Post by Kev Panther on Oct 2, 2013 19:30:43 GMT
JUST A VERY BAD DAY AT THE OFFICE
WEST AUCKLAND TOWN 5 SKELMERSDALE UNITED 0
By Neil Leatherbarrow
Skelmersdale United exited the FA Cup in County Durham with arguably their most disappointing performance in a long while. It would have been a surprise to go out of the FA Cup to their Northern League opposition, but to go out by five goals is something of a shock, especially as Skelmersdale have played so well this season and they went into the game occupying third position in the Evo-Stik Premier Division.
West took the lead after just 70 seconds. Playing between the forwards and midfield home number eleven Luke Carr was quite possibly the best player on the pitch all afternoon and he announced his arrival in the game by controlling the ball in the middle of the pitch stepping forward and firing a low shot into the bottom corner from 25 yards that United goalkeeper Zac Hibbert couldn’t reach despite diving low to his left.
Skelmersdale initially reacted well and but for a cynical block by Lewis Galpin on Matty Hughes in the 5th minute they might have grabbed a confidence giving instant equaliser.
In the 6th minute only a magnificent finger-tip save from Hibbert kept out John Campbell. Then Skelmersdale countered and after holding the ball up Kevin Leadbetter had a shot deflected for a corner.
The really crucial goal was the second in the 18th minute. A bouncing ball was not dealt with properly and was allowed to sit up perfectly for Campbell, who lifted the ball over Hibbert from 20 yards to make it 2-0.
Whether it was because of the inconsistent bounce of the pitch or the pressure West were putting on, but Skelmersdale started to look hesitant and the style of their play suffered. The rest of the half saw a hardworking Skelmersdale struggle to make any headway at all, while every time West put a long ball into the Skelmersdale box there was near panic.
In the 41st minute West had a goal disallowed, allegedly home striker Matt Moffit pushing a defender before heading home.
Skelmersdale rallied after the interval and Rob McIntosh soon had the ball in the West Auckland net with a header, but rather surprisingly the goal was disallowed.
If Skelmersdale had got an early second-half goal it could have been completely different, but as it was West Auckland that got the goal themselves in the 51st minute. Another long clearance bounced high, Shaun Holden went for it with his head and Campbell with his foot, the latter winning the challenge, no foul was given for a dangerous challenge and Campbell ran on and scored.
Around the hour mark Skelmersdale started to make progress. Leadbetter was felled by a clumsy challenge, then Hughes was thwarted twice, the first by a great last ditch tackle from Brian Close, then a superb save by home goalkeeper Jordan Nixon.
Gradually it became clear that Skelmersdale were not going to rescue the game and in the latter stages West stuck the knife in. Carr hit the post, and then from a corner Moffit fired home, before in the 89th minute substitute home substitute Jon Wright sneaked a free-kick inside the Skelmersdale post to make it five.
After the game Skelmersdale United manager Tommy Lawson said; “It was one of the most disappointing performances since I became manager, collectively you trust the players to get it right, but as a group they didn’t. The FA Cup is gone for this season, so the important thing now is to bounce back”. It isn’t the first time this has happened as Tommy Lawson said; when it has happened in the past Skelmersdale have a track record under Tommy of bouncing back quickly, so there is not too much to worry about at this stage. It was a bad day at the office for Skelmersdale and now they need to show they are strong enough to get over it.
WEST AUCKLAND TOWN: Nixon, Pattinson, Gibson, Hall (Wilkinson, 69), Galpin, Close, Vipond, Briggs, Moffat (Wright J., 85), Campbell (Richardson. 68), Carr Subs (not used) Patton, Garthwaite, Fairley, Banks
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Hibbert, Strickland, Holden, Hardwick ©, McIntosh, Wright D., Holt (Rogan, 73), Burton, Hughes, Leadbetter, Morning (Dunn, 42) Subs (not used) Wylie, Simpson, Short, Tuck, Paxton
Referee: Paul Stalker (Middlesbrough)
Attendance: 362
WEST AUCKLAND TOWN 5 SKELMERSDALE UNITED 0
By Neil Leatherbarrow
Skelmersdale United exited the FA Cup in County Durham with arguably their most disappointing performance in a long while. It would have been a surprise to go out of the FA Cup to their Northern League opposition, but to go out by five goals is something of a shock, especially as Skelmersdale have played so well this season and they went into the game occupying third position in the Evo-Stik Premier Division.
West took the lead after just 70 seconds. Playing between the forwards and midfield home number eleven Luke Carr was quite possibly the best player on the pitch all afternoon and he announced his arrival in the game by controlling the ball in the middle of the pitch stepping forward and firing a low shot into the bottom corner from 25 yards that United goalkeeper Zac Hibbert couldn’t reach despite diving low to his left.
Skelmersdale initially reacted well and but for a cynical block by Lewis Galpin on Matty Hughes in the 5th minute they might have grabbed a confidence giving instant equaliser.
In the 6th minute only a magnificent finger-tip save from Hibbert kept out John Campbell. Then Skelmersdale countered and after holding the ball up Kevin Leadbetter had a shot deflected for a corner.
The really crucial goal was the second in the 18th minute. A bouncing ball was not dealt with properly and was allowed to sit up perfectly for Campbell, who lifted the ball over Hibbert from 20 yards to make it 2-0.
Whether it was because of the inconsistent bounce of the pitch or the pressure West were putting on, but Skelmersdale started to look hesitant and the style of their play suffered. The rest of the half saw a hardworking Skelmersdale struggle to make any headway at all, while every time West put a long ball into the Skelmersdale box there was near panic.
In the 41st minute West had a goal disallowed, allegedly home striker Matt Moffit pushing a defender before heading home.
Skelmersdale rallied after the interval and Rob McIntosh soon had the ball in the West Auckland net with a header, but rather surprisingly the goal was disallowed.
If Skelmersdale had got an early second-half goal it could have been completely different, but as it was West Auckland that got the goal themselves in the 51st minute. Another long clearance bounced high, Shaun Holden went for it with his head and Campbell with his foot, the latter winning the challenge, no foul was given for a dangerous challenge and Campbell ran on and scored.
Around the hour mark Skelmersdale started to make progress. Leadbetter was felled by a clumsy challenge, then Hughes was thwarted twice, the first by a great last ditch tackle from Brian Close, then a superb save by home goalkeeper Jordan Nixon.
Gradually it became clear that Skelmersdale were not going to rescue the game and in the latter stages West stuck the knife in. Carr hit the post, and then from a corner Moffit fired home, before in the 89th minute substitute home substitute Jon Wright sneaked a free-kick inside the Skelmersdale post to make it five.
After the game Skelmersdale United manager Tommy Lawson said; “It was one of the most disappointing performances since I became manager, collectively you trust the players to get it right, but as a group they didn’t. The FA Cup is gone for this season, so the important thing now is to bounce back”. It isn’t the first time this has happened as Tommy Lawson said; when it has happened in the past Skelmersdale have a track record under Tommy of bouncing back quickly, so there is not too much to worry about at this stage. It was a bad day at the office for Skelmersdale and now they need to show they are strong enough to get over it.
WEST AUCKLAND TOWN: Nixon, Pattinson, Gibson, Hall (Wilkinson, 69), Galpin, Close, Vipond, Briggs, Moffat (Wright J., 85), Campbell (Richardson. 68), Carr Subs (not used) Patton, Garthwaite, Fairley, Banks
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Hibbert, Strickland, Holden, Hardwick ©, McIntosh, Wright D., Holt (Rogan, 73), Burton, Hughes, Leadbetter, Morning (Dunn, 42) Subs (not used) Wylie, Simpson, Short, Tuck, Paxton
Referee: Paul Stalker (Middlesbrough)
Attendance: 362