Atherton Collieries handed their NPL Premier Division survival chances a huge boost with a 2-1 victory over Guiseley in an impressive outing at the Skuna Stadium on Easter Monday.

Marcus Cusani notched the opener for the hosts with Jay Fitzmartin firing home a second after the break, before former Colls man Scott Bakkor added a late consolation for the visitors.

It means 16th-placed Colls sit three places and four points above the drop zone with two games to play.

Colls boss Brad Cooke made two changes to the team that faced Matlock just two days earlier, Fitzmartin and Ben Hardcastle both coming back to the fore as the hosts chased a long-overdue win.

After a heavy pre-match downpour the action got under way, Courtney Meppen-Walters flashing a header wide for the visitors with the first chance of the afternoon.

It was Colls who made the breakthrough, though, Cusani getting the slightest of touches to help Adam Rooney’s header over the line following Fitzmartin’s inswinging corner.

Cusani could have doubled his tally soon after, a bouncing ball presenting itself kindly, but the winger’s effort was tame and provided straightforward work for Morgan Bacon in the Guiseley goal.

From there it remained one-way traffic, with Rooney and Cusani both seeing attempts thwarted on the line following a goalmouth scramble which could have seen Colls cruising at the break.

The second goal came just minutes into the second half, Fitzmartin racing on to Rooney’s ball from deep and dispatching confidently into the bottom corner to double Colls’ advantage.

With the game slipping away, Guiseley turned to ex-Colls man Bakkor from the bench, the substitute creating a golden chance for Lewis Hay who nodded wide of Mackenzie Chapman’s goal on the hour.

Bakkor would eventually bite the hand that fed, albeit deep into stoppage time, slotting home a late consolation with virtually the last kick of the game.

In the end, it was a richly-deserved victory for Colls and favourable results elsewhere will give them confidence they can get the job done heading into the final two games of the season.

They are back in action on Saturday when they welcome Whitby Town to the Skuna Stadium for their final home outing of 2022/23 (3pm).