Tom Wardle reports as Clinical Campbell Scores Hat-trick in 4-0 Win…
A hat-trick from Hayden Campbell and a first half strike by Kielen Adams capped off an impressive evening at the Marine Travel Arena, as the Mariners defeated Atherton Collieries 4-0 in the Northern Premier League. The visitors had kept four clean sheets in their previous four league matches going into yesterday’s game, but Marine converted their chances to leapfrog the Colls into 14th place.
Joe Ferguson returned to the home starting eleven following a knock, with Alex Doyle, Lucas Weir and DJ Pedro also welcomed back into the team.
Atherton had arguably their best chance of the game inside ten minutes, when recently re-signed full-back Clive Smith had a free header that was well held by Bayleigh Passant.
Though the away side were made to rue their early opening miss, when Campbell found space inside the box and got on the end of Sean Smith’s floated cross, the forward’s header hitting the far post before crossing the line.
Jonathan Spittle was unfortunate not to double the hosts’ lead, when he rose at the back post from another Smith delivery, but couldn’t divert his effort on target.
Five minutes later, Marine did score a second. Jordan Lussey’s long throw was flicked on by the head of Spittle and Campbell was in the right place at the right time to convert his second of the evening, slotting the ball between the legs of the goalkeeper.
It was three to the good just prior of the half-time whistle. A loose pass along the Atherton backline was picked up by Adams, who played a smart one-two with Smith and steadied himself before smashing the ball past the helpless Nico Hansen.
It was more of the same from the Mariners in the second half. Campbell wasn’t the only one recording a hat-trick, as Smith assisted his third of the match. His cross towards the back post was bundled into the goal by Campbell, to make it five goals in all competitions for the forward this campaign.
The hat-trick hero could’ve added another, when Josh Wardle headed the ball back into the danger zone from Luke Clark’s lofted free-kick. Campbell got a clean connection with his shot, but it was well-blocked by the visitors.
The Colls had spells of possession nearing the final whistle without truly troubling Passant.
Neil Young’s side competed until the very end to maintain their fourth clean sheet of the season.
Marine will be hoping for more of the same in their next fixture, when they travel to FC United of Manchester on Saturday for a 3pm kick off.
Marine: Passant, Ferguson (Clark 63), Smith, A.Doyle, Wardle ©, Spittle, Weir, Lussey, Adams, Pedro (Harris 80), Campbell (Barrigan 72).
Unused Substitutes: Howarth, C.Doyle.
Atherton Collieries: N.Hansen, C.Smith, Peet ©, Lenehan, Amado, L.Hansen, Kershaw (Lockett 51), A.Smith, Bakkor (Ebosele 70), Fitzmartin (Pettifer 51), Cusani.
Unused Substitutes: Lafferty, Rooney.
Attendance: 920.
