Post by Kev Panther on Mar 15, 2015 15:41:56 GMT
HARD EARNED POINT FOR SKELMERSDALE
BELPER TOWN 1 SKELMERSDALE UNITED 1
By Neil Leatherbarrow
Those that have been in football a while, will know what March brings, rough pitches, strong winds and teams that are battling to retain their status in the league they are in, all factors that faced Skelmersdale on Saturday, add to that the fact that Tommy Lawson had four players suspended for the match, including his first choice central defensive pairing and opponents Belper had not been beaten for four matches. So it was fair to say that Skem faced a difficult task as they travelled to Derbyshire on Saturday and after going a goal down inside fifty seconds a draw was a good result and they deserve credit for the hard work they had to put in to achieve it.
If Belper manager Jimmy Albans had done his homework and guessed that Skelmersdale with their changes might take a while to settle defensively, his team benefitted from it, because they went at Skelmersdale like a whirlwind.
After just twenty five seconds United goalkeeper Steve James dived to push a Jon Froggatt effort for a corner, from which the ball dropped to Nabil Sharif and he rifled it into the net.
The contrasting playing styles helped Belper too; the rough surface meant that it was difficult to build up any passing moves, which suited the hosts long ball game.
Chances were few in the first-half and despite having much of the goalmouth action Belper could only really point to a good diving save by James from Sharif and a shot wide from Froggatt as their most viable attempts on goal.
From a Skelmersdale perspective, Dan Mitchley had a goal disallowed for offside after youngster Tony Donaldson set him up, that along with some off target shots from distance was their sole contribution.
While the spectators spent half-time sheltering from the cold wind, Tommy Lawson was busy reshaping his team in the dressing room and it was time well spent, his team emerged after the interval with three changes and looked a far more competitive unit.
After James made an early save from Michael Towey, Skelmersdale looked by far the more likely until the very late stages, pinning Belper back for periods.
Dale Wright and Warren Bellew combined to give Mark Jackson a half-chance that went inches wide in the 57th minute, before Belper cleared one off the line.
The game was still scrappy and overlapping Skelmersdale left-back Shaun Holden seemed to suffer a rough time as he ran at the home defence. However, he had the last laugh, in the 81st minute, Jackson cleverly played the ball to an on the Holden and as home goalkeeper Dan Haystead left his line, Holden fired low into the far corner for the equaliser.
Skelmersdale did have a scare a couple of minutes later. James got into a tangle with home substitute Rob Stevenson on the angle of penalty area and goal-line. The home support appealed for a penalty and a red card for James. Both were futile, the incident was outside the 18 yard line and Skelmersdale had two men back in the goalmouth, so a yellow card was administered and the free-kick was cleared.
The last few minutes saw a stretched game and in added time Valtar Fernandes cleared a header off the Skelmersdale line and at the other end Jackson came close to a winner for Skelmersdale.
A draw was the fair result, from a game that will not be remembered by many as the highlight of the season.
BELPER TOWN: Haystead, Turner, Matthews, Lister, Miller, Watt ©, Wilson, Williams, Froggatt (Grimes, 75), Sharif (Stevenson, 75), Towey Subs (not used) Ross, Varley, Warne
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: James, Fernandes, Holden, Mooney (Whittington, 45), Wylie, Kirkbride (Bellew, 45), Donaldson (Jackson, 45), Burton, Mitchley, Wright, Strickland © Subs (not used) Rendell, Meaney
Referee: Robert Atkin (Schesterhorpe)
Attendance: 219
BELPER TOWN 1 SKELMERSDALE UNITED 1
By Neil Leatherbarrow
Those that have been in football a while, will know what March brings, rough pitches, strong winds and teams that are battling to retain their status in the league they are in, all factors that faced Skelmersdale on Saturday, add to that the fact that Tommy Lawson had four players suspended for the match, including his first choice central defensive pairing and opponents Belper had not been beaten for four matches. So it was fair to say that Skem faced a difficult task as they travelled to Derbyshire on Saturday and after going a goal down inside fifty seconds a draw was a good result and they deserve credit for the hard work they had to put in to achieve it.
If Belper manager Jimmy Albans had done his homework and guessed that Skelmersdale with their changes might take a while to settle defensively, his team benefitted from it, because they went at Skelmersdale like a whirlwind.
After just twenty five seconds United goalkeeper Steve James dived to push a Jon Froggatt effort for a corner, from which the ball dropped to Nabil Sharif and he rifled it into the net.
The contrasting playing styles helped Belper too; the rough surface meant that it was difficult to build up any passing moves, which suited the hosts long ball game.
Chances were few in the first-half and despite having much of the goalmouth action Belper could only really point to a good diving save by James from Sharif and a shot wide from Froggatt as their most viable attempts on goal.
From a Skelmersdale perspective, Dan Mitchley had a goal disallowed for offside after youngster Tony Donaldson set him up, that along with some off target shots from distance was their sole contribution.
While the spectators spent half-time sheltering from the cold wind, Tommy Lawson was busy reshaping his team in the dressing room and it was time well spent, his team emerged after the interval with three changes and looked a far more competitive unit.
After James made an early save from Michael Towey, Skelmersdale looked by far the more likely until the very late stages, pinning Belper back for periods.
Dale Wright and Warren Bellew combined to give Mark Jackson a half-chance that went inches wide in the 57th minute, before Belper cleared one off the line.
The game was still scrappy and overlapping Skelmersdale left-back Shaun Holden seemed to suffer a rough time as he ran at the home defence. However, he had the last laugh, in the 81st minute, Jackson cleverly played the ball to an on the Holden and as home goalkeeper Dan Haystead left his line, Holden fired low into the far corner for the equaliser.
Skelmersdale did have a scare a couple of minutes later. James got into a tangle with home substitute Rob Stevenson on the angle of penalty area and goal-line. The home support appealed for a penalty and a red card for James. Both were futile, the incident was outside the 18 yard line and Skelmersdale had two men back in the goalmouth, so a yellow card was administered and the free-kick was cleared.
The last few minutes saw a stretched game and in added time Valtar Fernandes cleared a header off the Skelmersdale line and at the other end Jackson came close to a winner for Skelmersdale.
A draw was the fair result, from a game that will not be remembered by many as the highlight of the season.
BELPER TOWN: Haystead, Turner, Matthews, Lister, Miller, Watt ©, Wilson, Williams, Froggatt (Grimes, 75), Sharif (Stevenson, 75), Towey Subs (not used) Ross, Varley, Warne
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: James, Fernandes, Holden, Mooney (Whittington, 45), Wylie, Kirkbride (Bellew, 45), Donaldson (Jackson, 45), Burton, Mitchley, Wright, Strickland © Subs (not used) Rendell, Meaney
Referee: Robert Atkin (Schesterhorpe)
Attendance: 219