Post by Kev Panther on Sept 18, 2013 18:37:13 GMT
BURTON BLASTS SKELMERSDALE INTO TOP SPOT
SKELMERSDALE UNITED 1 CHORLEY 0
By Neil Leatherbarrow
Skelmersdale United supporters were a happy bunch after Chorley visited the West Lancashire College Stadium on Tuesday night. The 1-0 victory they achieved puts Tommy Lawson’s men top of the Evo-Stik Premier Division. After a close tight game with very chances, Alan Burton blasted home the Skelmersdale winner through a crowded penalty area with just two minutes left on the clock, giving Skem reward for a battling performance and a strong finish.
As expected in a game between the team starting out in third place in the table and the team starting out in top place, the game was close. Though both teams were pushing hard to get an opening goal, both had defences in top form and for the most part this neutralised the attacking intentions.
For Skelmersdale a neat move between Adam Morning and Kevin Leadbetter gave Nick Rogan a half chance at the near post that he couldn’t turn into the net on the quarter-hour.
In the 21st minute a surging run down the right by former Skelmersdale striker Josh Hine caused a scare and the ball ended up wide of the far post. Before a clever bit of skill by Rogan, which saw him beat 2 men was ended by a last ditch tackle just as he was about to pull the trigger.
Chorley had a spell midway through the half, but by the then the game had developed a long-ball style that was forced by two hardworking midfields. In one of the sharper moves, Leadbetter robbed a Chorley defender of the ball in the 45th minute and played it to Joe Holt, but his shot skimmed the top of the Chorley crossbar.
The second-half continued as one for the artisan rather than the artist. However, one comment that must be added to this is that by the final whistle, there had not been one booking in the whole game and not one malicious tackle from either team, despite the incessant rain.
After the interval, Chorley had more of the possession, but they weren’t creating that much. Kieran Walmsley got forward in the 54th minute, but fired over the Skelmersdale crossbar then he repeated the act eight minutes later with the same outcome.
Kiel O’Brien put a header wide of the Skelmersdale goal with perhaps Chorley’s best chance of the game in the 64th minute, but just to balance up the momentum, a great shot from Leadbetter sent Chorley’s former Skelmersdale keeper Sam Ashton, full length at the other end.
The game had been played with an amazing intensity and by the last ten minutes it looked like both teams were just about settling for an honourable draw.
In the 88th minute Leadbetter had a shot blocked by Andy Teague and the ball went for a corner on the left. The ball dropped in the goalmouth and there was an almighty scramble, the ball broke to around eight yards out, from where Burton thundered a shot at goal and Skelmersdale had won.
It could be concluded that neither team really deserved to lose, Skelmersdale could however point to the fact that they got more shots on target, Chorley could say they had slightly more of the possession, but they did lack finesse in attack and relied too much on the long ball for their big forward line. This was reflected in the Jacksons Motor Company Skelmersdale Man of the Match being defender Rob McIntosh, who is a big strong lad himself.
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Hibbert, Strickland (McIntosh, 22), Holden, Hardwick ©, Wylie, Dunn, Holt, Burton, Rogan (Tuck, 60), Leadbetter, Morning (Hughes, 60) Subs (not used) Wright, Short
CHORLEY: Ashton, Walmsley, Mather, Teague ©, O’Brien, Whitham, Hine (Wiles, 80), Baker, Dean, Stephenson, Cottrell Subs (not used) Jansen, Vermiglio, Meaney, Proctor
Referee: Richard Bartlett
Attendance: 397
SKELMERSDALE UNITED 1 CHORLEY 0
By Neil Leatherbarrow
Skelmersdale United supporters were a happy bunch after Chorley visited the West Lancashire College Stadium on Tuesday night. The 1-0 victory they achieved puts Tommy Lawson’s men top of the Evo-Stik Premier Division. After a close tight game with very chances, Alan Burton blasted home the Skelmersdale winner through a crowded penalty area with just two minutes left on the clock, giving Skem reward for a battling performance and a strong finish.
As expected in a game between the team starting out in third place in the table and the team starting out in top place, the game was close. Though both teams were pushing hard to get an opening goal, both had defences in top form and for the most part this neutralised the attacking intentions.
For Skelmersdale a neat move between Adam Morning and Kevin Leadbetter gave Nick Rogan a half chance at the near post that he couldn’t turn into the net on the quarter-hour.
In the 21st minute a surging run down the right by former Skelmersdale striker Josh Hine caused a scare and the ball ended up wide of the far post. Before a clever bit of skill by Rogan, which saw him beat 2 men was ended by a last ditch tackle just as he was about to pull the trigger.
Chorley had a spell midway through the half, but by the then the game had developed a long-ball style that was forced by two hardworking midfields. In one of the sharper moves, Leadbetter robbed a Chorley defender of the ball in the 45th minute and played it to Joe Holt, but his shot skimmed the top of the Chorley crossbar.
The second-half continued as one for the artisan rather than the artist. However, one comment that must be added to this is that by the final whistle, there had not been one booking in the whole game and not one malicious tackle from either team, despite the incessant rain.
After the interval, Chorley had more of the possession, but they weren’t creating that much. Kieran Walmsley got forward in the 54th minute, but fired over the Skelmersdale crossbar then he repeated the act eight minutes later with the same outcome.
Kiel O’Brien put a header wide of the Skelmersdale goal with perhaps Chorley’s best chance of the game in the 64th minute, but just to balance up the momentum, a great shot from Leadbetter sent Chorley’s former Skelmersdale keeper Sam Ashton, full length at the other end.
The game had been played with an amazing intensity and by the last ten minutes it looked like both teams were just about settling for an honourable draw.
In the 88th minute Leadbetter had a shot blocked by Andy Teague and the ball went for a corner on the left. The ball dropped in the goalmouth and there was an almighty scramble, the ball broke to around eight yards out, from where Burton thundered a shot at goal and Skelmersdale had won.
It could be concluded that neither team really deserved to lose, Skelmersdale could however point to the fact that they got more shots on target, Chorley could say they had slightly more of the possession, but they did lack finesse in attack and relied too much on the long ball for their big forward line. This was reflected in the Jacksons Motor Company Skelmersdale Man of the Match being defender Rob McIntosh, who is a big strong lad himself.
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Hibbert, Strickland (McIntosh, 22), Holden, Hardwick ©, Wylie, Dunn, Holt, Burton, Rogan (Tuck, 60), Leadbetter, Morning (Hughes, 60) Subs (not used) Wright, Short
CHORLEY: Ashton, Walmsley, Mather, Teague ©, O’Brien, Whitham, Hine (Wiles, 80), Baker, Dean, Stephenson, Cottrell Subs (not used) Jansen, Vermiglio, Meaney, Proctor
Referee: Richard Bartlett
Attendance: 397