Post by Kev Panther on Mar 6, 2013 19:03:39 GMT
SKELMERSDALE EDGED OUT BY MAD FIVE MINUTES AT HARROGATE
HARROGATE RAILWAY ATHLETIC 3 SKELMERSDALE UNITED 2
By Neil Leatherbarrow
It was all going well for Skelmersdale in North Yorkshire 2-1 up and on top in the game with 15 minutes to go; the only itch was that the third goal that would have secured the game wouldn’t come. A bolt out of the blue in the form of a tremendous 25 yard volley into the top corner from Jesus Samuel Martin-Farija stunned Skelmersdale, then a header off a free-kick five minutes later into the far corner of the goal turned a comfortable situation on its head.
The game had kicked off fifty minutes late due to a crash on the Motorway and as an after effect Skelmersdale arguably took some time to warm into the game. The result was going a goal down, a loose ball across the park was intercepted, and switched to home striker Liam Hardy, he rounded Skelmersdale goalkeeper Sam Ashton and put Harrogate into what at the time was a deserved twelfth minute lead.
Skelmersdale pulled themselves together and apart from a long distance effort from home number six Jon Maloney that whistled over the crossbar Tommy Lawson’s men established control.
Antony Hickey was thwarted by a great save from Harrogate goalkeeper Sam Dobbs, before Adam Morning made the breakthrough for Skelmersdale. Pushing on with the ball from his defensive position, Morning looked up and unleashed a swerving shot that left Dobbs not chance at all.
Three minutes later a ball went over the top, Gary Burnett sprung the home offside trap, rounded Dobbs and stroked the ball into the net. 2-1 to Skelmersdale.
The rest of the half was all Skelmersdale, the highlight being an imaginative flick from Matty Hughes, that put Hickey in, but Dobbs rescued Harrogate again. The second-half started similarly, in the 48th minute a terrific weaving run from Hughes sent the ball to Burnett but Dobbs made another fine stop.
Harrogate then had a five minute spell. Ashton saved a Martin-Farija shot, but it was one you would expect him too, followed a minute later by a far better one at the feet of Martin-Farija after Hardy created the opportunity.
Normal service resumed, but Skelmersdale couldn’t kill the game off, mainly due to keeper Dobbs and some brave defending, Hughes and Burnett in particular suffering frustration.
On 75 minutes the ball was lofted into the Skelmersdale box, and the ball was cleared to relative safely, dropping some 25 yards from goal, Martin-Farija swung his boot and the ball rocketed into the roof of the net. It was a great goal, especially if you were from Harrogate.
On 80 minutes an attack down the right brought a free-kick to the Railwaymen. The ball was fired to the near-post, Maloney flicked the ball on and it went into the far corner. It had been like a smash and grab raid.
Harrogate fell back but Skelmersdale still almost saved a point in added time, Morning riddled free of the home defence and his shot brought the first fumble all night from Dobbs, Hughes crashing home the rebound. However, a raised flag gave the Railwaymen the points.
HARROGATE RAILWAY ATHLETIC: Dobbs, Wood, Hunter, Thirkell, Hopkins, Maloney ©, Clayton, Cartman, Martin-Farija, Hardy, McCann Subs Hallam, Parkes, Coupland, Ashworth
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Ashton, Field, Morning, Hardwick ©, McIntosh, Strickland, Hickey, Woolcott, Jackson, Burnett, Hughes Subs Phenix, Evans, Wright, Hine, Aley
Referee: Stuart Campbell (Middlesbrough)
Attendance: 55
HARROGATE RAILWAY ATHLETIC 3 SKELMERSDALE UNITED 2
By Neil Leatherbarrow
It was all going well for Skelmersdale in North Yorkshire 2-1 up and on top in the game with 15 minutes to go; the only itch was that the third goal that would have secured the game wouldn’t come. A bolt out of the blue in the form of a tremendous 25 yard volley into the top corner from Jesus Samuel Martin-Farija stunned Skelmersdale, then a header off a free-kick five minutes later into the far corner of the goal turned a comfortable situation on its head.
The game had kicked off fifty minutes late due to a crash on the Motorway and as an after effect Skelmersdale arguably took some time to warm into the game. The result was going a goal down, a loose ball across the park was intercepted, and switched to home striker Liam Hardy, he rounded Skelmersdale goalkeeper Sam Ashton and put Harrogate into what at the time was a deserved twelfth minute lead.
Skelmersdale pulled themselves together and apart from a long distance effort from home number six Jon Maloney that whistled over the crossbar Tommy Lawson’s men established control.
Antony Hickey was thwarted by a great save from Harrogate goalkeeper Sam Dobbs, before Adam Morning made the breakthrough for Skelmersdale. Pushing on with the ball from his defensive position, Morning looked up and unleashed a swerving shot that left Dobbs not chance at all.
Three minutes later a ball went over the top, Gary Burnett sprung the home offside trap, rounded Dobbs and stroked the ball into the net. 2-1 to Skelmersdale.
The rest of the half was all Skelmersdale, the highlight being an imaginative flick from Matty Hughes, that put Hickey in, but Dobbs rescued Harrogate again. The second-half started similarly, in the 48th minute a terrific weaving run from Hughes sent the ball to Burnett but Dobbs made another fine stop.
Harrogate then had a five minute spell. Ashton saved a Martin-Farija shot, but it was one you would expect him too, followed a minute later by a far better one at the feet of Martin-Farija after Hardy created the opportunity.
Normal service resumed, but Skelmersdale couldn’t kill the game off, mainly due to keeper Dobbs and some brave defending, Hughes and Burnett in particular suffering frustration.
On 75 minutes the ball was lofted into the Skelmersdale box, and the ball was cleared to relative safely, dropping some 25 yards from goal, Martin-Farija swung his boot and the ball rocketed into the roof of the net. It was a great goal, especially if you were from Harrogate.
On 80 minutes an attack down the right brought a free-kick to the Railwaymen. The ball was fired to the near-post, Maloney flicked the ball on and it went into the far corner. It had been like a smash and grab raid.
Harrogate fell back but Skelmersdale still almost saved a point in added time, Morning riddled free of the home defence and his shot brought the first fumble all night from Dobbs, Hughes crashing home the rebound. However, a raised flag gave the Railwaymen the points.
HARROGATE RAILWAY ATHLETIC: Dobbs, Wood, Hunter, Thirkell, Hopkins, Maloney ©, Clayton, Cartman, Martin-Farija, Hardy, McCann Subs Hallam, Parkes, Coupland, Ashworth
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Ashton, Field, Morning, Hardwick ©, McIntosh, Strickland, Hickey, Woolcott, Jackson, Burnett, Hughes Subs Phenix, Evans, Wright, Hine, Aley
Referee: Stuart Campbell (Middlesbrough)
Attendance: 55