Post by Kev Panther on Dec 2, 2014 19:41:14 GMT
SKEM SHUT OUT BY DEFENSIVE GRANTHAM
SKELMERSDALE UNITED 1 GRANTHAM TOWN 1
By Neil Leatherbarrow
Although, not literally the case that they were shut-out on Saturday, it was effectively that as Skelmersdale United had far more of the play against Grantham at Stormy Corner, but possession didn’t equal chances and it arguably cost them two valuable promotion points. Manager Tommy Lawson was clearly exasperated after Saturday’s encounter and summed the game up well when he said; “We have dominated the game and it is disappointing to only get a draw from that much possession. . . They have set up for damage limitation and we haven’t opened them up.” Tommy has assembled probably the best defence he has had in his time with Skelmersdale and his midfield is as usual efficient and mobile, but a lack of goals almost certainly cost them two points, for not the first time this season.
To be fair to Skelmersdale they have been without last season’s top scorer Dean Astbury for almost the entire first-half of the season and the fact that they have still managed to put in a serious promotion challenge is to their credit. It is definitely a positive that Astbury is on the way back to match fitness, making his first start in months he came close to an instant impact when his near-post shot was saved by Grantham goalkeeper Dan Haystead in the 4th minute. However, although looking lean and energetic, he clearly is a way off full match fitness.
Grantham had arrived looking determined to stop Skelmersdale and see what they could get on the counterattack. It was a method that worked for them and because Skelmersdale pushed forward in numbers they twice came near to exploiting the gaps and pinching all the points.
It didn’t help the Skelmersdale cause when on a breakaway Grantham took the lead in the 21st minute. The visitors centre-forward Paul Grimes flicked a ball on into the space behind the Skelmersdale backline and his forward partner Stefan Bilyk put the ball into the corner of the Skelmersdale net.
Skelmersdale reacted by applying even more pressure to Grantham. Connor McCarthy had a shot saved by Haystead and Scott Bakkor fired into the side-netting, before Skelmersdale levelled moments before the half-time whistle. Aidan Kirkbride broke from midfield and exchanged passes with McCarthy, before drilling a shot low into the right-hand side of the Grantham net.
The pattern of the game had long been established and the second-half was no different to the first. Frustratingly for Skelmersdale they struggled to find a way through an entrenched Grantham defence and at times they overcommitted to attack, on one such move they allowed Grimes into a situation that was only rescued by a terrific at his feet by Martin Fearon in the 54th minute.
A now tired looking Astbury was substituted in the 56th minute, but he had done enough to promise that his day will come.
Skelmersdale pushed on. McCarthy made tremendous dribbling run into the heart of the Grantham defence in the 69th minute, but his curling shot was saved by Haystead, then Kirkbride saw a thunderous 20 yard shot go inches over the crossbar.
Grantham broke away again in the 79th minute, but Bilyk’s shot was tipped over the bar by Fearon.
Before the end Bakkor went close off a Peter Wylie cross, but all it did was exacerbate the feelings of irritation at the way the game went that had had now spread throughout the Skelmersdale support.
It will get better for Skelmersdale and the message that the Stormy Corner support need to take on board is “Be patient”. Tommy further added; “Although it didn’t go to plan today we are getting a lot of things right, we are top of the league and are right in the challenge for honours, if I had been told in August we would be where we are in the table in December, I would have taken that. Yes we are working to develop things, but we always are, in football if you standstill you go backwards.”
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Fearon, Fernandes, Short, McIntosh ©, Bodie, Kirkbride, Bakkor, Burton, Astbury (Campbell-Joseph, 56), McCarthy, Tollitt (Wylie, 56) Subs (not used) Thompson, Simpson, Mitchley
GRANTHAM TOWN: Haystead, Purcicoe ©, Rawdon, Batchelor, Hellewell, Meadows, Emmott, Johnson, Grimes, Bilyk, Fairclough Subs (not used) Divver, Wallace, Rhule, Halcro
Referee: Joe Hull Attendance: 240
SKELMERSDALE UNITED 1 GRANTHAM TOWN 1
By Neil Leatherbarrow
Although, not literally the case that they were shut-out on Saturday, it was effectively that as Skelmersdale United had far more of the play against Grantham at Stormy Corner, but possession didn’t equal chances and it arguably cost them two valuable promotion points. Manager Tommy Lawson was clearly exasperated after Saturday’s encounter and summed the game up well when he said; “We have dominated the game and it is disappointing to only get a draw from that much possession. . . They have set up for damage limitation and we haven’t opened them up.” Tommy has assembled probably the best defence he has had in his time with Skelmersdale and his midfield is as usual efficient and mobile, but a lack of goals almost certainly cost them two points, for not the first time this season.
To be fair to Skelmersdale they have been without last season’s top scorer Dean Astbury for almost the entire first-half of the season and the fact that they have still managed to put in a serious promotion challenge is to their credit. It is definitely a positive that Astbury is on the way back to match fitness, making his first start in months he came close to an instant impact when his near-post shot was saved by Grantham goalkeeper Dan Haystead in the 4th minute. However, although looking lean and energetic, he clearly is a way off full match fitness.
Grantham had arrived looking determined to stop Skelmersdale and see what they could get on the counterattack. It was a method that worked for them and because Skelmersdale pushed forward in numbers they twice came near to exploiting the gaps and pinching all the points.
It didn’t help the Skelmersdale cause when on a breakaway Grantham took the lead in the 21st minute. The visitors centre-forward Paul Grimes flicked a ball on into the space behind the Skelmersdale backline and his forward partner Stefan Bilyk put the ball into the corner of the Skelmersdale net.
Skelmersdale reacted by applying even more pressure to Grantham. Connor McCarthy had a shot saved by Haystead and Scott Bakkor fired into the side-netting, before Skelmersdale levelled moments before the half-time whistle. Aidan Kirkbride broke from midfield and exchanged passes with McCarthy, before drilling a shot low into the right-hand side of the Grantham net.
The pattern of the game had long been established and the second-half was no different to the first. Frustratingly for Skelmersdale they struggled to find a way through an entrenched Grantham defence and at times they overcommitted to attack, on one such move they allowed Grimes into a situation that was only rescued by a terrific at his feet by Martin Fearon in the 54th minute.
A now tired looking Astbury was substituted in the 56th minute, but he had done enough to promise that his day will come.
Skelmersdale pushed on. McCarthy made tremendous dribbling run into the heart of the Grantham defence in the 69th minute, but his curling shot was saved by Haystead, then Kirkbride saw a thunderous 20 yard shot go inches over the crossbar.
Grantham broke away again in the 79th minute, but Bilyk’s shot was tipped over the bar by Fearon.
Before the end Bakkor went close off a Peter Wylie cross, but all it did was exacerbate the feelings of irritation at the way the game went that had had now spread throughout the Skelmersdale support.
It will get better for Skelmersdale and the message that the Stormy Corner support need to take on board is “Be patient”. Tommy further added; “Although it didn’t go to plan today we are getting a lot of things right, we are top of the league and are right in the challenge for honours, if I had been told in August we would be where we are in the table in December, I would have taken that. Yes we are working to develop things, but we always are, in football if you standstill you go backwards.”
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Fearon, Fernandes, Short, McIntosh ©, Bodie, Kirkbride, Bakkor, Burton, Astbury (Campbell-Joseph, 56), McCarthy, Tollitt (Wylie, 56) Subs (not used) Thompson, Simpson, Mitchley
GRANTHAM TOWN: Haystead, Purcicoe ©, Rawdon, Batchelor, Hellewell, Meadows, Emmott, Johnson, Grimes, Bilyk, Fairclough Subs (not used) Divver, Wallace, Rhule, Halcro
Referee: Joe Hull Attendance: 240