Post by Kev Panther on Mar 31, 2015 17:47:47 GMT
SKELMERSDALE PLAY WELL AND LOSE
ILKESTON 2 SKELMERSDALE UNITED 0
By Neil Leatherbarrow
Skelmersdale United will do well to play better than they did at the New Manor Ground on Saturday, but still they lost, indeed they will very likely play a lot worse and win in what remains of the season. The match was always going to be a close encounter the first goal was always going to be crucial and for long periods Skelmersdale looked by far the more likely to get the goal, but their best efforts were frustratingly dashed by goals in 70 & 75 minutes.
It was clear early on that Ilkeston were not opening Skelmersdale up and the men in blue were making progress when they pressed the home goal. In the first fifteen minutes the best Ilkeston could muster was when Kane Richards saw a dangerous looking cross sent for a corner by Valtar Fernandes and another ball from James Reid that was allowed to pass across the face of goal for a goal-kick.
In attack Skelmersdale’s Dan Mitchley was tripped by Jack Lane and the resulting free-kick from Kenny Strickland was blocked and although the rebound fell to Fernandes his effort went wide.
In the 27th minute only a tremendous save from Ilkeston goalkeeper Jordan Smith kept Skelmersdale at bay. Alan Burton latched onto a Strickland free-kick from the left but the save by Smith from his header was stunning.
Scott Bakkor almost struck on 34 minutes after a mazy dribble into the box from the left, however, a save low down by Smith thwarted his hopes.
Chances were few but by half-time Skelmersdale could certainly claim to be ahead on points.
The game was even after the restart, with both defences dominating affairs. The nearest Ilkeston got again was a shot from Reid that was saved by Steve James and a cross from the same player that was dealt with by Rob McIntosh.
Ilkeston uniquely for a club in the Evo-Stik Premier Division are full-time and it could be said that this contributed to them getting the vital opening goal from a set piece move on 70 minutes. Reid put an out swinging corner in from the left, Joe Maguire ran onto the ball and bulleted a header into the Skelmersdale net. It was a very well worked and practised move.
When the opener was followed up by a superb strike from 25 yards to make it 2-0 via Callum Chettle it was always going to be very difficult for Skelmersdale to recover.
It had really been a gallant effort from Skelmersdale, had home keeper Smith not pulled off such a good save from Burton in the first-half it might well have been a different story, but that is just the way it is going for Skelmersdale at the moment. But you cannot be critical of the spirit shown by Skelmersdale and a repeat will surely see them back to winning ways very soon.
ILKESTON: Smith, Rose, Reid, Baker, Maguire ©, Lane, Morgan, Chettle, Duffy (Williams, 73), Richards, Sowerby (Watts, 55) Subs (not used) Colqhoun, Wright J., Burrows
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: James, Fernandes, Holden, McIntosh ©, Bodie, Kirkbride (Woolcott, 72), Whittington (Wylie, 69), Burton, Mitchley, Bakkor (Bellew, 86), Strickland Subs (not used) Wright D., Rendell
Referee: J. Hull
Attendance: 479
ILKESTON 2 SKELMERSDALE UNITED 0
By Neil Leatherbarrow
Skelmersdale United will do well to play better than they did at the New Manor Ground on Saturday, but still they lost, indeed they will very likely play a lot worse and win in what remains of the season. The match was always going to be a close encounter the first goal was always going to be crucial and for long periods Skelmersdale looked by far the more likely to get the goal, but their best efforts were frustratingly dashed by goals in 70 & 75 minutes.
It was clear early on that Ilkeston were not opening Skelmersdale up and the men in blue were making progress when they pressed the home goal. In the first fifteen minutes the best Ilkeston could muster was when Kane Richards saw a dangerous looking cross sent for a corner by Valtar Fernandes and another ball from James Reid that was allowed to pass across the face of goal for a goal-kick.
In attack Skelmersdale’s Dan Mitchley was tripped by Jack Lane and the resulting free-kick from Kenny Strickland was blocked and although the rebound fell to Fernandes his effort went wide.
In the 27th minute only a tremendous save from Ilkeston goalkeeper Jordan Smith kept Skelmersdale at bay. Alan Burton latched onto a Strickland free-kick from the left but the save by Smith from his header was stunning.
Scott Bakkor almost struck on 34 minutes after a mazy dribble into the box from the left, however, a save low down by Smith thwarted his hopes.
Chances were few but by half-time Skelmersdale could certainly claim to be ahead on points.
The game was even after the restart, with both defences dominating affairs. The nearest Ilkeston got again was a shot from Reid that was saved by Steve James and a cross from the same player that was dealt with by Rob McIntosh.
Ilkeston uniquely for a club in the Evo-Stik Premier Division are full-time and it could be said that this contributed to them getting the vital opening goal from a set piece move on 70 minutes. Reid put an out swinging corner in from the left, Joe Maguire ran onto the ball and bulleted a header into the Skelmersdale net. It was a very well worked and practised move.
When the opener was followed up by a superb strike from 25 yards to make it 2-0 via Callum Chettle it was always going to be very difficult for Skelmersdale to recover.
It had really been a gallant effort from Skelmersdale, had home keeper Smith not pulled off such a good save from Burton in the first-half it might well have been a different story, but that is just the way it is going for Skelmersdale at the moment. But you cannot be critical of the spirit shown by Skelmersdale and a repeat will surely see them back to winning ways very soon.
ILKESTON: Smith, Rose, Reid, Baker, Maguire ©, Lane, Morgan, Chettle, Duffy (Williams, 73), Richards, Sowerby (Watts, 55) Subs (not used) Colqhoun, Wright J., Burrows
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: James, Fernandes, Holden, McIntosh ©, Bodie, Kirkbride (Woolcott, 72), Whittington (Wylie, 69), Burton, Mitchley, Bakkor (Bellew, 86), Strickland Subs (not used) Wright D., Rendell
Referee: J. Hull
Attendance: 479