"IT'S a tie we can win," said Radcliffe Boro manager Kevin Glendon going into the FA Cup third qualifying round trip to Unibond Premier Division Marine and how right he was.

Boro totally outplayed their higher division opponents on their own turf for a 2-0 win which was undoubtedly the pick of the round.

"The lads were absolutely brilliant all the way through the team," enthused club press man Ian Hannay. "What a fantastic win and the way it was achieved was just tremendous. We played better football than Marine all the way through the game and the result was never in doubt."

A single goal always looked as though it may be decisive. Although denied the majority of possession Marine did have the first opportunities of the game but found Boro keeper Danny Hurst keen to show why he is rated such a top prospect.

That vital first goal came Boro's way on the half hour mark when midfielder Mark Dempsey timed his run through the middle to perfection, picked up Simon Carden's pass and rounded the keeper to tap home. Radcliffe never looked back with David Bean commanding at the back, Dempsey covering every blade of the grass in the middle and keeper Hurst looking unbeatable.

The second half saw Marine fired up to take the game to Boro more but Glendon's side always had the upper edge. Hurst was delighting in the encounter gathering crosses and blocking anything that came his way as time and again at the other end Boro carved open the home defence.

The second goal came on the 70 minute mark Rick Battersby and Carden combined to set up Neil Hardy for a close range finish. Such was the power of the Radcliffe performance the winning margin could have been even greater. The man of the match was keeper Hurst.

"Being paired up with a top side would be great," said Glendon. "Young Danny Hurst has been a fantastic find for us. He's only 19 and he's going to go a long, long way."

Atherton Colls crashed to a 3-0 home NWCL Division One defeat to Rossendale United. Alan Lord's side just about shaded the first half but went behind in the 44th minute. The second half was always an uphill struggle and Rossendale scored twice more in the last quarter of an hour. Man of the match was midfielder Paul Griffin who played most of the game with a broken nose after a first half collision. Tomorrow night Colls entertain Skelmersdale United in the Floodlit Trophy Round One whilst Atherton LR travel to Clitheroe and Ramsbottom United to Prescot Cables.