Post by Kev Panther on Apr 2, 2013 18:31:26 GMT
GOALDEN HINE FOR SKELMERSDALE
SKELMERSDALE UNITED 3 PRESCOT CABLES 1
By Neil Leatherbarrow
Just after the hour mark Skelmersdale United were making such hard work of defeating struggling Prescot, that manager Tommy Lawson made three substitutions, his team that had started the day with four changes from the one that had won at Salford, seemingly not looking likely to pull back a one goal deficit. In the 69th minute Dale Wright fired home a penalty to equalise, but even then it was only thanks to a pair of Josh Hine goals in 87 and 92 minutes that they finally secured a victory that puts them sixteen points clear in the Evo-Stik Division One North.
There was no real sign of what was to follow early on. In the twelfth minute Matty Hughes received the ball from a free-kick and released Mike Phenix into the penalty area, Prescot goalkeeper Adam Reid dived at his Phenix’s feet and the six foot four striker crashed to the ground, a penalty was given. Hughes himself stepped up to take the kick. However, Reid dived to his left and pulled off a terrific save.
There was no panic, Skelmersdale were having the vast majority of the possession and surely a goal would come soon. Hughes, lifted an opportunity wide, then Phenix headed wide, Dale Wright put one shot fizzing just over the crossbar before left-back Shaun Holden got forward and curled a shot just wide.
During the interval an expectant Skelmersdale crowd were not too bothered, Skelmersdale had been in this situation before this season and just upped their game and saw off the obstacle in front of them.
As the game progressed Prescot were getting more and more awkward, wasting time, breaking up play and doing everything in their powers to stunt any tempo Skelmersdale could build up and the referee was only exacerbating the position by not making any positive moves to make Prescot play.
Antony Hickey and Tony Evans went close for Skelmersdale, before the prediction of any fatalist came true, Prescot scored. David Dempsey curled a left wing corner to the far post Liam Hollett muscled his way in and headed home in the 56th minute.
Tommy Lawson had to act and to be fair to him he did. The Skelmersdale manager making three substitutions at once, bringing on Mark Jackson, Adam Morning and Josh Hine who had all been rested from the team that played at Salford.
The reaction was instantaneous, in the 69th minute Matty Hughes made a surging run down the left cutting into the 18 yard box, Hollett stuck out a leg and a second penalty was awarded. This time Wright lined up to take the spot-kick and this time Reid didn’t have a chance, the big midfielder producing a shot that was straight out of the top-drawer.
Still it was hard work for Skelmersdale and the word dogged wouldn’t even start to describe Prescot. Skelmersdale’s best player on the day Paul Woolcott exchanged passes with Morning but Reid saved, Hine brought a great save from Reid and Morning suffered the same fate.
Maybe the key move had been to introduce Jackson, because now the midfield were getting more involved for Skelmersdale and he started a move in the 87th minute that saw Hughes released down the right-wing, he crossed into the goalmouth, Jackson who had run on challenged Reid and the ball dropped, Hine ran in and forced the ball into the net. The sigh of relief from the Skelmersdale support was audible.
Two minutes into added time Skelmersdale even grabbed a third goal, Morning made a swashbuckling run down the left and delivered the ball into the goalmouth, Hine doing the rest to make his tally for the weekend four goals.
Skelmersdale hadn’t stopped chasing, working and trying to do the right thing all afternoon and it got very frustrating at times, but they stuck to the task and got their due reward, this Skelmersdale team just won’t accept being beaten. There are now only eight games to go and New Mills dropped two points. It certainly sets up a potential cracker at the West Lancashire College Stadium against play-off chasing Clitheroe on Saturday.
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Ashton, Field, Holden, Hardwick ©, McIntosh, Wright, Hickey (Morning, 61), Woolcott, Evans (Jackson, 61), Phenix (Hine, 61), Hughes Subs (not used) Strickland, Burnett
PRESCOT CABLES: Reid, Thomas, Dempsey, Murphy, Hollett ©, Benn, Myler, Bannister, Furlong, Bathurst (Roberts, 85), Odukomaya (Edwards, 65) Subs (not used) Bergquvist, McCarthy, Backhouse
Referee: Iain Siddall
Attendance: 245
SKELMERSDALE UNITED 3 PRESCOT CABLES 1
By Neil Leatherbarrow
Just after the hour mark Skelmersdale United were making such hard work of defeating struggling Prescot, that manager Tommy Lawson made three substitutions, his team that had started the day with four changes from the one that had won at Salford, seemingly not looking likely to pull back a one goal deficit. In the 69th minute Dale Wright fired home a penalty to equalise, but even then it was only thanks to a pair of Josh Hine goals in 87 and 92 minutes that they finally secured a victory that puts them sixteen points clear in the Evo-Stik Division One North.
There was no real sign of what was to follow early on. In the twelfth minute Matty Hughes received the ball from a free-kick and released Mike Phenix into the penalty area, Prescot goalkeeper Adam Reid dived at his Phenix’s feet and the six foot four striker crashed to the ground, a penalty was given. Hughes himself stepped up to take the kick. However, Reid dived to his left and pulled off a terrific save.
There was no panic, Skelmersdale were having the vast majority of the possession and surely a goal would come soon. Hughes, lifted an opportunity wide, then Phenix headed wide, Dale Wright put one shot fizzing just over the crossbar before left-back Shaun Holden got forward and curled a shot just wide.
During the interval an expectant Skelmersdale crowd were not too bothered, Skelmersdale had been in this situation before this season and just upped their game and saw off the obstacle in front of them.
As the game progressed Prescot were getting more and more awkward, wasting time, breaking up play and doing everything in their powers to stunt any tempo Skelmersdale could build up and the referee was only exacerbating the position by not making any positive moves to make Prescot play.
Antony Hickey and Tony Evans went close for Skelmersdale, before the prediction of any fatalist came true, Prescot scored. David Dempsey curled a left wing corner to the far post Liam Hollett muscled his way in and headed home in the 56th minute.
Tommy Lawson had to act and to be fair to him he did. The Skelmersdale manager making three substitutions at once, bringing on Mark Jackson, Adam Morning and Josh Hine who had all been rested from the team that played at Salford.
The reaction was instantaneous, in the 69th minute Matty Hughes made a surging run down the left cutting into the 18 yard box, Hollett stuck out a leg and a second penalty was awarded. This time Wright lined up to take the spot-kick and this time Reid didn’t have a chance, the big midfielder producing a shot that was straight out of the top-drawer.
Still it was hard work for Skelmersdale and the word dogged wouldn’t even start to describe Prescot. Skelmersdale’s best player on the day Paul Woolcott exchanged passes with Morning but Reid saved, Hine brought a great save from Reid and Morning suffered the same fate.
Maybe the key move had been to introduce Jackson, because now the midfield were getting more involved for Skelmersdale and he started a move in the 87th minute that saw Hughes released down the right-wing, he crossed into the goalmouth, Jackson who had run on challenged Reid and the ball dropped, Hine ran in and forced the ball into the net. The sigh of relief from the Skelmersdale support was audible.
Two minutes into added time Skelmersdale even grabbed a third goal, Morning made a swashbuckling run down the left and delivered the ball into the goalmouth, Hine doing the rest to make his tally for the weekend four goals.
Skelmersdale hadn’t stopped chasing, working and trying to do the right thing all afternoon and it got very frustrating at times, but they stuck to the task and got their due reward, this Skelmersdale team just won’t accept being beaten. There are now only eight games to go and New Mills dropped two points. It certainly sets up a potential cracker at the West Lancashire College Stadium against play-off chasing Clitheroe on Saturday.
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Ashton, Field, Holden, Hardwick ©, McIntosh, Wright, Hickey (Morning, 61), Woolcott, Evans (Jackson, 61), Phenix (Hine, 61), Hughes Subs (not used) Strickland, Burnett
PRESCOT CABLES: Reid, Thomas, Dempsey, Murphy, Hollett ©, Benn, Myler, Bannister, Furlong, Bathurst (Roberts, 85), Odukomaya (Edwards, 65) Subs (not used) Bergquvist, McCarthy, Backhouse
Referee: Iain Siddall
Attendance: 245