ATHERTON Collieries sent out a daunting message to their North West Counties League First Division title rivals with a 6-0 victory at league leaders Hanley Town, writes Joseph Gibbons.

The home side – who had won their previous six matches and went into the game three points clear at the top – were no match for super Colls who took over at the summit on goal difference.

The Alder House men – who have four games in hand – were irresistible, going goal crazy to maintain their remarkable 100 per cent winning start to the season in stunning style.

It did not take them long to stamp their mark on the game, Mark Battersby giving them the perfect start after just three minutes with the opening goal.

Picking up the ball in midfield, Kristian Holt lofted an inch-perfect pass to the striker, who took one touch before firing the ball past goalkeeper Dane Jackson.

The sides battled it out for the rest of the half until Holt doubled the lead three minutes before the break.

Danny Taberner launched a long ball forward to Mark Battersby who controlled, rounded the keeper and passed the ball towards the bottom corner with Holt on hand to apply the last touch.

Mark Truffas helped make it three on 51 minutes when his tame effort was fumbled by the keeper to the feet of grateful midfielder Brad Cooke.

Truffas got his name on the scoresheet on 78 minutes when he curled the ball around Jackson from the edge of the box and Ben Hardcastle and Battersby put the gloss on the day with two goals in the last three minutes.

Daisy Hill’s record-breaking run of seven straight victories came to an end with a 4-2 defeat at Widnes.

The New Sirs men had been on their best run since the league was formed in 1982, beating their previous best of six straight wins recorded the following year.

After falling behind in the first minute at the ground shared with the Widnes rugby league team, Curtis Cumins levelled two minutes later.

Three goals between the 39th and 61st minutes saw the home side take the game away from Daisy – who slipped one place in the table to fourth – before Stephen Barlow pulled one back on 64 minutes.

Atherton Laburnum Rovers are in eighth following a 2-1 defeat at home to Northwich Flixton Villa, a 28th-minute own goal all they could muster against the division’s third-bottom club.

Tomorrow night, Rovers host Daisy and Collieries travel to Premier Division side Ashton Athletic in the first round of the Lancashire Cup.