Post by Kev Panther on Apr 18, 2018 8:56:13 GMT
Skelmersdale United’s Tuesday night trip to West Yorkshire was a frustrating experience, Dave Powell’s team probably matched their hosts possession wise but simply didn’t generate a great deal of chances. Ossett took the lead via a swift counteract in the 18th minute and got the winner with a looping header that crept inside the post on 79 minutes.
A biting wind and a drying pitch surface didn’t help to bring out the silken skills of either team in the opening exchanges and in the first ten minutes the main talking point was a head injury picked up by Liam Hollett when his clashed with the boot of Ossett number nine Nicky Boshell. After lengthy treatment by Heather Vearncombe he carried on but would no doubt have had a headache on Wednesday morning.
Phil Mooney dropped an effort just wide of the Ossett post on 14 minutes before in the 18th minute some Skem enterprise indirectly led to their downfall.
Jack Lenehan put Tyler Rufus away down the right and his cross caused bedlam in the home penalty area, neither Jason Darr or Alaster Redmayne could take advantage and Ossett goalkeeper Leigh Overton finally grasped the ball. Overton cleared quickly, two passes later Martin Pembleton was in behind the Skelmersdale defence and his finish to make gave Skelmersdale goalkeeper Lee Callum Roberts no chance.
The rest of the half saw Ossett having most of the possession but being held fairly comfortably held by Skelmersdale the main threat being snubbed out by some excellent interceptions by goalkeeper Roberts. As the game went towards half-time Skelmersdale started to grow more as an attacking force, Lenehan and Rufus putting shots wide from just outside the penalty area. Skelmersdale were almost in trouble on 48 minutes when a long bouncing ball forward put Ossett in on goal, but appearing out of almost nowhere Mooney made two superb tackles and the panic was over.
Skelmersdale were pressing but were kept at arm’s length by Ossett, not being able to open up the home defence up after some excellent approach play. Rufus had a well struck attempt from 20 yards saved by Overton and a Jack Fleming free-kick went close after everyone in the area missed the ball and it bounced fractionally wide of the far post. In the 77th minute Ossett cleared off their goal-line, when a Fleming corner brought about a bit of head tennis in the goalmouth.
Eleven minutes from the end Ossett sealed it up and arguably they had a bit of luck. A cross from the right found the head of Craig Nelthorpe, whether he caught it cleanly is debatable but he sent a looping header at goal that dropped suddenly inside the far post, Roberts agonisingly just couldn’t keep it out. Rufus came close to giving Skelmersdale a lifeline on 82 minutes, receiving the ball wide on the right he cut inside but his stinging left-foot shot was saved by Overton after a fumble. For Skem, it just wasn’t to be.
Skelmersdale are a young team with six members of the starting line-up around or below twenty years old, they worked tirelessly but were not as physically strong as Ossett and couldn’t breakdown the home defence. Manager Dave Powell has expressed how urgent he is to acquire some strength upfront it could be said that it would have made a real difference here.
OSSETT TOWN: Overton, Bailey, Jackson, Low, Assenso, Gregory, Mackie, Yates (Bingley, 86), Boshell (Ripley, 84), Pembleton ©, Nelthorpe (Ellam, 81) Subs (not used) St Juste, Wigglesworth
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Roberts, Mooney, Fleming, Roddy, Hollett ©, Wardle, Darr, Molyneux (Baxendale, 70), Rufus, Lenehan, Redmayne (Burey, 64) Subs (not used) Hill, Mitchell, Randell
Referee: Paul Roots
Attendance: 108
A biting wind and a drying pitch surface didn’t help to bring out the silken skills of either team in the opening exchanges and in the first ten minutes the main talking point was a head injury picked up by Liam Hollett when his clashed with the boot of Ossett number nine Nicky Boshell. After lengthy treatment by Heather Vearncombe he carried on but would no doubt have had a headache on Wednesday morning.
Phil Mooney dropped an effort just wide of the Ossett post on 14 minutes before in the 18th minute some Skem enterprise indirectly led to their downfall.
Jack Lenehan put Tyler Rufus away down the right and his cross caused bedlam in the home penalty area, neither Jason Darr or Alaster Redmayne could take advantage and Ossett goalkeeper Leigh Overton finally grasped the ball. Overton cleared quickly, two passes later Martin Pembleton was in behind the Skelmersdale defence and his finish to make gave Skelmersdale goalkeeper Lee Callum Roberts no chance.
The rest of the half saw Ossett having most of the possession but being held fairly comfortably held by Skelmersdale the main threat being snubbed out by some excellent interceptions by goalkeeper Roberts. As the game went towards half-time Skelmersdale started to grow more as an attacking force, Lenehan and Rufus putting shots wide from just outside the penalty area. Skelmersdale were almost in trouble on 48 minutes when a long bouncing ball forward put Ossett in on goal, but appearing out of almost nowhere Mooney made two superb tackles and the panic was over.
Skelmersdale were pressing but were kept at arm’s length by Ossett, not being able to open up the home defence up after some excellent approach play. Rufus had a well struck attempt from 20 yards saved by Overton and a Jack Fleming free-kick went close after everyone in the area missed the ball and it bounced fractionally wide of the far post. In the 77th minute Ossett cleared off their goal-line, when a Fleming corner brought about a bit of head tennis in the goalmouth.
Eleven minutes from the end Ossett sealed it up and arguably they had a bit of luck. A cross from the right found the head of Craig Nelthorpe, whether he caught it cleanly is debatable but he sent a looping header at goal that dropped suddenly inside the far post, Roberts agonisingly just couldn’t keep it out. Rufus came close to giving Skelmersdale a lifeline on 82 minutes, receiving the ball wide on the right he cut inside but his stinging left-foot shot was saved by Overton after a fumble. For Skem, it just wasn’t to be.
Skelmersdale are a young team with six members of the starting line-up around or below twenty years old, they worked tirelessly but were not as physically strong as Ossett and couldn’t breakdown the home defence. Manager Dave Powell has expressed how urgent he is to acquire some strength upfront it could be said that it would have made a real difference here.
OSSETT TOWN: Overton, Bailey, Jackson, Low, Assenso, Gregory, Mackie, Yates (Bingley, 86), Boshell (Ripley, 84), Pembleton ©, Nelthorpe (Ellam, 81) Subs (not used) St Juste, Wigglesworth
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Roberts, Mooney, Fleming, Roddy, Hollett ©, Wardle, Darr, Molyneux (Baxendale, 70), Rufus, Lenehan, Redmayne (Burey, 64) Subs (not used) Hill, Mitchell, Randell
Referee: Paul Roots
Attendance: 108