Skelmersdale United manager Tommy Lawson will be glad of the new start a new month will bring after a February that is has been anything but memorable, all culminating in a day a frustration in Leicestershire. Tommy’s frustration was obvious when after the match he commented; “I have been in the game a long time and know that to a certain extent you make your own luck, but we are certainly not getting any at the moment.” You could understand his comments when after a bright opening losing central defender Rob Bodie after just 18 minutes proved crucial as the man he was marking arguably won the game for Barwell.
Skelmersdale had started well and had Rob McIntosh headed home from a Kenny Strickland free-kick in the 3rd minute, it is very likely a completely different story would be written here.
As it was Rob Bodie significantly picked up a first booking of the game a minute later for pulling a shirt.
Skelmersdale continued to have plenty of the play and Dale Wright had a shot saved by home goalkeeper James Beeson before calamity struck in the 18th minute. Home striker Jamie Towers broke free on a run at the Skelmersdale penalty box, Bodie again dragged him back and almost inevitably referee Adam Crysell showed him a second yellow then red card. Really Skelmersdale could argue.
It was still pretty even until Barwell grabbed a big advantage in the 29th minute. A free-kick was awarded on the left, the ball was floated into the area, Towers got above everyone and headed home. Ironically he was the man Bodie would have been marking.
Chances became few, although Skelmersdale did have one fleeting opportunity before the break when an Alan Burton shot was blocked and Joe Whittington put the rebound over the crossbar.
The second-half was a mirror image of the first, both teams working hard in a close contest, generating little in front of goal.
The 67th and 71st minute’s arguably decided the game. Earlier in the game Barwell left-back Eddie Nisevic received a yellow card, so when he cynically fouled Skelmersdale winger Ben Tollitt in the 67th minute, everyone expected a yellow and red card to follow, after all Bodie had received that treatment. However, referee Mr Crysell just gave a free-kick to Skelmersdale.
Whether a red card from Mr Cysell would have brought about a different outcome for Skelmersdale, no one will know, but it is not surprising that Tommy Lawson felt badly done to at the end.
It only rubbed salt into the wounds for Skem when Towers took advantage of space in the Skelmersdale penalty area to blast home a second goal in the 71st minute and effectively kill the game off.
Skelmersdale continued to press but to no avail, while Barwell looked the more likely to score on the counterattack, neither team found the net and by the end the final whistle just brought an end to bad day for Skelmersdale.

BARWELL: Beeson, Lower (Brehon, 59), Nisevic, Jenno, Hood, Lavery © (Julian, 83), Tomkinson, Woodward, Towers, Melvin, Carney (Gaunt, 73) Subs (not used) Colley, Hadland
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: James, Fernandes, Holden, McIntosh ©, Bodie, Wright, Whittington (Bakkor, 69), Burton (Wylie, 88), Mitchley, Strickland, Tollitt Subs (not used) Mooney, Meaney, Donaldson

Referee: Adam Crysell