Post by Kev Panther on Apr 20, 2016 18:55:13 GMT
POOR SHOW FROM SKELMERSDALE
SKELMERSDALE UNITED 1 STAMFORD 4
By Neil Leatherbarrow
The football season is winding down at Stormy Corner, but Skelmersdale United were a little too off the pace for the opening half-hour in this one and it cost them any realistic chance of getting anything out of the match. Stamford had arrived in town desperately needing to win to keep up their battle to avoid relegation; they were very hyped up and were by far the stronger and sharper side.
It was though Skelmersdale who initially started the quicker. Pushing on hard they almost immediately won a corner on the right-hand side, the ball was driven into the goalmouth and via a deflection it fell to Max Hazeldine at the far-post, making his final appearance at Stormy Corner, the 19 year old who is on loan from Accrington, left the home support with something to remember him by. With his back to goal, he twisted away from his marker and drilled the ball low under Stamford goalkeeper Paul Bastock to make it 1-0 to Skelmersdale with just 105 seconds gone.
Stamford were horrified, it they didn’t win they were condemned to relegation, simple as that. They went on the offensive the ball was swung in from the right and completely unmarked Jordan Smith headed home from six yards out.
Instantly the momentum of the whole match changed, Stamford had their tails up and there was still only four minutes gone.
Stamford then pushed on making it difficult for Skem to play football and at times they hemmed them in at the back. Ironically it was from a Skelmersdale counterattack that Stamford took the lead, Jake Duffy sent the ball through the Skelmersdale backline and Jake Newman finished clinically making it 2-1 to Stamford with 25 minutes gone.
Stamford were now swarming forward and centre-forward Greg Smith found the space to fire in a header on 32 minutes, however Martin Fearon was able to parry the goalbound effort away, the ball ran to the left side, Stamford sent it back into the box and this time Greg Smith netted.
It might well have been a different story had Skelmersdale’s most reliable outfield player since New Year Chris Almond not suffered a bad bounce as the goal was begging from a Paul Woolcott cross in the 41st minute.
Skelmersdale came out well after the break, but by then Stamford knew exactly what they had to do, defend solidly and hit Skem on the break, which they threatened to do.
From a Skelmersdale perspective, Kenny Strickland had a free-kick saved and on the hour substitute Ronnie McCarthy was unmarked at the far post when he was given a great opportunity to head a maiden goal, but he had only been on the pitch seconds and could be given the benefit of doubt that he was still cold.
A minute later a long ball over the top saw a defender slip and Lee Beeson finished well. It was 1-4 and all over.
Almond toiled away, seeing one effort saved by Bastock and another hit the crossbar, he was arguably unlucky, but no one could deny that the best team won on the night.
It was possibly Skelmersdale’s worst performance of the season and the last game beckons at Whitby Town on Saturday, both teams will be in the Evo-Stik Premier Division next season, so the opportunity is there for Skelmersdale. On this showing a number of them certainly owe manager Tommy Lawson and the supporters something to shout about.
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Fearon, Mooney, Strickland © (Donaldson, 67), Rendell, Rowlands, Brewster, Vassallo (McCarthy, 59), Woolcott, Hazeldine, Bailey, Almond Subs (not used) Tuck, Holden
STAMFORD: Bastock, Hare, Luto, Challinor ©, Batchelor, Hartley (Downey, 82), Beeson, Duffy, Smith G. (Hamilton, 76), Newman (Rzonca, 85), Smith J. Subs (not used) Wightwick
Referee: Matt Donohue (Liverpool)
Attendance: 182
SKELMERSDALE UNITED 1 STAMFORD 4
By Neil Leatherbarrow
The football season is winding down at Stormy Corner, but Skelmersdale United were a little too off the pace for the opening half-hour in this one and it cost them any realistic chance of getting anything out of the match. Stamford had arrived in town desperately needing to win to keep up their battle to avoid relegation; they were very hyped up and were by far the stronger and sharper side.
It was though Skelmersdale who initially started the quicker. Pushing on hard they almost immediately won a corner on the right-hand side, the ball was driven into the goalmouth and via a deflection it fell to Max Hazeldine at the far-post, making his final appearance at Stormy Corner, the 19 year old who is on loan from Accrington, left the home support with something to remember him by. With his back to goal, he twisted away from his marker and drilled the ball low under Stamford goalkeeper Paul Bastock to make it 1-0 to Skelmersdale with just 105 seconds gone.
Stamford were horrified, it they didn’t win they were condemned to relegation, simple as that. They went on the offensive the ball was swung in from the right and completely unmarked Jordan Smith headed home from six yards out.
Instantly the momentum of the whole match changed, Stamford had their tails up and there was still only four minutes gone.
Stamford then pushed on making it difficult for Skem to play football and at times they hemmed them in at the back. Ironically it was from a Skelmersdale counterattack that Stamford took the lead, Jake Duffy sent the ball through the Skelmersdale backline and Jake Newman finished clinically making it 2-1 to Stamford with 25 minutes gone.
Stamford were now swarming forward and centre-forward Greg Smith found the space to fire in a header on 32 minutes, however Martin Fearon was able to parry the goalbound effort away, the ball ran to the left side, Stamford sent it back into the box and this time Greg Smith netted.
It might well have been a different story had Skelmersdale’s most reliable outfield player since New Year Chris Almond not suffered a bad bounce as the goal was begging from a Paul Woolcott cross in the 41st minute.
Skelmersdale came out well after the break, but by then Stamford knew exactly what they had to do, defend solidly and hit Skem on the break, which they threatened to do.
From a Skelmersdale perspective, Kenny Strickland had a free-kick saved and on the hour substitute Ronnie McCarthy was unmarked at the far post when he was given a great opportunity to head a maiden goal, but he had only been on the pitch seconds and could be given the benefit of doubt that he was still cold.
A minute later a long ball over the top saw a defender slip and Lee Beeson finished well. It was 1-4 and all over.
Almond toiled away, seeing one effort saved by Bastock and another hit the crossbar, he was arguably unlucky, but no one could deny that the best team won on the night.
It was possibly Skelmersdale’s worst performance of the season and the last game beckons at Whitby Town on Saturday, both teams will be in the Evo-Stik Premier Division next season, so the opportunity is there for Skelmersdale. On this showing a number of them certainly owe manager Tommy Lawson and the supporters something to shout about.
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Fearon, Mooney, Strickland © (Donaldson, 67), Rendell, Rowlands, Brewster, Vassallo (McCarthy, 59), Woolcott, Hazeldine, Bailey, Almond Subs (not used) Tuck, Holden
STAMFORD: Bastock, Hare, Luto, Challinor ©, Batchelor, Hartley (Downey, 82), Beeson, Duffy, Smith G. (Hamilton, 76), Newman (Rzonca, 85), Smith J. Subs (not used) Wightwick
Referee: Matt Donohue (Liverpool)
Attendance: 182