A HAT-TRICK from Anthony Murt helped Colwyn Bay make it a very happy New Year with a 7-1 victory over over Warrington at Llanelian Road.
Yet there were fears that their holiday period give-away was going to continue after taking a 2-0 lead on the first half .
Warrington got one back just before half-time and were unlucky not to equalise two minutes into the second when Francis Smith's free kick hit the underside of the bar and was scrambled clear.
Seagulls manager Gary Finley said afterwards he felt that was the turning point .
"It that had gone in it could have been a different game, but the escape seemed to galvanise us and in the end we ran away with it."
Skipper James Olsen, who had an excellent, game, set up Bay's first goal after 36 minutes, crossing for Neil Black to head in at the far post after the keeper had beaten out Olsen's shot, and Murt scored with an acrobatic header from a Paul Williams cross in last minute of the first half.
Warrington got one back through Conner Taylor in added time before the interval and although Adam Wade curled the ball into the far corner of the net from the right edge of the penalty area to put Colwyn Bay 3-1 up on 58 minutes, the home side were under real pressure for a 15 minute spell in which Warrington forced five corners before Colwyn Bay broke quickly from the last of those corners for Murt to chest down Wade's cross-field pass to fire in his second on 73 minutes.
Chris Taylor powered in a header from a Martin Crowder free kick (78 minutes) and Murt completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot after Warrington keeper Danny Morton was red carded for bringing down Lewis Callaghan in a one-on-one.
Warrington substitute Lee Thompson took over in goal, but couldn't stop the penalty or Mark Quayle heading Colwyn Bay's seventh goal in the last minute after Murt and Wade had set up the chance.
Colwyn Bay: Speare, Wynn, Boardman, Callaghan (Roberts 85mins), Taylor, Wade, Williams, Olsen, Black (Quayle 80mins), Murt, Lawless (Crowder 40mins).

• Post to:
•  del.icio.us
•  Digg
•  Newsvine
•  Nowpublic
•  Reddit