Post by Kev Panther on Mar 25, 2014 19:03:53 GMT
LAWSON STILL BULLISH DESPITE WITTON REVERSE
SKELMERSDALE UNITED 1 WITTON ALBION 3
By Neil Leatherbarrow
Skelmersdale United manager Tommy Lawson sees Saturday’s big home game against FC United of Manchester as an opportunity for his side to bounce back and show their promotion credentials on a big stage. Commenting after the Witton performance that was certainly one of their weaker ones this season Tommy said; “Saturday is a big one, FC United will arrive here full of confidence and will bring a huge and loud support with them, but at the back of their minds they will know we have beaten them already this season and this will leave a little seed of doubt in their minds, from our angle we have everything to gain and we will be up for the game. . . It should be a real cracker of a game.”
Skelmersdale went behind inside two minutes to a quality goal that put Witton into an instantly strong position, one they determinedly built on as the game progressed and they looked like one of the best teams Skelmersdale have faced this season.
A throw-in on the right saw the ball chipped inside, as it was still bouncing Michael Powell stepped onto the ball and without breaking his stride he sent a shot from 25 yards roaring into the top corner.
It was just the start Skelmersdale didn’t need after Saturday’s trip to Blyth. Witton knew how to take advantage too and were giving Skelmersdale not an inch.
Tom Hardwick got forward and went close off a Neil Prince free-kick then Ashley Dunn had a shot saved by Witton goalkeeper Matt Cooper, but Witton counterattacked and struck again in the 35th minute. Josh Hancock playing a superbly weighted diagonal ball behind the left side of the Skelmersdale defence to Alex Titchiner who ran on and netted past an advancing Zac Hibbert.
Witton then did what you should do in that situation they upped their work rate and harassed any Skelmersdale player who got the ball, smothering any attempt to create a passing move.
This continued into the second-half. Skelmersdale were not allowed anywhere near the Witton goal.
Jonah O’Reilly had a shot saved by Cooper, but chances became a rare commodity at both ends of the pitch.
Witton built up a good move down the left in the 77th minute, finally the ball was sent to the far post, from where Scott Bakkor ended Skelmersdale’s hopes with a close range effort.
Skelmersdale did fight back. Witton had worked tremendously hard and remarkably sustained it until the last ten minutes. In the 81st minute O’Reilly got down the line and sent the ball into the goalmouth, Sean Miller getting in to supply the finishing touch, but it was only ever going to be a consolation.
The early goal was a major factor in the outcome of the game as it gave Witton confidence, they looked a team who will have a good last five weeks of the season and should secure themselves a mid-table position by the end. Maybe Skelmersdale had one eye on the FC United game, that we will never know, but one thing we do know is that Tommy Lawson’s team have a track record of bouncing back when they are stung, it all goes to make Saturday a very interesting mixture indeed. Get down there you could just see a real barnstormer of a game.
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Hibbert, Wylie, Ince (O’Reilly, 37), Hardwick ©, McIntosh, Dunn, Carden (Turner, 64), Burton, Astbury, McCarthy, Prince (Miller, 77) Subs (not used) Jackson Mark, Field
WITTON ALBION: Cooper, Gardner, Brown, Harrison, Bodie, Moyo, Hancock (Dawson, 45), Powell ©, Bakkor, Titchiner, Andrews Subs (not used) Breeze, Sheehan, Jackson Martyn, Plant
Referee: Joe Hull
Attendance: 201
SKELMERSDALE UNITED 1 WITTON ALBION 3
By Neil Leatherbarrow
Skelmersdale United manager Tommy Lawson sees Saturday’s big home game against FC United of Manchester as an opportunity for his side to bounce back and show their promotion credentials on a big stage. Commenting after the Witton performance that was certainly one of their weaker ones this season Tommy said; “Saturday is a big one, FC United will arrive here full of confidence and will bring a huge and loud support with them, but at the back of their minds they will know we have beaten them already this season and this will leave a little seed of doubt in their minds, from our angle we have everything to gain and we will be up for the game. . . It should be a real cracker of a game.”
Skelmersdale went behind inside two minutes to a quality goal that put Witton into an instantly strong position, one they determinedly built on as the game progressed and they looked like one of the best teams Skelmersdale have faced this season.
A throw-in on the right saw the ball chipped inside, as it was still bouncing Michael Powell stepped onto the ball and without breaking his stride he sent a shot from 25 yards roaring into the top corner.
It was just the start Skelmersdale didn’t need after Saturday’s trip to Blyth. Witton knew how to take advantage too and were giving Skelmersdale not an inch.
Tom Hardwick got forward and went close off a Neil Prince free-kick then Ashley Dunn had a shot saved by Witton goalkeeper Matt Cooper, but Witton counterattacked and struck again in the 35th minute. Josh Hancock playing a superbly weighted diagonal ball behind the left side of the Skelmersdale defence to Alex Titchiner who ran on and netted past an advancing Zac Hibbert.
Witton then did what you should do in that situation they upped their work rate and harassed any Skelmersdale player who got the ball, smothering any attempt to create a passing move.
This continued into the second-half. Skelmersdale were not allowed anywhere near the Witton goal.
Jonah O’Reilly had a shot saved by Cooper, but chances became a rare commodity at both ends of the pitch.
Witton built up a good move down the left in the 77th minute, finally the ball was sent to the far post, from where Scott Bakkor ended Skelmersdale’s hopes with a close range effort.
Skelmersdale did fight back. Witton had worked tremendously hard and remarkably sustained it until the last ten minutes. In the 81st minute O’Reilly got down the line and sent the ball into the goalmouth, Sean Miller getting in to supply the finishing touch, but it was only ever going to be a consolation.
The early goal was a major factor in the outcome of the game as it gave Witton confidence, they looked a team who will have a good last five weeks of the season and should secure themselves a mid-table position by the end. Maybe Skelmersdale had one eye on the FC United game, that we will never know, but one thing we do know is that Tommy Lawson’s team have a track record of bouncing back when they are stung, it all goes to make Saturday a very interesting mixture indeed. Get down there you could just see a real barnstormer of a game.
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Hibbert, Wylie, Ince (O’Reilly, 37), Hardwick ©, McIntosh, Dunn, Carden (Turner, 64), Burton, Astbury, McCarthy, Prince (Miller, 77) Subs (not used) Jackson Mark, Field
WITTON ALBION: Cooper, Gardner, Brown, Harrison, Bodie, Moyo, Hancock (Dawson, 45), Powell ©, Bakkor, Titchiner, Andrews Subs (not used) Breeze, Sheehan, Jackson Martyn, Plant
Referee: Joe Hull
Attendance: 201