Hardly Athletic produced a promising and encouraging display but fell short against an inform Costa Del Stoke.
Del Stoke beat Hardly 5-3 on the opening day of the season and have since won games by scores of 9-0, 10-1, 11-2 and 12-2 but Hardly were able to give them a tight competitive game but Costa still came out winners by four goals to two.
Hardly started slackly and went behind almost straight from the kick off as a shot from the left flew past Dale and into the net.
The game then settled down and Hardly played some neat football, forcing the opposition keeper into some smart saves to keep Athletic at bay, whilst Dale did likewise at the other end.
The lead was doubled when a slack pass from Buxtion across the penalty box was intercepted in front of goal and hammered into the net to leave the defender with his head oin his hands.
Cope the pulled one back before half time when Hardly finally managed to get past the Costa stopper.
The fourth goal arrived just midway through the second period but this just spurred Hardly on and Cope netted his second, from a free kick, before late pressure was added but the final touches couldn't be added to numerous moves.