Post by Kev Panther on Oct 14, 2014 19:10:11 GMT
LAST GASP BODIE MAINTAINS SKELMERSDALE LEAD
SKELMERSDALE UNITED 3 FRICKLEY ATHLETIC 2
By Neil Leatherbarrow
In many ways justice was done at Stormy Corner when Rob Bodie crashed home an injury time winner for Skelmersdale; although the men from Yorkshire would disagree with that conclusion after showing real spirit to turnaround a two goal deficit, only to fail in the last seconds. Skelmersdale had had more of the possession, more of the chances and had always looked the more likely to score, before eventually scoring more of the goals.
Skelmersdale had taken the game to Frickley from the off and Frickley goalkeeper Ben Simpson saved from Tom Ince after just five minutes.
It was Ince that created the chance from which Connor McCarthy struck the Skelmersdale opener in the 16th minute. Receiving the ball in his own half from defence, Ince strode on, until around 35 yards from goals he flat footed the visitors defence with a slide-rule through ball to McCarthy, who gave goalkeeper Simpson no chance at all with a well hit finish from 15 yards.
Frickley showed they were not there to make up the numbers though in the 19th minute, Skelmersdale’s Martin Fearon making an excellent tip over his crossbar to foil a Bradley Riley pile driver from 25 yards.
From then until the interval Skelmersdale dominated. Ince was denied by a finely judged challenge from Luke Jeffs, then Michael Simpson almost netted after running down a clearance from his namesake in the Frickley goal.
The most controversial moment of the game arrived in the 25th minute. How referee Matthew Bristow didn’t give a penalty for a blatant trip by Ryan Williams on Ince only he will know, because it is doubtful whether anyone else does.
Before the break further efforts from McCarthy and Danny Wisdom went close, but the Skelmersdale support had every reason to be confident about the outcome of the second-half.
Josh Sumner brought a quality save out of Simpson, before Skem doubled their lead in spectacular fashion. Kenny Strickland’s corner was only partially cleared and this after it bounced around the Frickley penalty area like a bagatelle game, the ball dropping to around 20 yards out in a central area, Curtis Thompson read the situation well, timing his run to make maximum use of the pace of the ball he unleashed a volley that could have injured someone had they blocked it on its route to the net.
Frickley are a physical outfit, but they do endeavour to play football, instead of “big boot” and it was on one of these efforts that Fearon thwarted Luke Hinsley, the Skelmersdale custodian spending a long time recovering after the clash.
In the 63rd minute Frickley got back into the game, a free-kick was headed out to Riley, who although lacking the aplomb of Thompson’s effort, put a powerful return into the Skelmersdale net from 18 yards.
Ten minutes later Frickley levelled. Top scorer Gavin Allott mishit a shot well wide of the target and it ran to Hinsley, he hit a low skimming shot from an acute angle and the ball sneaked in at the far post.
Frickley had had three decent attacks and had scored two goals. Although from a fourth attack, Skelmersdale were later caught overcommitting players forward in an effort to get a winner and Allott fired wide from a good position.
The rest was one way traffic. Simpson made a great save from Strickland and repeated the act from Alan Burton, Sumner fired over the crossbar then Jacob Stannard miraculously rescued Frickley after Simpson completely missed a cross.
Frickley were rocking and desperately hanging on when in the 94th minute Skelmersdale were awarded a corner on the left, Strickland drove the kick into the six yard box, where Bodie met the ball with a crashing header to give Skelmersdale the three points they well deserved they had been on top for all but ten minutes of the game.
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Fearon, Strickland, Wisdom, McIntosh ©, Bodie, Kirkbride, Thompson (Byrne, 59), Simpson M. (Burton, 64), Sumner, McCarthy, Ince Subs (not used) Wylie, Fernandes, Mooney
FRICKLEY ATHLETIC: Simpson B., Stannard, Parkinson, Harrison, Cyrus, Jeffs, Riley, Young ©, Hinsley, Allott, Williams (Davies, 69) Subs (not used) Barnett, Lund, Rose, Hood
Referee: Matthew Bristow (Stockport) Attendance 281
SKELMERSDALE UNITED 3 FRICKLEY ATHLETIC 2
By Neil Leatherbarrow
In many ways justice was done at Stormy Corner when Rob Bodie crashed home an injury time winner for Skelmersdale; although the men from Yorkshire would disagree with that conclusion after showing real spirit to turnaround a two goal deficit, only to fail in the last seconds. Skelmersdale had had more of the possession, more of the chances and had always looked the more likely to score, before eventually scoring more of the goals.
Skelmersdale had taken the game to Frickley from the off and Frickley goalkeeper Ben Simpson saved from Tom Ince after just five minutes.
It was Ince that created the chance from which Connor McCarthy struck the Skelmersdale opener in the 16th minute. Receiving the ball in his own half from defence, Ince strode on, until around 35 yards from goals he flat footed the visitors defence with a slide-rule through ball to McCarthy, who gave goalkeeper Simpson no chance at all with a well hit finish from 15 yards.
Frickley showed they were not there to make up the numbers though in the 19th minute, Skelmersdale’s Martin Fearon making an excellent tip over his crossbar to foil a Bradley Riley pile driver from 25 yards.
From then until the interval Skelmersdale dominated. Ince was denied by a finely judged challenge from Luke Jeffs, then Michael Simpson almost netted after running down a clearance from his namesake in the Frickley goal.
The most controversial moment of the game arrived in the 25th minute. How referee Matthew Bristow didn’t give a penalty for a blatant trip by Ryan Williams on Ince only he will know, because it is doubtful whether anyone else does.
Before the break further efforts from McCarthy and Danny Wisdom went close, but the Skelmersdale support had every reason to be confident about the outcome of the second-half.
Josh Sumner brought a quality save out of Simpson, before Skem doubled their lead in spectacular fashion. Kenny Strickland’s corner was only partially cleared and this after it bounced around the Frickley penalty area like a bagatelle game, the ball dropping to around 20 yards out in a central area, Curtis Thompson read the situation well, timing his run to make maximum use of the pace of the ball he unleashed a volley that could have injured someone had they blocked it on its route to the net.
Frickley are a physical outfit, but they do endeavour to play football, instead of “big boot” and it was on one of these efforts that Fearon thwarted Luke Hinsley, the Skelmersdale custodian spending a long time recovering after the clash.
In the 63rd minute Frickley got back into the game, a free-kick was headed out to Riley, who although lacking the aplomb of Thompson’s effort, put a powerful return into the Skelmersdale net from 18 yards.
Ten minutes later Frickley levelled. Top scorer Gavin Allott mishit a shot well wide of the target and it ran to Hinsley, he hit a low skimming shot from an acute angle and the ball sneaked in at the far post.
Frickley had had three decent attacks and had scored two goals. Although from a fourth attack, Skelmersdale were later caught overcommitting players forward in an effort to get a winner and Allott fired wide from a good position.
The rest was one way traffic. Simpson made a great save from Strickland and repeated the act from Alan Burton, Sumner fired over the crossbar then Jacob Stannard miraculously rescued Frickley after Simpson completely missed a cross.
Frickley were rocking and desperately hanging on when in the 94th minute Skelmersdale were awarded a corner on the left, Strickland drove the kick into the six yard box, where Bodie met the ball with a crashing header to give Skelmersdale the three points they well deserved they had been on top for all but ten minutes of the game.
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Fearon, Strickland, Wisdom, McIntosh ©, Bodie, Kirkbride, Thompson (Byrne, 59), Simpson M. (Burton, 64), Sumner, McCarthy, Ince Subs (not used) Wylie, Fernandes, Mooney
FRICKLEY ATHLETIC: Simpson B., Stannard, Parkinson, Harrison, Cyrus, Jeffs, Riley, Young ©, Hinsley, Allott, Williams (Davies, 69) Subs (not used) Barnett, Lund, Rose, Hood
Referee: Matthew Bristow (Stockport) Attendance 281