NEIL BLACK netted his third hat-trick of the season to give Colwyn Bay a hugely important 3-1 victory over second-placed Cammell Laird on Friday.
And manager Gary Finley praised his side's battling performance after the midweek setback against Stocksbridge.
"I thought we showed a lot of character. It would have been easy to make excuses after the Tuesday defeat that the ref was against us and just gone through the motions today, but the lads have bounced back and shown a really great attitude.
"We've had five wins and just one defeat in our last seven games and if we are still in the mix for the play-offs in the final week of the season I'll be happy."
Colwyn Bay, despite being without John Lawless after his pregnant wife was rushed into hospital, got the boost of an early goal when Black seized on a slip by Cammell Laird defender Anthony Sheenhen to chip keeper Paul Whitfield for an opportunist goal.
The Seagulls then battled superbly against the strong wind to hold that lead to half-time.
Jamie Speare, who had a fine game in the Colwyn Bay goal, made a great save to tip a John Collins header over the bar before a long ball from the back caught out the Cammell Laird defence and Black won a race for the ball with the keeper to nick it past him and sidefoot into an unguarded net on 55 minutes.
Cammell Laird were given a lifeline on 59 minutes when a driven shot unluckily struck Lewis Callaghan's arm as he dived in to block it and Alex Hay scored from the resulting penalty.
The introduction of Wayne Rooney's brother, Graham, increased Cammell Laird's attacking momentum, but Colwyn Bay secured the points with Black's third goal on 87 minutes.
Cammell Laird cleared a free kick, but Callaghan played the ball back in and as Laird's defenders pushed out, Black timed his run perfectly to beat the offside trap and slip the ball past the stranded Whitfield for his 28th goal of the season.
Chris Taylor and Steve Rowland were outstanding at the back for Colwyn Bay and Robbie Williams worked tirelessly in midfield.
Colwyn Bay: Speare, Callaghan, P Williams, Rowland, Taylor, R Williams, Spike, Olsen, Black, Wright (Wade) 83mins, Fowler. Subs not used: Quayle and Finley.
Cammell Laird: Whitfield, Sheenhen, Lynch, Bigland (Rendell 52), Atherton (Melia 69), Collins, Jebb (G Rooney 77), Reed, T Rooney, Hay, Adamson.

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