Post by Kev Panther on Feb 27, 2014 20:03:40 GMT
INCE INSPIRES DRAMATIC SKEM COMEBACK
SKELMERSDALE UNITED 4 WHITBY TOWN 2
By Neil Leatherbarrow
With four minutes to go at the West Lancashire College Stadium on Saturday Skelmersdale United looked down and out, 2-1 down, their unbeaten home record in tatters with the North Yorkshire fighting resolutely to hang on to the points. Enter Tom Ince, the catalyst of Skelmersdale’s victory, he not only equalised with a spectacular free-kick in the 86th minute, two minutes later his shot against the crossbar gave Dean Astbury the chance to give Skelmersdale the lead.
When the two sides met in January they produced an epic encounter, this trumped it by some.
The first quarter-hour were nothing special as the two teams weighed each other up, but one fine move by Astbury brought a magnificent save out of Whitby’s Shane Bland, the first of many the goalkeeper was to make during the afternoon.
Whitby put a bit of pressure on around the 18th minute and Kenny Strickland knocked one effort off the Skelmersdale line and it went for a corner on the right. The ball was swung into the heart of the home goalmouth, experienced Whitby striker Graeme Armstrong got above everyone and headed the ball into the Skelmersdale net.
The goal seemed to lift Skelmersdale and it took them only three minutes to level things up. Chris Simm went into the area via the inside-right channel before sending the ball low across the box to Adam Morning, who despatched a skimming left-foot shot into the net.
Before the end of the half Bland, tipped a goalbound Neil Prince shot over the bar, before superbly diving low to his right to palm away a Morning shot that looked destined for the bottom corner.
The second-half saw matters tighten up a bit after the open first period.
For Skelmersdale Morning shot over the bar and Bland made a pair saves from Strickland free-kicks. Before Whitby broke and made it 2-1 in the 61st minute. Armstrong released Nathan Mulligan behind the Skelmersdale defence with a slight suspicion of offside and although his attempt was saved by Zac Hibbert, the rebound was netted by Craig Farrell.
Whitby then showed that they know exactly how to hang onto a game, but perhaps fatally they fell deeper and deeper onto the defensive as full-time beckoned, conceding a number of free-kicks as they tired, they were not allowing Skelmersdale anything from open play, but the free-kicks proved their downfall.
In the 86th minute David McTiernan fouled Ashley Dunn and the left-footed Ince lined up to take the free-kick alongside the right-footed Peter Wylie, Ince curling the ball around the Whitby defensive wall into the top corner.
Two minutes later, the ball was switched across the pitch to Ince on the left, he ran at goal and shot, the ball hit the crossbar, Astbury reacted quickest and fired the ball into the net from around four yards.
A tired Whitby team then had to attack and inevitably they left gaps, Simm controlled a clearance with his chest and released Astbury on the run, he rounded Bland and from an angle slotted the ball into the net for the winner.
Three goals in four minutes makes for drama in any game, but it was a valuable three points, Whitby are well capable of making the play-offs themselves, so it could prove an important turnaround come the end of April.
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Hibbert, Strickland (Field, 74), Holden, Hardwick ©, Wylie, Dunn, Morning (Miller, 68), Burton, Astbury, Simm, Prince (Ince, 64) Subs (not used) McIntosh, Greene
WHITBY TOWN: Bland, Hassan, Robinson ©, Bullock, Pell, McTiernan, Portas, Mulligan (Mason, 66), Armstrong, Farrell (Snaith, 74), Rundle (Henry, 61) Subs (not used) Williams, Campbell
Referee: Dave Underwood
Attendance: 220
SKELMERSDALE UNITED 4 WHITBY TOWN 2
By Neil Leatherbarrow
With four minutes to go at the West Lancashire College Stadium on Saturday Skelmersdale United looked down and out, 2-1 down, their unbeaten home record in tatters with the North Yorkshire fighting resolutely to hang on to the points. Enter Tom Ince, the catalyst of Skelmersdale’s victory, he not only equalised with a spectacular free-kick in the 86th minute, two minutes later his shot against the crossbar gave Dean Astbury the chance to give Skelmersdale the lead.
When the two sides met in January they produced an epic encounter, this trumped it by some.
The first quarter-hour were nothing special as the two teams weighed each other up, but one fine move by Astbury brought a magnificent save out of Whitby’s Shane Bland, the first of many the goalkeeper was to make during the afternoon.
Whitby put a bit of pressure on around the 18th minute and Kenny Strickland knocked one effort off the Skelmersdale line and it went for a corner on the right. The ball was swung into the heart of the home goalmouth, experienced Whitby striker Graeme Armstrong got above everyone and headed the ball into the Skelmersdale net.
The goal seemed to lift Skelmersdale and it took them only three minutes to level things up. Chris Simm went into the area via the inside-right channel before sending the ball low across the box to Adam Morning, who despatched a skimming left-foot shot into the net.
Before the end of the half Bland, tipped a goalbound Neil Prince shot over the bar, before superbly diving low to his right to palm away a Morning shot that looked destined for the bottom corner.
The second-half saw matters tighten up a bit after the open first period.
For Skelmersdale Morning shot over the bar and Bland made a pair saves from Strickland free-kicks. Before Whitby broke and made it 2-1 in the 61st minute. Armstrong released Nathan Mulligan behind the Skelmersdale defence with a slight suspicion of offside and although his attempt was saved by Zac Hibbert, the rebound was netted by Craig Farrell.
Whitby then showed that they know exactly how to hang onto a game, but perhaps fatally they fell deeper and deeper onto the defensive as full-time beckoned, conceding a number of free-kicks as they tired, they were not allowing Skelmersdale anything from open play, but the free-kicks proved their downfall.
In the 86th minute David McTiernan fouled Ashley Dunn and the left-footed Ince lined up to take the free-kick alongside the right-footed Peter Wylie, Ince curling the ball around the Whitby defensive wall into the top corner.
Two minutes later, the ball was switched across the pitch to Ince on the left, he ran at goal and shot, the ball hit the crossbar, Astbury reacted quickest and fired the ball into the net from around four yards.
A tired Whitby team then had to attack and inevitably they left gaps, Simm controlled a clearance with his chest and released Astbury on the run, he rounded Bland and from an angle slotted the ball into the net for the winner.
Three goals in four minutes makes for drama in any game, but it was a valuable three points, Whitby are well capable of making the play-offs themselves, so it could prove an important turnaround come the end of April.
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Hibbert, Strickland (Field, 74), Holden, Hardwick ©, Wylie, Dunn, Morning (Miller, 68), Burton, Astbury, Simm, Prince (Ince, 64) Subs (not used) McIntosh, Greene
WHITBY TOWN: Bland, Hassan, Robinson ©, Bullock, Pell, McTiernan, Portas, Mulligan (Mason, 66), Armstrong, Farrell (Snaith, 74), Rundle (Henry, 61) Subs (not used) Williams, Campbell
Referee: Dave Underwood
Attendance: 220