Aidan Kirkbride, an Ormskirk lad who arrived at Skelmersdale in the summer via a trip across “The Pond”, to North Carolina fired Skelmersdale to victory in their first away game of the season and at the same time put Tommy Lawson’s side into sixth position.

Having won at Buxton on Saturday, Nantwich opened confidently and for fifteen minutes they pressured Skelmersdale; however the closest they came to scoring were a header wide by Mark Jones and after an exchange of passes a shot from Max Harrop that was dealt with by Skelmersdale goalkeeper Martin Fearon.

Skelmersdale were starting to pose a threat themselves when in the 21st & 22nd minutes their cause was helped greatly by two minutes of what can only be described as madness by Harrop. The former Liverpool academy and Bury player first made a theatrical dive in the Skelmersdale penalty area that duly brought him a yellow card. Then not satisfied with that, a minute later he butted Skelmersdale midfielder Alan Burton. All bringing the proper response from referee Alan Bennett, a straight red card. Significantly, not one person on the ground spoke in Harrop’s defence.

Skelmersdale started doing what Skelmersdale do best, they stretched Nantwich with a string of passing moves that made the ten men work extra hard.

By the interval, Dan Mitchley had gone close twice for Skelmersdale once with a flicked header, the other with a 25 yard volley over the crossbar. Nantwich went close the once, when Rob Bodie bravely blocked an effort from former Southport striker Vinny Mukendi. But the momentum was very much with Skelmersdale.

The wind had been behind Nantwich in the first-half and now it was Skelmersdale’s turn and in the 51st minute a shot from Mitchley was only saved by home goalkeeper Terry Smith at the second attempt.
The goal came two minutes later. With the inclusion of new signing Curtis Thompson in the Skelmersdale side, Kirkbride moved from a central midfield role to one on the right-hand side and with the pace he has, he looked very effective there too. The ball was slipped between the left-back and central defender, Kirkbride sprinted onto the ball, smashing a shot wide of Smith’s left-hand and into the net from about 15 yards.

Nantwich were still a threat, but Skelmersdale held the upper hand. The only real worry the hosts generated was a cross from substitute Steve Lewis that fizzed across the Skelmersdale goal in the 69th minute.

Skelmersdale could probably have secured the game comfortably with a second goal. However, Mitchley saw a smart header saved, Connor McCarthy headed over the target and after a very slick movement down the left Tom Ince saw his goal disallowed for offside.

Skelmersdale looked solid at the back, Bodie and Rob McIntosh are forming a formidable partnership and goalkeeper Fearon is not just an emergency shot stopper, his kicking ability makes him almost an extra sweeper. While new signing Thompson is not so much the new Ashley Dunn, but more like a younger version of Paul Woolcott, a prospect that should have the Skelmersdale support salivating.

NANTWICH TOWN: Smith, Lycett. White, Jones M. ©, Jones A., Bailey, Clayton, Blake (Bramall, 80), Mukendi (Meaney, 56), Harrop, Pepper (Lewis, 56) Subs (not used) Wilson, Johnson

SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Fearon, Wylie, Ince, McIntosh ©, Bodie, Kirkbride, Thompson, Burton, Mitchley, McCarthy (Sumner, 77), Strickland Subs (not used) Simpson, O’Reilly, Lloyd, Griffiths

Referee: Alan Bennett

Attendance: 187