Atherton Collieries secured deserved progression to the next round of the Lancashire Trophy with a hard fought and attacking display at West Didsbury and Chorlton.
Despite the recent additions of Lewis Rawsthorn and Tom Warren, the Black & Whites named a starting team and bench with no new names or faces to report, though Toba Obitayo, Eden Bailey, Max Bardsley-Rowe and Danny Lambert all returned to starting action, and in-form youth team striker Liam Sheppard taking a place on the bench as Tom Bentham celebrated the recent birth of his child.
The Collieries were slow out of the blocks, and conceded an early double salvo to the hosts through two defensive lapses.
Cameron Darkwah converted what may be the most fortunate goal of his career as a clearance from Ellis Litherland rebounded from a Black & Whites player and straight into his path for an open goal in the six yard box, before former Collsmon Connor Hughes was on hand to convert a scything counter attack for the second.
The first half wasn’t without controversy, as goalscorer Darkwah invited questions with a rogue scissors challenge from behind on Colls captain Lewis Thompson, with some supporters considering him lucky to remain on the field of play.
The visitors increasingly found their footing however, and mounted their pressure on the West as the first half developed, with both sets of fans making a raucous atmosphere from the infamous Brookburn Road shed end.
It was eventually Eden Bailey who pulled the Colls back into the game with his first goal in the Stripes, rounding goalkeeper Charlie Mitchell before lifting an effort over multiple West defenders and into the bottom corner to reduce the deficit.
From here, the equalizing goal became inevitable, and it was substitute Oli Putnam who pulled off a moment of magic as he drove past the West Didsbury defense before drilling the ball home.
The Stripes had further chances to kill the game in normal time, and midfielder Alex Doyle had the pick of the bunch as he fired high from the edge of the six yard box following great play from Putnam and Max Bardsley-Rowe.
For the second time in two matches, the Collieries had to face a penalty shootout to confirm victory, and Alex Doyle, Danny Lafferty, Max Bardsley-Rowe, Eden Bailey and Ethan Kershaw converted their efforts for the Collieries, and misses from Wests’ Cameron Darkwah and Gabriel Cole saw the Stripes progress.
Manager Michael Clegg looks to make it three cup wins from three as the Collieries travel to Trafford in the FA Trophy on Saturday, before his long anticipated homecoming to the Dreams2Reality Stadium against Kidsgrove on the 28th September.
