Celtic were not at the races today, and it allowed Atherton to run rampant. Collieries took advantage of an injury hit Celtic still recovering from their mammoth task against Bradford to record an excellent win from their perspective.

It took until just before half time for Atherton to take the lead, with chances at both ends. Keilan Adams dragged his shot wide and moments later forced Charlie Monks to a top draw save, back-pedalling and palming the ball over the bar. At the other end, Liam Tongue tried his luck from distance again, but Harvey Beardsley stayed alert and caught, though when Andy Scarisbrick shrugged off his shadow and shot on the run Beardsley had to rely on prayers. They came true and the ball hit the crossbar. Seven minutes before half-time and Celtic just fell off the grid. Liam Sheppard left completely unmarked cut inside, the defence holding off and he pulled his shot back across the face into the bottom corner. Three minutes later and Sheppard again found himself with the freedom of Bower Fold, this time cutting the ball back for Louis Potts who drifted in unseen to side foot in the second.

Celtic had a lifeline in stoppage time after a great effort from Ellis Horan zipped over the bar instead of under, when Sam Sheridan chased Jack Irlam thirty yards and dragged him down in the box. Irlam took the penalty himself, but Bardsley guessed right making the save look comfortable.

Within five minutes of the restart, it was game over. A lucky deflection from Adams hit Liam Tongue’s calf, looping it the ball over Monks. It could have gone anywhere, it went in. Before Celtic could lick their wounds, a corner came into a crowded box and Adams headed in Atherton’s fourth. Credit to Atherton, they didn’t sit back and Luke Nick, Louis Potts and Rodney Ajayi all fired over, with Sheppard’s header Monks’s most comfortable all day. In the last quarter of an hour, Horan got a half chance, but sent his shot soaring over the bar, his next effort forcing a great save from Bardsley, though it left the Atherton keeper stranded, the ball coming to Ruben Jerome, back to goal. He turned and fired. Wide, and that summed up Celtic’s game today.