Post by Kev Panther on Jan 20, 2016 19:11:38 GMT
ALMOND HAT-TRICK FOR CONFIDENT SKEM
COLWYN BAY 1 SKELMERSDALE UNITED 4
By Neil Leatherbarrow
Skelmersdale United returned from North Wales on Tuesday night with a confident look after emerging comfortable winners in despite having to survive a floodlight scare after 54 minutes. The star of the show for Tommy Lawson’s men was forward Chris Almond who notched a real hat-trick (left foot, right foot, and header) but credit must go to the whole Skelmersdale team who especially in midfield dominated and completely out football the Welshmen.
Skelmersdale were absent five players for various reasons ranging from injury to work commitments as they took the field at llanelian Road, but the reshuffle didn’t seemed to have reinvigorated the side rather than harmed it as they quickly took the initiative.
In the opening sixteen minutes home goalkeeper Shaun Pearson saved from Kenny Strickland, Louis Corrigan and Max Hazeldine, further a Gerard Kinsella shot on the turn crashed against the post with all hands beaten.
Skelmersdale got their well justified reward on 17 minutes. Robbie Booth pushed the ball into the penalty and Hazeldine showed a remarkable change of pace to pinch the ball from defender Will Bell, the defender pulled Hazeldine back by the shirt and referee James Madine pointed to the spot. Bell was arguably fortunate be administered a yellow card before Chris Almond stepped to beat Pearson from the spot.
The rest of the half saw Skelmersdale have the majority of possession, Colwyn Bay posing sporadic threats, mainly from the long ball. Bay created a problem with a 27th minute free-kick but the ball was scrambled clear then on 41 minutes Luke Denson fired over from distance with on the most memorable occasions.
Tyrone Duffus headed just wide at the other end for Skelmersdale in 42 minutes, and then after a tidy set-up from Duffus Almond was kept out by a terrific reaction save by Pearson.
Colwyn Bay almost caused a problem on 50 minutes but Rob McIntosh sorted that out with a fine tackle on Joe Williams.
A minute later it was 2-0 to Skem with a wonderful example of first time play. Duffus received the ball on the right and cleverly held on to the ball until right-back Valtar Fernandes had made ground on the overlap, he then sent the ball perfectly into the Portuguese stride and he duly played a beautiful first time cross into the goalmouth, Almond ran in and thumped the ball into the net via a superb diving header.
Skelmersdale were now dominant and looked set for a good night. Then suddenly it stopped, or to be precise it went dark, very dark as all the floodlights went out. Amid calls for money in the meter and the murmurs of the conspiracy theorists there was an announcement that play would restart in 15 minutes and it did after 25 minutes. But it was very worrying for Skelmersdale.
Skelmersdale bombarded Colwyn after the restart as if they were determined to make absolutely sure their good was not to go unrewarded. Pearson saved from Almond, and then did the same from Duffus and Hazeldine almost got in the act too. Eleven minutes in, officially 65 minutes into the game Hazeldine slipped Almond in and this time Pearson was beaten as he made it 3-0.
When on 76 minutes 18 year old Hazeldine got the goal that his efforts thoroughly deserved by rounding goalkeeper Pearson it was all over. Although everyone from Skem still had one eye on the floodlights.
Hazeldine, Booth and Kinsella were all given an early rest and Colwyn got the consolation that performance barely warranted on 90 minutes, Connor Roberts-Nurse with a close range header from a Jordan Harper cross.
It was an important victory for Skelmersdale as it strengthens their position in the league table no end, it also gives them confidence for what will be a difficult game on Saturday as they visit this one of this season’s cup fighters Stourbridge for what will be a second ever trip to play the Black Country club.
COLWYN BAY: Pearson, Dowling, Rodgers © (Harper, 54), Bell, Boland, Bauress, Denson, Williams, Lamb (Tuck, 54), Roberts-Nurse Subs (not used) Rees, Fagbola
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Fearon, Fernandes, Corrigan, McIntosh ©, Murphy, Duffus, Kinsella (Heron, 85), Strickland, Hazeldine (Marie, 81), Booth (Gaskell, 87), Almond Subs (not used) Donaldson, Staunton-Turner
Referee: James Madine
Attendance: 176
COLWYN BAY 1 SKELMERSDALE UNITED 4
By Neil Leatherbarrow
Skelmersdale United returned from North Wales on Tuesday night with a confident look after emerging comfortable winners in despite having to survive a floodlight scare after 54 minutes. The star of the show for Tommy Lawson’s men was forward Chris Almond who notched a real hat-trick (left foot, right foot, and header) but credit must go to the whole Skelmersdale team who especially in midfield dominated and completely out football the Welshmen.
Skelmersdale were absent five players for various reasons ranging from injury to work commitments as they took the field at llanelian Road, but the reshuffle didn’t seemed to have reinvigorated the side rather than harmed it as they quickly took the initiative.
In the opening sixteen minutes home goalkeeper Shaun Pearson saved from Kenny Strickland, Louis Corrigan and Max Hazeldine, further a Gerard Kinsella shot on the turn crashed against the post with all hands beaten.
Skelmersdale got their well justified reward on 17 minutes. Robbie Booth pushed the ball into the penalty and Hazeldine showed a remarkable change of pace to pinch the ball from defender Will Bell, the defender pulled Hazeldine back by the shirt and referee James Madine pointed to the spot. Bell was arguably fortunate be administered a yellow card before Chris Almond stepped to beat Pearson from the spot.
The rest of the half saw Skelmersdale have the majority of possession, Colwyn Bay posing sporadic threats, mainly from the long ball. Bay created a problem with a 27th minute free-kick but the ball was scrambled clear then on 41 minutes Luke Denson fired over from distance with on the most memorable occasions.
Tyrone Duffus headed just wide at the other end for Skelmersdale in 42 minutes, and then after a tidy set-up from Duffus Almond was kept out by a terrific reaction save by Pearson.
Colwyn Bay almost caused a problem on 50 minutes but Rob McIntosh sorted that out with a fine tackle on Joe Williams.
A minute later it was 2-0 to Skem with a wonderful example of first time play. Duffus received the ball on the right and cleverly held on to the ball until right-back Valtar Fernandes had made ground on the overlap, he then sent the ball perfectly into the Portuguese stride and he duly played a beautiful first time cross into the goalmouth, Almond ran in and thumped the ball into the net via a superb diving header.
Skelmersdale were now dominant and looked set for a good night. Then suddenly it stopped, or to be precise it went dark, very dark as all the floodlights went out. Amid calls for money in the meter and the murmurs of the conspiracy theorists there was an announcement that play would restart in 15 minutes and it did after 25 minutes. But it was very worrying for Skelmersdale.
Skelmersdale bombarded Colwyn after the restart as if they were determined to make absolutely sure their good was not to go unrewarded. Pearson saved from Almond, and then did the same from Duffus and Hazeldine almost got in the act too. Eleven minutes in, officially 65 minutes into the game Hazeldine slipped Almond in and this time Pearson was beaten as he made it 3-0.
When on 76 minutes 18 year old Hazeldine got the goal that his efforts thoroughly deserved by rounding goalkeeper Pearson it was all over. Although everyone from Skem still had one eye on the floodlights.
Hazeldine, Booth and Kinsella were all given an early rest and Colwyn got the consolation that performance barely warranted on 90 minutes, Connor Roberts-Nurse with a close range header from a Jordan Harper cross.
It was an important victory for Skelmersdale as it strengthens their position in the league table no end, it also gives them confidence for what will be a difficult game on Saturday as they visit this one of this season’s cup fighters Stourbridge for what will be a second ever trip to play the Black Country club.
COLWYN BAY: Pearson, Dowling, Rodgers © (Harper, 54), Bell, Boland, Bauress, Denson, Williams, Lamb (Tuck, 54), Roberts-Nurse Subs (not used) Rees, Fagbola
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Fearon, Fernandes, Corrigan, McIntosh ©, Murphy, Duffus, Kinsella (Heron, 85), Strickland, Hazeldine (Marie, 81), Booth (Gaskell, 87), Almond Subs (not used) Donaldson, Staunton-Turner
Referee: James Madine
Attendance: 176