Victory on the Road again
Newcastle Town 0-1 Skelmersdale United
Skelmersdale United produced another stunning away victory, their 5th in the last 6 games and are now unbeaten in 3 as they climb the Northern Premier League West table to 9th spot, just 2 points of 7th and more importantly putting a gap between themselves and those in the relegation spots.
It was never going to be a classic encounter, Newcastle are a renown team of battlers, having been at the wrong end of the table over the past few seasons and with Skem becoming dogged and determined under the management of Richard Brodie on their travels, the game was very much bogged down in a midfield battled, both teams had chances, Sam Ashton coming to United's rescue and opposite number Joe Slinn denying Ste Milne early doors.
However, from there the game devolved into a turgid, scrappy affair with neither side showing any fluency or ability to string passes together. Newcastle looked the more comfortable with the ball at their feet, but Skelmersdale looked dangerous on the break and often had the hosts scrambling, neither side could create a definitive goalscoring chance, with every attempt to get into the box intercepted or too easy for the goalkeepers and defences.
The bright spot for Skem came in the 50th minute, keeper Slinn inexplicably picked up from a back pass, Elliott Morris's free kick found Callum Lees who drilled home from 10 yards out to give Skem the lead.
United nearly doubled their lead moments later, an audacious shot from the half way line from Milne beat the keeper but the bounce took the ball just over the bar.
Newcastle came looking for a equaliser and right at the death the home side hit the post on 3 occasions from Morgan, Chiminese & Askey before Ashton claimed and secured another 3 points for Skem.
SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Ashton Hagan Freeman Jackson Lees Bell Morris Djalo Milne McLaughlin O'Brien; SUBS: Gallagher Gerrard Crofton- unused Herbert Hamilton
NEWCASTLE TOWN: Slinn Derbyshire Stubbs Laan Askey Dennis Walsh Thompson Baxter Lloyd Morley; SUBS: Russo Ritchie Lovatt Chimenes Conlon
Photo Courtesy -Sarah Shuttleworth