Atherton Collieries were bitten by the injury bug as they lost 3-0 against Ilkeston Town on Saturday in their latest NPL Premier Division outing.

Second-half goals from Tom Cursons, Callum Minkley and Ben Hutchinson were enough for the hosts to secure all three points.

The first half was a chess battle between both sides, with Ethan Beckford’s early free-kick just not dipping underneath the hosts’ bar.

In a moment which encapsulated the afternoon, top goalscorer Enock Lusiama had to be substituted with only half an hour played after pulling up earlier in the half.

The second half started in a similar vein to the first as Ethan Beckford had a great chance to give Colls the lead, but was denied by a smart save from Matthew Yates in the Robins’ goal.

With 10 minutes played in the second half, Jaiden White broke down the right-hand side and played an incisive pass to Cursons who just managed to dink the ball over the on-rushing Tom Donaghy in the Colls goal to give the Robins the lead.

Colls boss David Chadwick was then forced into a second change as Beckford could not shake off an earlier injury and was replaced by youngster Kyle King.

Then, with 20 minutes left in the second half, Jamie Walker fired across a ball which found the feet of Minkley, who managed to force the ball home and double the Robins’ lead.

And with the final kick of the game, former Middlesbrough and Celtic man, Hutchinson, poked home a free-kick from the left-hand side of the Colls area to seal a convincing scoreline for the home side.

Colls return to the Skuna Stadium on Saturday when they host relegation rivals, Stafford Rangers, in the league (3pm).

Then, next Tuesday, high-flying Macclesfield are the visitors (7.45pm).