ATHERTON Colls progressed to the preliminary round of the Emirates FA Cup with a home win over old friends Bacup Borough 3-2.

Michael Clegg's team were awesome in the first half and a three-goal cushion was scant reward for their superiority.

Hotshot Mark Battersby had a penalty saved early doors after Gareth Peet had been fouled but he made no mistake with his second spot kick on 14 minutes after Peet had again been upended.

Two minutes later Vinny Bailey doubled the lead with a peach of a strike from out wide and then Ben Hardcastle cushioned a teasing cross into the far corner of the net.

Battersby should have scored when one-on-one with Borough custodian Ashley and Peet should have finished off a fine team move but he cleared the bar from a yard out.

Ashley was having a wonder game and he almost single handedly kept the score decent at the interval.

Colls took their foot of the pedal slightly in the second half in hot conditions but continued to dominate proceedings.

Ashley was again in imperious form and on 79 minutes Borough got a lifeline.

A free kick was adjudged to have been handled by a Colls player in the wall and the ref gave a penalty.

Darcy O'Connor sent Dave Sherlock the wrong way.

Sherlock is usually a midfieder but he was forced to don the gloves, because of a keeper crisis, which he did with no little confidence.

Johnny Thompson added a second for the East Lancashire outfit in injury time but that was the end of the scoring.

Apart from the final 10 minute it was a fine start to the campaign which sets up a home tie with Evostik South side Witton Albion on Saturday, August 20.

On Saturday Colls visit Nelson for the opening Hallmark Security Premier League game, kick off 3pm, while Squires Gate visit the Kensite Stadium on Monday, kick off 7.45pm.