are back in Evo-Stik League Division One West action on Saturday afternoon (10th November, 3pm) when they travel to Staffordshire to take on Leek Town ahead of Droylsden's visit to the Skuna Stadium the following Saturday (17th November, 3pm). Atherton Collieries: Dale Latham, Dave Sherlock, Danny Lambert, Danny Lafferty Ⓒ, Matt Grimshaw, Josh Peet (Luke Giverin 79’), Ben Hardcastle, Vinny Bailey (Ben Conway 62’), Jordan Cover, Adam Farrell, Gareth Peet. Substitutes (not used): Tom Bentham, Andrew Heald. Goal(s): Gareth Peet (3') Man of the Match: Gareth Peet Attendance: 82
Match Report: Matt Lawton
Photographs: David Featherstone
New Signing: Oli Putnam
December 5, 2023
Atherton Collieries can confirm the signing of Oliver Putnam, who joins the club from NWCFL high flyers Wythenshawe Town. The attacking midfielder has previously impressed
