ATHERTON Collieries and LR’s hopes of climbing up the Premier Division suffered on Saturday with defeats for both clubs.

Colls went down 3-2 at Winsford United, but were far from disgraced. The home side took the lead through Darren Connell before Craig Hoyland equalised with a header four minutes later.

Colls paid for a slow start in the second-half when Lee Madin crashed home a free-kick and, with their keeper in excellent form, Winsford put the game out of reach in the 83rd minute through John Crouch.

Hoyland grabbed his second in the 90th minute but it was too little too late.

Atherton LR crashed to a 5-2 defeat after a disappointing display at home to struggling Maine Road. Declan O’Shea’s hat-trick put the visitors in a commanding position despite Louis Edwards pulling a goal back for LR. Danny Clare scored in the 72nd minute and Liam Beckford just before the final whistle, while LR’s efforts were rewarded with an 89th minute goal by Jonathan Bullough.

A disappointed LR manager Dave Hughes said: “We were outplayed. They were stronger, more enthusiastic and quicker to the ball. They were definitely the best side and we have no complaints “It’s going to happen in a season where you have a bad day. But we have to stay positive and look forward. We have got some big games coming up and need to get back on track as quickly as we can.”

In the First Division, Daisy Hill lost 2-0 at Holker Old Boys, but manager Craig Thomas was satisfied with the performance of his injury-hit side.

“We had a handful of players missing and the lads who replaced them did very well,” he said. “We lost but the lads came off feeling that they hadn’t as they passed the ball well and had possession for long periods of the game.”

The hosts went ahead with an excellent flicked header from Paul Southward in the 17th minute, and they took advantage of Hill’s attempts to level in the latter stages with a breakaway second from Chris Lowe in the 83rd minute.

Thomas had high praise for his under-18s captain Danny Hartfield, who made his first start in the senior team at full-back. “He did really well as did all the lads who came in,” he said. “The result could easily have been the other way round.”