FC UNITED manager Karl Marginson saluted his red-hot Rebels after they'd dug deep to return to the top of the NWCL first division with a 3-0 revenge win over Atherton Collieries.
Two long-range strikes by Dave Swarbrick followed by Stuart Rudd's 31st goal of the season saw FC avenge their only home league defeat of the season in resounding fashion.
Swarbrick opened the scoring with a 25-yard drive just after the half-hour mark and then promptly repeated the feat with an even more sweetly-struck effort to give Marginson's men a 2-0 interval lead.
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Rudd then reacted instinctively to round off a win which takes FC back to the top on goal difference ahead of Salford City.
Said Marginson: " All credit to the boys for how they've responded to our recent hiccup with three successive victories."