ATHERTON Colls capped off a glorious season with a comprehensive 7-2 win in the Hospital Cup final against Turton at the Macron.

With the North West Counties First Division title already under their belt and two near misses in the cup competitions in recent weeks, Michael Clegg’s fully lived up to their favourites tag.

Mark Truffas and Ben Hardcastle scored two goals apiece as the Alder House men rode out some stubborn first-half resistance from the West Lancs champions.

Colls raced into the lead after only nine minutes. After Josh McGreavy had tipped over a flick from Mark Battersby, the resulting corner was cleared to Mark Truffas, who curled a fine shot inside the far post.

Turton responded well. Rick Battersby’s low effort gave Danny Tabener his first save of the night before free-scoring winger Keiran Sisson nearly stole in on a poor back-pass, giving the Colls keeper some more work to do.

But Colls’ pacy front line always carried a threat and when a towering header from Brad Cooke found its way through to Mark Battersby, his first touch was unusually wasteful so close in on goal for someone with 62 goals to his name this season.

The second goal was not far away, though, and again it was winger Truffas who supplied it.

Standing over a free kick 25 yards from goal he unleashed an unstoppable effort into the top corner to end any thoughts of a Turton comeback.

A minute before half time it was three. Colls sliced through on the left, Gareth Peet playing in Ben Hardcastle for another fine finish.

Colls searched ruthlessly for a fourth after the restart. Krissy Holt went close to getting a telling touch on another good set piece from Truffas before McGreavy made fine save from Battersby, now looking hungry to get in on the action.

Turton’s defence was creaking and finally relented on the hour mark when an in-swinging corner was headed into his own net by Rick Battersby.

They pulled one back a few moments later when Dave Burrows touched home Sisson’s right-wing cross from close range after a spill from Tabener.

The Turton striker nearly grabbed a second moments later, his close range effort bouncing off the inside of the post and out to safety. Colls responded almost immediately with a fifth, Battersby finally getting his goal after catching McGreavy off his line and rolling the ball into an empty net.

Hardcastle got his second with another neat finish, Colls’ sixth of the night before Turton grabbed another consolation through sub Sam Crook.

Colls sub Wesley Bancroft then completed the scoring with a sweet injury time strike.

Colls: Tabener; Kenny, Grimshaw, Heald, Shaw, Truffas, Holt (Messer 73), Cooke (N Battersby 73), Peet (Bancroft 64); M Battersby, Hardcastle.

Turton: McGreavy; Eckesley, R Battersby, Lawton, Street (Taylor 73); Fitton (Crook 20), Benson, Johnson, Sisson (Wareing 70), Hanlon, Burrows.