TORRENCE SAVES IT FOR SKEM

TORRENCE SAVES IT FOR SKEM
Young keeper keeps United on track

Richard Brodie's Skelmersdale United bandwagon rolls on, claiming their 4th successive victory with a hard fought 2-1 win over Colne on Saturday, the blues had to thank on loan keeper Joel Torrence for claiming all 3 points, the youngster signed from Salford earlier this week looked composed and made a number of saves that kept Skem in the game.

Torrance came into the game early doors, using all of his 6ft 3 in frame to tip over a Craig Carney effort after just 7 minutes, and it was his fellow Salford loanee Finnan Crofton that put Skem into the lead, intricate work from Freeman on the left set up Danny O'Brien, his shot was blocked on the line with the 17 year old Crofton first to react to send Skem 1 up.
Torrance again saved well, this time from a 25 yard drive from Doyle pushing wide of the upright.
United talisman Elliott Morris got in on the action, a 20 yard free kick just clipping the top of the bar and minutes later the youngster set up O'Brien, his shot blazed high wide and not very handsome.

A succession of corners from the visitors ended when young Danny Hagen, under pressure from the big centre forward Watkinson, forced the ball over his own line for 1-1.
United over the past few weeks have become a resilient outfit and hit back immediately, a charging run from Morris saw him unleash a terrific drive from the edge of the box that had opposition keeper Burton floundering.
As the half came to a close United had a chance to extend their lead with a fantastic run from Abdul Djalo, despite very close attention from the defenders set up Morris, a shot from a tight angle was well kept out by Burton.

Skem very nearly added a third just moments into the second period, great work from Lees & Djalo set up Mcloughlin, his hot fizzed across the goalmouth without finding a blue boot to poke it home.

United lost the services of Crofton at half time and in doing so lost much of their shape going forward, with Colne coming more into the frame, Bell & Lees held firm at the back and Torrance earned his corn on his debut, an acrobatic overhead kick from Carney looked to be goal bound until the intervention of the young keeper.
Mcloughlin should have done better with his shot inside the box but chose placement rather than pace, Morris fluffled when in a good position but the half belonged to Torrence, pulling of another save in the games dying embers to deny Watkinson and claiming all 3 points for Skem

SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Torrence Hagan Freeman Gallagher Lees Bell Morris Djalo Crofton McLaughlin O'Brien; SUBS: Gerrard Hamilton Murphy, unused Herbert, Jackson

COLNE: Burton Wallbank Anderson Kardacz Steel Winstanley Carney Doyle Watkinson Forshaw Stowe; SUBS: Bradley Cormack Fagan Kyobe Weaver