IAN Street’s belief his side is ready to be promoted will feel less assured after losing to a direct rival.

While the result will rankle – Atherton Collieries scored the game’s only goal from a quickly-taken corner when the visitors briefly lost concentration – the manner of it was arguably more revealing.

The hosts, who have shut out the two teams closest to them in the table in successive matches this week, were comfortable protecting their advantage.

Street used every weapon in his attacking artillery, sending on Joe Woolley and Scott McGowan as substitutes in the second-half, but Colls’ goalkeeper Adam Reid barely dirtied his gloves.

His most significant intervention was to block instinctively when Mark Jones diverted Tyler Edwards’ driven free kick straight at him early in the second half.

He was not needed again until four minutes from time, but Ryan Mitchell’s header was again directed into his waiting hands.

After winning nine of their previous 11 matches in the North West Counties League’s top-flight, and on their two previous visits to Alder Street, 1874 had reason to feel optimistic.

Nor had they lost this term to any of the other four contenders for the Premier Division title.

Colls were sluggish too in the opening 20 minutes, and second to most loose balls, yet they were ruthless after creating a first chance.

Mark Truffas, after skipper Gareth Peet had cut inside from the left touchline, sent a skidding attempt across goal that prompted Northwich custodian Greg Hall to nudge it around an upright.

While the visitors organised themselves, Colls restarted play swifly from the resulting corner.

1874 full-back Matty Russell slipped attempting to react, allowing Vinny Bailey to dance around him.

The midfielder’s cut-back was then drilled low through a crowd of players by Ben Hardcastle.

That lapse – or moment of quick-thinking from Colls' point of view – settled the outcome.

Former 1874 man Neil Chappell fired high before the break, while Jason Carey’s shot on the turn sent Reid scrambling to his left to save.

He jabbed a boot in the path of Jones’ flick after the interval, but the visitors toiled to apply pressure.

Instead their opponents saw greater glimpses of goal.

Bailey’s slalom and pass deserved better than for Jordan Cover to slice off-target, then the latter's assist was deflected high by a defender as Chappell attempted to apply a finishing touch.

Paul Connor timed perfectly an intervention to stop Truffas from shooting the end of a swift Colls counter-attack, and Jamie Forbes ought to have hit the target with a free header from the corner that followed.

Substitute Sam Hare, sent on for an injured Sam Hind, improved 1874’s threat from set-pieces.

It was from his delivery that Mitchell headed straight at Reid, while a cleaner contact from McGowan may have yielded an equaliser from another free kick.

Instead 1874 were grateful to Hall for keeping their hopes alive when he tipped over Hardcastle’s effort with time running out.

“We simply didn’t do enough to win,” rued Street afterwards.

Colls | 4-3-3 | Reid (GK), Kenny, Forbes, Lafferty, Peet, Messer, Vinny Bailey (Mukendi 86), Chappell, Hardcastle, Cover (Battersby 90), Truffas (Sherlock 79) Subs not used Cooke, Brookes Goal Hardcastle 26 Booked Sherlock (foul)

1874 | 4-4-2 | Hall (GK), Connor, Mitchell, Farnworth, Russell, Edwards (Joe Woolley 57), Lee Jones, Mark Jones, Hind (Hare 76), Carey (McGowan 68), Tom Bailey Subs not used Matthew Woolley, Douglas Booked Carey (foul)

Attendance 408