Post by Kev Panther on Aug 6, 2014 20:13:20 GMT
SKELMERSDALE TAKE DERBY HONOURS
SKELMERSDALE UNITED 2 BURSCOUGH 1
By Neil Leatherbarrow
Skelmersdale United won the bragging rights in the local derby at Stormy Corner, but in fairness it will not be a derby that will stand out in the annals of both clubs in years to come, Skelmersdale dominating the first-half, Burscough rallying after the interval, before the game petered out into a midfield struggle.
Skelmersdale took the lead after just five minutes. The ball was worked out of defence before Tom Ince lifted the ball toward Dean Astbury in a central position; the Skelmersdale striker lost his marker and while the ball was still bouncing lifted it, almost helping it on over advancing Burscough goalkeeper Tim Horn into the net.
Skelmersdale looked by far the most threatening in the opening 45 minutes.
In the 19th minute Horn made a pair of tremendous saves after Aiden Kirkbride had opened them up, but it was to no avail, Adam Sumner crossed from the right and Connor McCarthy smashed home the ball from around the penalty spot.
The crowd then sat back and expected the floodgates to open, the fact that they didn’t was in a large part down to Horn.
In the 22nd minute he made a great reaction save from a point blank header from McCarthy, before making a very sharp save at the foot of his left-hand post from Ince.
By the interval it could be said that Skelmersdale maybe should have been more than two goals up and goalkeeper Martin Fearon was the quietest man on the field. That was to change straight after the interval.
One must credit Burscough manager Derek Goulding because whatever he said at half-time had an effect. His team had looked down and out when they trudged off for the break.
It was like Burscough were a different team and it was no shock when they pulled a goal back inside five minutes, the pressure they applied to Skelmersdale forced an error and substitute Liam Caddick punished it, firing the ball low past Fearon from eight yards.
For around 15 minutes Burscough dominated and it was all credit to Tommy Lawson’s defence that Skelmersdale held out, the nearest to an equaliser came on the hour when Fearon made a fine pair of saves to deny Burscough, the second from Nick Ryan.
Skelmersdale restored their control and for a while looked the most likely to score again. However, by the end the game became a stalemate of sorts, Burscough still wanted to press forward, but were not getting much for their efforts against a solid Skelmersdale defence, while Skelmersdale looked to counterattack, but didn’t get forward quickly enough to produce anything decisive.
On the ninety minutes Skelmersdale had more possession and created more chances, so thus were the better side and deserved to win, but both managers for different reasons will have gone home a little frustrated by the end.
SKELMERSDALE UNITED (Squad) Fearon, Strickland, Holden, Wylie, Bodie, O’Reilly, McIntosh ©, Kirkbride, Sumner, Burton, Astbury, Griffiths, Simpson, McCarthy, Ince
BURSCOUGH (Squad) Horn, Norris, Quirk, Camozzi, Ryan, Williams P., Dunleavy, Turner E., Williams J., Beesley, Turner I., Pegler, Lantry, Smith, Caddick, Dykes, Martland, Coakley
SKELMERSDALE UNITED 2 BURSCOUGH 1
By Neil Leatherbarrow
Skelmersdale United won the bragging rights in the local derby at Stormy Corner, but in fairness it will not be a derby that will stand out in the annals of both clubs in years to come, Skelmersdale dominating the first-half, Burscough rallying after the interval, before the game petered out into a midfield struggle.
Skelmersdale took the lead after just five minutes. The ball was worked out of defence before Tom Ince lifted the ball toward Dean Astbury in a central position; the Skelmersdale striker lost his marker and while the ball was still bouncing lifted it, almost helping it on over advancing Burscough goalkeeper Tim Horn into the net.
Skelmersdale looked by far the most threatening in the opening 45 minutes.
In the 19th minute Horn made a pair of tremendous saves after Aiden Kirkbride had opened them up, but it was to no avail, Adam Sumner crossed from the right and Connor McCarthy smashed home the ball from around the penalty spot.
The crowd then sat back and expected the floodgates to open, the fact that they didn’t was in a large part down to Horn.
In the 22nd minute he made a great reaction save from a point blank header from McCarthy, before making a very sharp save at the foot of his left-hand post from Ince.
By the interval it could be said that Skelmersdale maybe should have been more than two goals up and goalkeeper Martin Fearon was the quietest man on the field. That was to change straight after the interval.
One must credit Burscough manager Derek Goulding because whatever he said at half-time had an effect. His team had looked down and out when they trudged off for the break.
It was like Burscough were a different team and it was no shock when they pulled a goal back inside five minutes, the pressure they applied to Skelmersdale forced an error and substitute Liam Caddick punished it, firing the ball low past Fearon from eight yards.
For around 15 minutes Burscough dominated and it was all credit to Tommy Lawson’s defence that Skelmersdale held out, the nearest to an equaliser came on the hour when Fearon made a fine pair of saves to deny Burscough, the second from Nick Ryan.
Skelmersdale restored their control and for a while looked the most likely to score again. However, by the end the game became a stalemate of sorts, Burscough still wanted to press forward, but were not getting much for their efforts against a solid Skelmersdale defence, while Skelmersdale looked to counterattack, but didn’t get forward quickly enough to produce anything decisive.
On the ninety minutes Skelmersdale had more possession and created more chances, so thus were the better side and deserved to win, but both managers for different reasons will have gone home a little frustrated by the end.
SKELMERSDALE UNITED (Squad) Fearon, Strickland, Holden, Wylie, Bodie, O’Reilly, McIntosh ©, Kirkbride, Sumner, Burton, Astbury, Griffiths, Simpson, McCarthy, Ince
BURSCOUGH (Squad) Horn, Norris, Quirk, Camozzi, Ryan, Williams P., Dunleavy, Turner E., Williams J., Beesley, Turner I., Pegler, Lantry, Smith, Caddick, Dykes, Martland, Coakley