A MULTITUDE of missed chances left Atherton Collieries to rue what might have been as a late winner saw Market Drayton Town return to Shropshire with the points.

The 2-1 defeat at the Skuna Stadium – Colls’ first in the league since the end of August – saw them drop to fourth in the Evo-Stik League Division One West ahead of Monday night’s visit of seventh-placed Prescot Cables.

The first 25 minutes saw Colls dominate possession and territory, though only a fifth-minute Ben Hardcastle effort troubled visiting goalkeeper Ashley Rawlins who batted the ball away in unconventional fashion.

Jordan Cover went closer on the half-hour mark when he latched on to Josh Messer’s excellent threaded pass and rounded Rawlins only to hit the post as he attempted to direct the ball out of reach of a trio of retreating Market Drayton defenders guarding the goal line.

Cover then flashed a 34th-minute effort narrowly wide before Rawlins again did well to flick a Ben Hardcastle effort over the bar and the same man flighting a free kick just past the post in the final act of a frustrating first half for Colls.

Rawlins again denied Colls with a terrific double save on 55 minutes, quickly reaching low to keep out Danny Lafferty’s header from a Vinny Bailey corner before palming away Callum Spooner’s driven 30-yard strike.

Having been largely a spectator for most of the game, Colls keeper Dale Latham was called into action on 60 minutes to keep out a Harvey Howell effort.

But there was nothing Latham could do from the resulting corner as the visitors went in front against the run of play, Simon Gregory scrambling the ball home.

Colls were level seven minutes later when Cover lashed the ball inside the far post.

And substitute Tom Bentham went agonisingly close to putting Colls in front when he beat the keeper but not visiting skipper Paul McMullen, who did superbly well to clear just in front of the line.

Latham was called back into action at the other end as Market Drayton looked to catch Colls on the break, doing well to use his feet to block the ball, before Bentham was again inches away from a second Colls goal as he shot narrowly wide after being expertly played in by Messer.

Colls continued to pour forward in the search of a winner but were hit by an 85th-minute sucker punch, William Wells firing in a terrific strike from outside the penalty into the top corner.

Danny Lafferty headed over and Gareth Peet had a free kick saved by Rawlins as the Black and Whites searched for a late equaliser in front of the crowd of 179.

Both local clubs in the Hallmark Security League First Division North suffered resounding defeats.

Third-bottom Atherton LR went down 5-0 at Holker Old Boys, who climbed one place to second bottom, while Alex Guest got Daisy Hill's consolation goal in a 4-1 loss away to fifth-placed Shelley which left the Westhoughton side bottom.