Post by Kev Panther on Nov 10, 2014 19:36:15 GMT
SKELMERSDALE BATTLE BACK IN THE MATLOCK MUD
MATLOCK TOWN 1 SKELMERSDALE UNITED 1
By Neil Leatherbarrow
Skelmersdale United faced a tough task in the Causeway Lane mud on Saturday and showed that they have the spirit to sustain their challenge at the top of the Evo-Stik Premier Division. Matlock is always a difficult place to go and in the corresponding fixture last season United lost 2-0, the home support is extremely vociferous and when Tommy Lawson’s team got off the coach in heavy rain and had to face a pitch inspection it was clear it wouldn’t be a day for silken football. A situation that was only exacerbated by an error in the 8th minute that gave Matlock the lead, but they rolled up their sleeves and the draw they achieved is one of the better results they have had all season.
It was quite a rude awakening for Skelmersdale when after an even opening period Matlock took a shock lead. The most reliable player in the whole Skelmersdale team this season Martin Fearon left his area to kick the ball down the pitch, but due to the muddy surface he sliced the ball to Matlock's Niall McManus who from some 40 yards accurately lifted the ball toward the Skelmersdale goal and after one bounce it entered an empty net. The way the chance came about had more than a bit of luck about it for the hosts, but the execution of the strike deserved real credit.
Skelmersdale now knew they had a battle on their hands and the remaining thirty seven minutes until half-time was precisely that and neither team managed to generate much in the way of clear-cut chances. Matlock put in a couple of efforts from tight angles or from outside the penalty area and in fairness Skelmersdale did much the same, Scott Bakkor making two half-chance efforts, while Danny Wisdom put one over the crossbar.
At the interval Skelmersdale were far from out of it, but it was clear that they would have to put more pressure on Matlock if they were to save the game.
Tommy Lawson made changes for the second-half, a double substitution bringing on Dan Mitchley and Kenny Strickland, it brought about the required change of momentum and for most of the second-half Skelmersdale looked the more likely scorers.
Rob Bodie saw a 46th minute attempt palmed away by home goalkeeper Jon Kennedy, but Phil Mooney couldn’t reach the rebound, then Mooney headed wide from a corner.
The balance of play had switched but even so Matlock had to be watched, Fearon saved from McManus and Adam Yates headed wide in a brief period of pressure from the hosts.
Bodie had a header cleared off the home goal-line by Oscar Radford, before Alex Meaney put a low ball right across the face of the Matlock goal.
In the 68th minute Skelmersdale levelled with a very neat move. Strickland squared to Wisdom and he slipped the ball in to Mitchley down the inside–left channel, the striker firing a left-foot shot low under Kennedy and into the net.
Matters tightened up after the equaliser and the nearest to a Skelmersdale goal was an enterprising run by Meaney that ended with the ball hitting the side-netting.
It was a very hard earned point from a Skelmersdale perspective, though the performance once again adds to the feeling that maybe they can go all the way this season, especially as this was really ground out in arduous circumstances. Tommy Lawson seemed well pleased with the result after the match and the first thing he said was; “This really is a difficult place to come and we have picked up another point that we didn’t get last season.” He added; “The pitches have changed now and we are changing the style of play to adapt to them. We did well today, battled hard and got the reward. This is a point won, not two lost and it could make all the difference at the end of April.”
MATLOCK TOWN: Kennedy, Gorman, Leesley, Yates, Harcourt, Radford (Meade, 68), McManus, Ashmore, Holland ©, Dawes, Gregory (White, 70) Sub (not used) Awomolo
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Fearon, Fernandes, Wisdom, Wylie, Bodie, Kirkbride, Mooney, Burton (Strickland, 45), Bakkor, McCarthy (Mitchley, 45), Meaney Subs (not used) Thompson, Simpson, Sumner
Referee: Matt Wilkes Attendance: 230
MATLOCK TOWN 1 SKELMERSDALE UNITED 1
By Neil Leatherbarrow
Skelmersdale United faced a tough task in the Causeway Lane mud on Saturday and showed that they have the spirit to sustain their challenge at the top of the Evo-Stik Premier Division. Matlock is always a difficult place to go and in the corresponding fixture last season United lost 2-0, the home support is extremely vociferous and when Tommy Lawson’s team got off the coach in heavy rain and had to face a pitch inspection it was clear it wouldn’t be a day for silken football. A situation that was only exacerbated by an error in the 8th minute that gave Matlock the lead, but they rolled up their sleeves and the draw they achieved is one of the better results they have had all season.
It was quite a rude awakening for Skelmersdale when after an even opening period Matlock took a shock lead. The most reliable player in the whole Skelmersdale team this season Martin Fearon left his area to kick the ball down the pitch, but due to the muddy surface he sliced the ball to Matlock's Niall McManus who from some 40 yards accurately lifted the ball toward the Skelmersdale goal and after one bounce it entered an empty net. The way the chance came about had more than a bit of luck about it for the hosts, but the execution of the strike deserved real credit.
Skelmersdale now knew they had a battle on their hands and the remaining thirty seven minutes until half-time was precisely that and neither team managed to generate much in the way of clear-cut chances. Matlock put in a couple of efforts from tight angles or from outside the penalty area and in fairness Skelmersdale did much the same, Scott Bakkor making two half-chance efforts, while Danny Wisdom put one over the crossbar.
At the interval Skelmersdale were far from out of it, but it was clear that they would have to put more pressure on Matlock if they were to save the game.
Tommy Lawson made changes for the second-half, a double substitution bringing on Dan Mitchley and Kenny Strickland, it brought about the required change of momentum and for most of the second-half Skelmersdale looked the more likely scorers.
Rob Bodie saw a 46th minute attempt palmed away by home goalkeeper Jon Kennedy, but Phil Mooney couldn’t reach the rebound, then Mooney headed wide from a corner.
The balance of play had switched but even so Matlock had to be watched, Fearon saved from McManus and Adam Yates headed wide in a brief period of pressure from the hosts.
Bodie had a header cleared off the home goal-line by Oscar Radford, before Alex Meaney put a low ball right across the face of the Matlock goal.
In the 68th minute Skelmersdale levelled with a very neat move. Strickland squared to Wisdom and he slipped the ball in to Mitchley down the inside–left channel, the striker firing a left-foot shot low under Kennedy and into the net.
Matters tightened up after the equaliser and the nearest to a Skelmersdale goal was an enterprising run by Meaney that ended with the ball hitting the side-netting.
It was a very hard earned point from a Skelmersdale perspective, though the performance once again adds to the feeling that maybe they can go all the way this season, especially as this was really ground out in arduous circumstances. Tommy Lawson seemed well pleased with the result after the match and the first thing he said was; “This really is a difficult place to come and we have picked up another point that we didn’t get last season.” He added; “The pitches have changed now and we are changing the style of play to adapt to them. We did well today, battled hard and got the reward. This is a point won, not two lost and it could make all the difference at the end of April.”
MATLOCK TOWN: Kennedy, Gorman, Leesley, Yates, Harcourt, Radford (Meade, 68), McManus, Ashmore, Holland ©, Dawes, Gregory (White, 70) Sub (not used) Awomolo
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Fearon, Fernandes, Wisdom, Wylie, Bodie, Kirkbride, Mooney, Burton (Strickland, 45), Bakkor, McCarthy (Mitchley, 45), Meaney Subs (not used) Thompson, Simpson, Sumner
Referee: Matt Wilkes Attendance: 230