Handshake between the two skippers (Image: David Featherstone)

If the well-known European fizzy lager drink had done cup draws, this was probably not the best one for Atherton Collieries Football Club.

After playing seven nerve-tingling matches over five rounds, the history-making Stripes were given a rather big mountain to climb in the shape of an away trip to National League title protagonists AFC Fylde.

This tricky passage to the first round proper of the Emirates FA Cup ultimately proved insurmountable.

Danny Lafferty and his boys had prepared thoroughly for the game, and kudos to the NPL and Kidsgrove Athletic, who had agreed to the postponement of last Tuesday night’s game to aid the cause.

Things went well for six minutes before the hosts showed their prowess.

Cedric Main applied the finishing touch to a goal created out of seemingly nowhere.

Colls weren’t deterred, and Liam Sheppard flashed one narrowly wide in front of the bumper away contingent, who really thought it was going in.

He then narrowly failed to connect with a teasing cross on the six-yard box, with the Coasters’ glovesman in no man’s land.

Colls continued to have a fair share of the possession, but the full-time hosts could always show another gear, and Main scored again in the 37th minute.

Luca Thomas made it 3-0 minutes later.

The Coasters were quickly out of the second-half traps and hit the woodwork.

Harvey Bardsley dealt excellently with the follow-up.

Leading scorer Kielen Adams never stopped probing, and his edge-of-the-box sortie flashed narrowly wide.

A moment later, Luke MacCauley punished Colls on the counter.

Cedric was shown to be the ‘Main’ man when he notched his hat-trick.

This match-ball winning effort did have an element of fortune about it, mind.

Essa Janneh’s clearance from yards out hit him plumb, and Bardsley was given no chance.

The goalkeeper tips it over the bar (Image: David Featherstone)

Colls never gave up, and Janneh’s header was tipped over before they thought the scorer had actually been troubled.

The Fylde stopper seemed to drop the ball, and Sheppard tapped in to vociferous away-end celebration.

The referee churlishly chalked it off to spare the keeper’s blushes.

Fylde were totally professional, and the gulf across the three levels of the pyramid was there for all to see.

Hopefully, they get the draw that they desire.

The supporters never stopped singing all afternoon in what was likely the biggest M46 mobilisation to the Fylde Coast since the demise of Wakes Week holidays.

You did yourselves and the club proud, as did the players and staff.

What an FA Cup run!

Memories made forever!

Next up is a Tuesday night trip to old rivals Ashton Athletic in the Lancashire Cup.