Former Conference National side Hyde United underlined their promotion credentials with an outstanding display of football that Colls simply had no answer to as they fell to a resounding defeat at Ewen Fields.
Colls played out a 1-1 draw with former North West Counties League rivals Glossop North End at the Kensite Stadium on Saturday and Black and Whites boss Micheal Clegg kept faith with the same starting line up for the trip to Tameside against a Hyde side on a high from winning at Boston Town at the weekend to take them to the FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round.
Playing a high pressing game when in defence and shifting the ball around with pace and no little accuracy when in possession, Hyde went in front as early as the ninth minute when Karl Jones chested the ball down on the edge of the area and curled the ball beyond Adam Reid in the Colls goal.
Reid comfortably saved a Big Khamsuk half volley after fifteen minutes while Colls had to wait until the twenty fifth minute mark before their first effort on goal when Brad Cooke dragged well wide after neat build up play between Ben Hardcastle and Iain Howard.
Colls boss Micheal Clegg made a double substitution at the break, introducing Jordan Cover and Darrhyl Mason for Daniel Lambert and Cooke and with it a change of shape, but it took only seven minutes after the restart for Hyde to double their lead. A free kick in to the area left Reid vulnerable and, although some referees might have adjudged a foul on the goalkeeper, the ball fell kindly for Jones to quickly shift the ball on to Ryan Ellison who made no mistake in smashing the ball home.
Although substitute Cover headed a half chance over the bar for Colls it was largely one way traffic, and Hyde duly added their third goal of the evening on sixty nine minutes when Big Khamsuk curled in an absolute beauty in to the top corner of the net from outside of the area that left Reid with no chance.
Johnny Gorman was the third Colls substitute to be introduced when he came on for the hardworking Ash Woods with twelve minutes remaining before Colls had their best spell of the evening. First Cover sent a shot that flew just over Peter Crook's crossbar before an ingenious dinked effort from Howard cracked the bar, with Chris Lynch's effort from the rebound arrowing narrowly above the frame of the goal.
Having only been on the field for ten minutes, David Brown completed the scoring for the hosts on 86 minutes when Tom Pratt played him through to sweep the ball past Reid.
After Colls won promotion as Hallmark Security League champions last season there were always likely to be a few bumps along the way and sometimes you just have to hold your hands up and accept losing to a quality side as was the case in this encounter. Clegg and his staff will now have to raise spirits ahead of Saturday's trip to Stocksbridge Park Steels, former hunting ground of England striker Jamie Vardy and a first FA Trophy outing in the club's long history.
Hyde United: Peter Crook, Kyle Harrison, James Burke, Janni Lipka, Tyrone Gay, Paddy Miller, Ryan Ellison (Peter Boyle 73’), Big Khamsuk, Matthew Beadle (David Brown 76’), Tom Pratt, Karl Jones (Chris Churchman 59’). Substitutes (not used); Harry Coates, Sanchez Payne
Atherton Collieries: Adam Reid, Chris Lynch, Daniel Lambert (Darrhyl Mason 46’), Richard Smith, Jamie Forbes, Danny Lafferty, Ben Hardcastle, Brad Cooke (Jordan Cover 46’), Ashley Woods (Johnny Gorman 78’), Iain Howard, Gareth Peet. Substitutes (not used); Josh Messer, Rob Sadler
Attendance: 343
Match Report: Matt Lawton
Match Preview: Morpeth (A)
December 1, 2023
Atherton Collieries head to Morpeth on Saturday 2nd December, aiming to break a duck which has led to the Colls so far never recording a
