Charnock Richard 0 Atherton Colls 1

Goldline Trophy Final

A TYPICALLY opportunist goal from Nicky Fisher gave Denis Haslam's Atherton Colls side a taste of glory at the Reebok Stadium on Monday as Nat Lofthouse handed them the Goldline Trophy.

The game was not a classic but the crowd of well over 2000 enjoyed a fiercely contested encounter that looked to be heading to a tense period of golden goal before Fisher struck 15 minutes from time.

The chance was carved by full-back Keith Best and after running from the half way line with the ball, he rifled a shot from 30 yards which Barry Edge had to be at his agile best to push up onto the bar. As half of the West Stand was applauding the parry, the Charnock defenders went to sleep and Fisher nipped in to tap in the rebound from two yards out.

It was a hammer blow for defending champions Charnock who had started to get on top in the second half without making any real chances. The closest they

came to breaking the deadlock was five minutes after the interval when Andy Roberts found himself in space 10 yards out but watched in agony as his header cannoned off the woodwork.

Colls became the third Atherton team in the short history of the tournament to lift the trophy and will open their defence when the fifth event gets underway in July.