Irlam 1 Atherton Colls 5

COLLS set a new NWCFL Division One record when they made it 10 wins from 10 after beating Irlam on Saturday.

The visitors' boasted a 100 per cent league record heading into the game, but were without leading goalscorers Mark Battersby and Mark Truffas.

Wes Bancroft and Matt Boland stepped in, while Nathan Battersby and Robert Swanton were also handed starts.

Boland made his mark by bagging a hat-trick, while Ben Hardcastle and Jordan Cover strikes cancelled out Gareth Mooney's consolation.

Colls took the lead in the 11th minute, as a through ball fromBattersby freed Boland and he slotted the ball across the oncoming keeper and into the right hand corner of the net.

Eight minutes later the lead was doubled. Wes Bancroft sprang the offside trap and committed the keeper before squaring to Hardcastle to tap in.

Irlam's best attempt came via a delicate lob which had Danny Taberner backtracking to tip over the bar.

Matty Grimshaw then had a chance to increase the lead but his header from a flighted free kick went wide before the break.

Colls started the second period complacently and the hosts capitalised on their lethargy, pulling a goal back on 50 minutes through Mooney.

The large Colls following was getting nervous especially when Boland firstly hit the post and then shot straight at the keeper in breakaway moves.

However, Irlam could not score and Colls netted again in the 67th minute when Bancroft and Kristian Holt combined and the latter's shot to fall to Boland for his second. T Colls handed three league debuts out in the last 10 minutes, with Gareth Roberts and George Sunter stepping up from the under 18s and Cover returning after a pre-season ankle injury.

Cover, who broke Colls hearts playing for LR in last season’s Boxing Day Flatcap Derby, shot narrowly wide with his first touch.

However, he made it four moments later when he took the ball round the keeper to finish, before opting to pass another attempt when a shot may have been the best option.

Colls got their fifth in added time when Bradley Cooke's flick was handled by a defender was handled by a defender in the box and Boland stepped up to send the keeper the wrong way for his hat-trick.

On Saturday, Colls visit Premier Division opposition and Men United Cup holders Ashton Athletic in a second round clash. Kick off 3pm.