FOLLOWING a tumultuous 48 hours since the shock defection of manager Michael Clegg and his staff to Ashton United the boys in black n white responded unbelievably to record their best win of the season.

Bamber Bridge arrived on the back of a couple of good victories and hoped to exploit the upheaval at the Skuna Stadium, Colls were unchanged from the side which upset the Boston United apple cart last time out.

Colls opened the scoring when Tom Bentham sent the keeper the wrong way and made it a brace from close range after a Conway assist. The resurgent Conway then got the goal his first half display deserved after being teed up by Hardcastle. A virtuoso forty-five minutes the from the home team.

Ten minutes after the interval the lead was increased when Hardcastle got his just reward following good Peet approach play. This strike for intents and purposes wrapped things up and the black n white stripes turned it down a notch happy that barring a miracle the three vital points were in the can. Brig came into the proceedings more and in form sub striker Gary Pett pulled one back when his sharp shot nestled into the bottom corner of the net.

The players left the field to rapturous and deserved applause, the Colls fanbase rallied to the pre match cry of skipper Danny Lafferty to be the 12th man brilliantly.

On an emotional afternoon Atherton special mention has to go the departing coaches who prepared the team with enthusiastic professionalism and this enabled the lads to play with unbridled freedom.

The end of an era and what a ride it has been over the last five and half years.

Michael Clegg and Co have left an unbelievable legacy at the football club but the show must go on. His quote in The Non League Paper: “Hopefully whoever comes in at Colls can carry on where we’ve left off -that would be the ideal situation for me,” sums it up perfectly.

On Saturday it’s yet another home fixture when Hyde United are the visitors in a Northern Premier League match up. KO 3pm.