"IF the lads weren't putting the effort in I'd worry. But that's not the case," said Atherton Colls manager Chris O'Brien following his side's 4-0 defeat at Kidsgrove Athletic.

"You can't see the way they worked so hard on Saturday and then start criticising. We are a very young side and if we keep playing like that and sticking at it, sooner or later it's going to start going our way."

Eighteen-year-old debutant striker Jordan Higgins, signed by O'Brien last week from the Stockport Academy won the man of the match vote. His outstanding moment was an effort which struck a post in the last minute.

Colls midweek home fixture against Salford City was postponed and tomorrow they entertain sixth in the table Prescot Cables.

It's been a mixed week for Atherton LR against Oldham teams. Last Saturday a goal conceded after only 38 seconds set a dismal tone for Rovers in a 2-1 home defeat by Castleton Gabriels. A hotly disputed penalty award when the ball had appeared to hit Liam Boden in the midriff, not the hand, had LR two down by the break.

Gary Andrews got a goal back from Gavin Salmon's cross but LR boss Alan Lord was far from happy. "We tossed three valuable points away there," he fumed. "Only three players - Steve Strange, Danny Caldercott and Mark Fitton - played anything like.

"I rang a few changes for the Tuesday game at Chadderton and it paid off. We looked a lot more like the sort of side I want to representing this club."

That Tuesday night game saw LR 3-0 winners with striker Salmon featuring heavily in all three goals. On 37 minutes he was the man fouled for Mark Parry to fire home from the penalty spot, on 56 minutes he crossed for Colin Lomas to score on his debut and on 70 minutes he was again fouled for Lomas to make it a two goal start for LR after his transfer from Colls with a converted penalty kick.

Tomorrow sees the eagerly-awaited Second Division Trophy round one replay between Daisy Hill and Atherton LR at News Sirs, kick off 2pm.