Post by Kev Panther on Sept 24, 2013 9:56:15 GMT
NINE MATCH UNBEATEN RUN COMES TO AN END
BUXTON 2 SKELMERSDALE UNITED 0
By Neil Leatherbarrow
A run always comes to an end and Skelmersdale United’s unbeaten nine match run came to an end due to a pair of goals that bridged the hour mark at Silverlands. Until that point Skelmersdale had matched the home team who are promotion contenders themselves on a grassy yet very bobbly surface.
Buxton had started the game well and in truth Skelmersdale had a bit of luck in the opening minute, when a loose ball allowed Jamie Green to set up Luke Dean with an opportunity that thumped the foot of the post.
After weathering some early pressure in which goalkeeper Zac Hibbert saved from Dean again from an Ash Palmer header Skelmersdale looked fairly settled and might have score themselves had experienced home goalkeeper Andy Warrington not saved from a Rob McIntosh header in the 19th minute.
Kevin Leadbetter went close with a shot on the half-hour and Joe Holt brought a full length save out of Warrington in the 34th minute.
Peter Wylie made a fine intervention to clear the Skelmersdale lines in the 50th minute, but a minute later Skelmersdale got unlucky hitting the post themselves via Leadbetter after a well worked move created the chance for the inform forward.
Buxton get their opener in the 57th minute. A ball swung into the Skelmersdale area from the left resulted in a game of what is best described as “head tennis” as the ball wouldn’t drop to anyone’s feet, eventually when it did it fell to Buxton’s Leon Osborne who blasted the ball home from 15 yards out.
Six minutes later Buxton got their second. The ball was fed in from the right and the hosts number eleven Craig King found space, which he took maximum advantage by slotting the ball past an advancing Hibbert.
The game was effectively over as a contest. Tommy Lawson made changes and they did have an effect, but by now Buxton were able to defend deeply when Skelmersdale attacked and hit them quickly on the breakaway, which they looked very practised in.
Buxton’s Derek Niven saw a shot saved by Hibbert in the 70th minute.
Skelmersdale did rally late-on and if Warrington had not made a great save with his feet as he left his line to block Adam Morning’s path to goal in the 86th minute, Skelmersdale might well have staged a grandstand finish. But it was not to be.
Compared to Chorley earlier in the week Buxton are probably not championship material, but they are a very well organised side who will be challenging at the top end of the division all season, they make it awkward for the opposition and see what they can gain from there, a trend that has been noticeable about teams in the Evo-Stik Premier this season. Losing the unbeaten record is not ideal, but another trend that is becoming clear in the division is that nobody is looking likely to break clear of the rest, so although now third in the table, Skelmersdale are in a very strong position indeed.
BUXTON: Warrington, Black, Green, Istead ©, Broadhead, Palmer, Thornhill (Stevens, 79), Niven, Osborne, Dean (Lugsden, 53), King Subs (not used) Johnson, Wilson, Stanway
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Hibbert, Wylie, Holden, Hardwick ©, McIntosh, Dunn, Hughes, Burton (Wright, 59), Rogan (Tuck, 60), Leadbetter, Holt (Morning, 63) Subs (not used) Short, Simpson
Referee: Akil Howson (Leicester)
Attendance: 318
BUXTON 2 SKELMERSDALE UNITED 0
By Neil Leatherbarrow
A run always comes to an end and Skelmersdale United’s unbeaten nine match run came to an end due to a pair of goals that bridged the hour mark at Silverlands. Until that point Skelmersdale had matched the home team who are promotion contenders themselves on a grassy yet very bobbly surface.
Buxton had started the game well and in truth Skelmersdale had a bit of luck in the opening minute, when a loose ball allowed Jamie Green to set up Luke Dean with an opportunity that thumped the foot of the post.
After weathering some early pressure in which goalkeeper Zac Hibbert saved from Dean again from an Ash Palmer header Skelmersdale looked fairly settled and might have score themselves had experienced home goalkeeper Andy Warrington not saved from a Rob McIntosh header in the 19th minute.
Kevin Leadbetter went close with a shot on the half-hour and Joe Holt brought a full length save out of Warrington in the 34th minute.
Peter Wylie made a fine intervention to clear the Skelmersdale lines in the 50th minute, but a minute later Skelmersdale got unlucky hitting the post themselves via Leadbetter after a well worked move created the chance for the inform forward.
Buxton get their opener in the 57th minute. A ball swung into the Skelmersdale area from the left resulted in a game of what is best described as “head tennis” as the ball wouldn’t drop to anyone’s feet, eventually when it did it fell to Buxton’s Leon Osborne who blasted the ball home from 15 yards out.
Six minutes later Buxton got their second. The ball was fed in from the right and the hosts number eleven Craig King found space, which he took maximum advantage by slotting the ball past an advancing Hibbert.
The game was effectively over as a contest. Tommy Lawson made changes and they did have an effect, but by now Buxton were able to defend deeply when Skelmersdale attacked and hit them quickly on the breakaway, which they looked very practised in.
Buxton’s Derek Niven saw a shot saved by Hibbert in the 70th minute.
Skelmersdale did rally late-on and if Warrington had not made a great save with his feet as he left his line to block Adam Morning’s path to goal in the 86th minute, Skelmersdale might well have staged a grandstand finish. But it was not to be.
Compared to Chorley earlier in the week Buxton are probably not championship material, but they are a very well organised side who will be challenging at the top end of the division all season, they make it awkward for the opposition and see what they can gain from there, a trend that has been noticeable about teams in the Evo-Stik Premier this season. Losing the unbeaten record is not ideal, but another trend that is becoming clear in the division is that nobody is looking likely to break clear of the rest, so although now third in the table, Skelmersdale are in a very strong position indeed.
BUXTON: Warrington, Black, Green, Istead ©, Broadhead, Palmer, Thornhill (Stevens, 79), Niven, Osborne, Dean (Lugsden, 53), King Subs (not used) Johnson, Wilson, Stanway
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Hibbert, Wylie, Holden, Hardwick ©, McIntosh, Dunn, Hughes, Burton (Wright, 59), Rogan (Tuck, 60), Leadbetter, Holt (Morning, 63) Subs (not used) Short, Simpson
Referee: Akil Howson (Leicester)
Attendance: 318