Post by Kev Panther on Oct 24, 2014 12:45:30 GMT
CAPTAIN McINTOSH STEERS SKEM THROUGH THE STORM
BLYTH SPARTANS 1 SKELMERSDALE UNITED 1
By Neil Leatherbarrow
On a stormy day the last thing Skelmersdale United needed was a 370 mile round trip up to Blyth Spartans, a stormy place to go at the best of times, but United steer a course at the top of the Evo-Stik Premier Division thanks to a headed goal from captain Rob McIntosh in the 80th minute, that brought a valuable and bravely earned point back to Stormy Corner.
The “remnants” of Hurricane Gonzalo brought quite a gale blowing the length of Blyth’s Croft Park pitch, which was always going to make a difficult encounter the original game of two halves,
Playing into the wind Skelmersdale opened well and after three minutes Dan Mitchley had a shot saved at the near-post by home goalkeeper Peter Jeffries and it was a while before Blyth started to use it to their advantage.
Home midfielder had a shot blocked in the ninth minute with Blyth’s first viable attack, however, in the 19th minute Skelmersdale goalkeeper Martin Fearon pulled off his best save of the night from a Neil Hooks shot from 20 yards after the midfielder beat two men, Fearon palming the shot away as it headed for the top corner.
Aided by “Gonzalo” Blyth continued to press, but the Skelmersdale defence with McIntosh at its fulcrum again held firm and in the 29th minute Skem counterattacked and Mitchley saw a shot go just wide.
Although, Fearon saved from Jonathan Quinn on the half-hour, it came as something of a surprise when Blyth scored in the 34th minute, Quinn ran onto a finely weighted through ball and slotted the ball past an advancing Fearon.
It was the last real chance of the half and even though Blyth continued to press, Skelmersdale like a good boxer kept them at relative arms-length.
Initially after the interval matters levelled up in the possession stakes, Blyth looked less threatening but Skelmersdale were having trouble getting any rhythm together in attack.
The best Blyth could generate was shots from Quinn and Hooks that went wide of the target.
In the last twenty minutes the now familiar strong Skelmersdale finish started to build-up and after 73 minutes Mitchley headed over the crossbar off a Mark Byrne cross from the right.
But Blyth still had one more go and Fearon saved well from Jarrett Rivers on 75 minutes on the counterattack.
On 79 minutes a long ball from Fearon was helped on by Mitchley, Josh Sumner latched onto the ball and lashed a pile driver from just inside the penalty area, Jeffries pulled off a stunning reaction save to bend backwards and finger-tip the shot for a corner. The corner beat the near-post and timing his arrival to perfection McIntosh headed the ball into the net via a defender on the line from about four yards.
Blyth stepped up their attack and instantly brought on two substitutes, but to no avail, Skelmersdale were going nowhere and the equalising goal proved the last chance of the night.
It was an excellent point for Skelmersdale, Blyth is notorious as a difficult place to go and the crowd are something more than a bit vociferous. The result will boost Skelmersdale’s confidence as they embark on another difficult away trip on Saturday, a round trip of a mere 290 miles to Stamford Lincolnshire.
BLYTH SPARTANS: Jeffries, Nicholson, Watson J., Hutchinson, Buddle, Hooks, Rivers (Wearmouth, 81). Hawkins (Wade. 81), Quinn, Mullen, Dale © Subs (not used) Dixon, Cummings, Parker
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Fearon, Strickland (Byrne, 45), Wisdom, McIntosh ©, Bodie, Kirkbride, Thompson, Fernandes, Mitchley, McCarthy (Sumner, 60), Ince (Golding, 45) Subs (not used) Mooney, Simpson
Referee: Daniel Woodward (Durham) Attendance: 328
BLYTH SPARTANS 1 SKELMERSDALE UNITED 1
By Neil Leatherbarrow
On a stormy day the last thing Skelmersdale United needed was a 370 mile round trip up to Blyth Spartans, a stormy place to go at the best of times, but United steer a course at the top of the Evo-Stik Premier Division thanks to a headed goal from captain Rob McIntosh in the 80th minute, that brought a valuable and bravely earned point back to Stormy Corner.
The “remnants” of Hurricane Gonzalo brought quite a gale blowing the length of Blyth’s Croft Park pitch, which was always going to make a difficult encounter the original game of two halves,
Playing into the wind Skelmersdale opened well and after three minutes Dan Mitchley had a shot saved at the near-post by home goalkeeper Peter Jeffries and it was a while before Blyth started to use it to their advantage.
Home midfielder had a shot blocked in the ninth minute with Blyth’s first viable attack, however, in the 19th minute Skelmersdale goalkeeper Martin Fearon pulled off his best save of the night from a Neil Hooks shot from 20 yards after the midfielder beat two men, Fearon palming the shot away as it headed for the top corner.
Aided by “Gonzalo” Blyth continued to press, but the Skelmersdale defence with McIntosh at its fulcrum again held firm and in the 29th minute Skem counterattacked and Mitchley saw a shot go just wide.
Although, Fearon saved from Jonathan Quinn on the half-hour, it came as something of a surprise when Blyth scored in the 34th minute, Quinn ran onto a finely weighted through ball and slotted the ball past an advancing Fearon.
It was the last real chance of the half and even though Blyth continued to press, Skelmersdale like a good boxer kept them at relative arms-length.
Initially after the interval matters levelled up in the possession stakes, Blyth looked less threatening but Skelmersdale were having trouble getting any rhythm together in attack.
The best Blyth could generate was shots from Quinn and Hooks that went wide of the target.
In the last twenty minutes the now familiar strong Skelmersdale finish started to build-up and after 73 minutes Mitchley headed over the crossbar off a Mark Byrne cross from the right.
But Blyth still had one more go and Fearon saved well from Jarrett Rivers on 75 minutes on the counterattack.
On 79 minutes a long ball from Fearon was helped on by Mitchley, Josh Sumner latched onto the ball and lashed a pile driver from just inside the penalty area, Jeffries pulled off a stunning reaction save to bend backwards and finger-tip the shot for a corner. The corner beat the near-post and timing his arrival to perfection McIntosh headed the ball into the net via a defender on the line from about four yards.
Blyth stepped up their attack and instantly brought on two substitutes, but to no avail, Skelmersdale were going nowhere and the equalising goal proved the last chance of the night.
It was an excellent point for Skelmersdale, Blyth is notorious as a difficult place to go and the crowd are something more than a bit vociferous. The result will boost Skelmersdale’s confidence as they embark on another difficult away trip on Saturday, a round trip of a mere 290 miles to Stamford Lincolnshire.
BLYTH SPARTANS: Jeffries, Nicholson, Watson J., Hutchinson, Buddle, Hooks, Rivers (Wearmouth, 81). Hawkins (Wade. 81), Quinn, Mullen, Dale © Subs (not used) Dixon, Cummings, Parker
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Fearon, Strickland (Byrne, 45), Wisdom, McIntosh ©, Bodie, Kirkbride, Thompson, Fernandes, Mitchley, McCarthy (Sumner, 60), Ince (Golding, 45) Subs (not used) Mooney, Simpson
Referee: Daniel Woodward (Durham) Attendance: 328