IN the end, they need not have worried.

Witton travelled to Atherton conscious they had not eliminated a North West Counties League side from the FA Cup in more than a decade.

Indeed, they had lost three ties since humbling Holker Old Boys in 2003.

After scoring three times inside the opening quarter of an hour on Saturday, Carl Macauley's in-form team could breathe easier.

Tolani Omotola, a teenage forward on loan from Tranmere Rovers, put them in front inside two minutes at Kensite Stadium.

The front man doubled the visitors' advantage shortly afterwards, then Prince Haywood punished a handling error by Colls' goalkeeper Brad Taberner to make it 3-0.

Brad Bauress' attempt struck an upright as Albion continued to dominate, although they survived a scare when the hosts had a goal disallowed for offside.

Brad Cooke's header was narrowly off-target too after half an hour.

The home team reduced their arrears two minutes into the second period when Jamie Forbes met a corner with a decisive header.

However their hopes of staging a comeback were hit when midfielder Josh Messer was sent off after being cautioned for a second time following a rash tackle on Witton substitute Tom Owens.

Omotola headed high as he sought a hat-trick, but Albion did not need further goals to set up a first qualifying round meeting with former league rivals Buxton next month.

Colls | Taberner (GK), Forbes (Kenny 71), Peet, Messer, Ayres, Lafferty, Hardcastle, Cooke (Grimshaw 73), Mark Battersby, Truffas (Pickering 63), Holt Subs not used Reid (GK), Cover, Coleman Goal Forbes 47 Sent off Messer

Witton | Roberts (GK), Gardner, Devine, Wilson, Brown, Williams (Noon 65), Haywood, Hickman (Owens 56), Hopley, Omotola, Bauress Subs not used Garner (GK), Adigun, Arnold Goals Omotola 2, 11 Haywood 16 Booked Hickman

Attendance 208