ATHERTON Colls headed to Nelson on Saturday with both sides having enjoyed strong starts to the season, progressing into the next round of The FA Cup.

It was a fairly comfortable opening to the league campaign for the Collieries as the home side mustered up just one effort of note all match.

Other than taking a couple of goal kicks and collecting a few crosses, Reid was a spectator for the majority of the afternoon. Having said that, Nelson did play well in the second half and managed to frustrate their opponents.

Atherton pressed forward from the very beginning and had a couple of half chances through their efforts.

However, the away side had to wait until the 21st minute for their first clear chance and Jordan Cover duly opened the scoring. A loose pass in midfield from Nelson was capitalised on and the striker was able to run through on goal before lofting the ball over the goalkeeper into the right hand side of the net.

Three minutes later and Collieries thought they had doubled their lead from a corner. Gareth Peet crossed the ball into the centre where it was subsequently prodded towards goal. A scramble ensued and Danny Lafferty stabbed the ball past the goalkeeper. Unfortunately, the linesman was correct in spotting the ball ricocheted off an offside Cover before it had reached Lafferty.

The match became a bit heated a few minutes before half time when a Nelson defender and Jordan Cover suffered a clash of heads. The Admiral came off far worse as he lay stricken on the floor with blood dripping from above his eyebrow. A complete accident as both players had eyes only for the ball. The army of Nelson fans took exception to the incident.

It was rather fitting that just a minute later Cover was able to double his sides margin and lead the celebrations. Again, the striker was played through one-on-one with the goalkeeper, this time opting to take the ball around him and finish from a tight angle.

A strong half from Colls and they started the second just as well. Mark Ayres fired marginally past the left hand post following a deep Gareth Peet cross just two minutes into the half. Ben Hardcastle had been playing well down the right hand side while Brad Cooke and Kris Holt had battled well in midfield. The latter was replaced by Mark Truffas who went on to inject a bit more energy into a Colls team who were beginning to look a little lethargic.

Nelson’s first meaningful effort on goal came on 68 minutes when a header dropped wide of the left hand post.

With 15 minutes remaining, Collieries had a goal disallowed for the second time. Hardcastle curled in a cross from the right hand side and Cover met the ball with a glancing header.

It bounced off the left upright and into the net but once again the linesman had got the decision spot on.

On Saturday Colls host Evo-Stik South side Witton Albion in the Prelim Round of the FA Cup, 3pm.