Post by Kev Panther on Feb 26, 2016 11:22:24 GMT
ALMOND HAT-TRICK RESTORES SKELMERSDALE MOMENTUM
RAMSBOTTOM UNITED 0 SKELMERSDALE UNITED 3
By Neil Leatherbarrow
A good pre-match talk in the dressing room soon put Skelmersdale back on the right track after Saturday’s reverse at Frickley. Forward momentum was restored quickly at the Riverside Stadium when the early domination saw Skem go into a 24th minute lead. This was followed by one soon after the interval and a winner in added time. All three goals came from Chris Almond, his second hat-trick of the season.
Skelmersdale swept into the offensive and after twenty minutes, Max Hazeldine had hit the crossbar, Louis Corrigan had thumped the crossbar and Kenny Strickland had seen a goalbound effort deflected for a corner. Corrigan’s shot being particularly unlucky as it bounced down inches the wrong side of the goal-line.
Almond’s first came after the ball was partially cleared from a crowded penalty area, he gathered the ball on the left and cut inside, around the eighteen yard line he unleashed a powerful right-foot drive that roared through the bodies into the top corner of the net.
The goal set Skelmersdale on course and although Ramsbottom attacked it remained 1-0 until the interval, an advantage Skelmersdale deserved.
Two minutes after the restart Almond set off on a run down the left, as he reached the penalty area he played a one two with Alfons Fosu-Mensah, now one on one, Almond drew the goalkeeper toward him and placed the ball into the net to make it 2-0.
Ramsbottom again made to rescue the game, but again Skelmersdale were having none of it and despite losing Tony Rendell to injury in the break, his replacement Danny Murphy struck up a fine partnership with Rob McIntosh in the heart of the defence.
Skelmersdale killed the game off just before the final whistle and goal levelled up the goal difference after the Frickley display. This time Almond approached the penalty area and played the ball to Shaun Tuck, he neatly fed the ball around the corner of his marker and put Almond into space behind the Ramsbottom backline, he calmly finished the hosts off.
After the match Skelmersdale manager Tommy Lawson said; “It was an important victory for us, especially after the way we played in the home game against Ramsbottom a month ago. We talked about this in the dressing room beforehand and the players showed some great commitment. We attacked well and defended solidly when we were asked to. I am very pleased with the players.”
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Fearon, Fernandes, Corrigan, McIntosh ©, Rendell (Murphy, 45), Booth, Fosu-Mensah (Tuck, 80), Woolcott, Hazeldine, Strickland, Almond Subs (not used) Donaldson, Mooney, Holden
RAMSBOTTOM UNITED 0 SKELMERSDALE UNITED 3
By Neil Leatherbarrow
A good pre-match talk in the dressing room soon put Skelmersdale back on the right track after Saturday’s reverse at Frickley. Forward momentum was restored quickly at the Riverside Stadium when the early domination saw Skem go into a 24th minute lead. This was followed by one soon after the interval and a winner in added time. All three goals came from Chris Almond, his second hat-trick of the season.
Skelmersdale swept into the offensive and after twenty minutes, Max Hazeldine had hit the crossbar, Louis Corrigan had thumped the crossbar and Kenny Strickland had seen a goalbound effort deflected for a corner. Corrigan’s shot being particularly unlucky as it bounced down inches the wrong side of the goal-line.
Almond’s first came after the ball was partially cleared from a crowded penalty area, he gathered the ball on the left and cut inside, around the eighteen yard line he unleashed a powerful right-foot drive that roared through the bodies into the top corner of the net.
The goal set Skelmersdale on course and although Ramsbottom attacked it remained 1-0 until the interval, an advantage Skelmersdale deserved.
Two minutes after the restart Almond set off on a run down the left, as he reached the penalty area he played a one two with Alfons Fosu-Mensah, now one on one, Almond drew the goalkeeper toward him and placed the ball into the net to make it 2-0.
Ramsbottom again made to rescue the game, but again Skelmersdale were having none of it and despite losing Tony Rendell to injury in the break, his replacement Danny Murphy struck up a fine partnership with Rob McIntosh in the heart of the defence.
Skelmersdale killed the game off just before the final whistle and goal levelled up the goal difference after the Frickley display. This time Almond approached the penalty area and played the ball to Shaun Tuck, he neatly fed the ball around the corner of his marker and put Almond into space behind the Ramsbottom backline, he calmly finished the hosts off.
After the match Skelmersdale manager Tommy Lawson said; “It was an important victory for us, especially after the way we played in the home game against Ramsbottom a month ago. We talked about this in the dressing room beforehand and the players showed some great commitment. We attacked well and defended solidly when we were asked to. I am very pleased with the players.”
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Fearon, Fernandes, Corrigan, McIntosh ©, Rendell (Murphy, 45), Booth, Fosu-Mensah (Tuck, 80), Woolcott, Hazeldine, Strickland, Almond Subs (not used) Donaldson, Mooney, Holden