Last Gasp United Deny 10-Man Town

A long awaited return to league action saw United leave it late to claim a 2-2 draw against Hanley Town with the visitors having played almost an hour with ten men.

On the eve of a year in charge of the team, Paul McNally handed debuts to Patrick Staunton and Khalil Ose-Efa (on dual registration from Marine and Ramsbottom United ) while fellow new signing Joshua Brabin was named on the bench.

The first chance of the afternoon saw Thomas Riley try his luck from distance with Ben Barnes collecting comfortably before Jordan Tyrer headed past the post after collecting a long range free-kick. United came achingly close to opening the scoring after clever work from Alex Griffiths and Cam Glennon saw the latter cross low for Emini Adegbenro who could only hit at Aaron Woolrich as did Joe Cawley with the rebound.

Cawley swept a free-kick over the target before Adegbenro finished a pacy run with a powerful long range effort which saw Woolrich saving low. At the other end, Timothy Sanders sent a shot over the bar after being picked out by Oliver Mellor and he went one better on 23 minutes as he opened the scoring with a strong shot from just outside the area which left Barnes helpless due to the mass of players in sight as Town led 1-0.

United should have levelled within minutes as a clever run and cross from Glennon saw Richard Brodie leave the pass for Adegbenro to tap in at the far post but he could only cannon the ball against the upright. Town could have doubled their lead as Neil Cope drew a point-blank save from Barnes with Christopher Budrys heading over at the far post.

A low cross from Adegbenro saw Brodie flick the ball over the bar before Hanley were dealt a blow on 36 minutes with the the dismissal of Joshua Thorpe after a dangerous challenge on Steve Kipre. An angled cross from Kipre minutes later just needed a fellow United attacker to flick into the net but sadly the effort avoided everyone including the target.

United levelled five minutes into the second half and in style with a long range pass from Tyrer flicked on by both Brodie and Cawley into the path of Adegbenro who advanced on goal and after avoiding a Woolrich challenge, slotted in to an empty net for 1-1. Sanders tested the reflexes of Barnes with two free-kick's the second coming closest to restoring the lead.

Adegbenro's low cross from a Patrick Staunton pass came close to finding Brodie for a potential tap-in but was blocked by the Town defence. A similar chance came minutes later this time with substitute Tom Croughan beginning the move and though Brodie collected, his touch proved too heavy to trouble the goal-line.

The missed chances proved costly for United as Town regained the lead on 71 minutes, Budrys dispossessing Staunton and running down the wing before crossing for Oliver Putnam who fired past Barnes into the top corner for 2-1. A superb mazy run from John Keatley saw him evade all comers with the eventual shot sadly missing the post.

United did draw level with the clock just ticking into the 90th minute, Griffiths' aerial pass seeing Keatley and Cawley combine with the latter picking out Croughan who fired into the far corner of the net from an angle to make it 2-2.

Town breathed a sigh of relief in the final minutes as United came achingly close to claiming a winner, a looping corner saw Brodie flick on for Tyrer who was unmarked at the far post but his touch proved too heavy with the empty net at his mercy.

United went close twice more before the end with Adegbenro forcing a near post save from Woolrich before Brodie flicked wide from close range. The final whistle sounded with United happy to have avoided defeat but also cursing their missed chances late on but overall a point on the board.

Skelmersdale United - Barnes, Glennon, Staunton (J.Grimshaw 81), Ose-Efa, Keatley, Tyrer, Kipre (Croughan 60), Griffiths, Brodie, Cawley, Adegbenro. Subs not used - Brabin, T.Grimshaw, Djabi.

Hanley Town- Woolrich, Faulkner, Riley (Stanyer 53), Bristow, Thorpe, Sanders, Mellor, Budrys (Higham 84), Cope, Ahmadi (Boast 75). Subs not used - Darlington, Barras.

Referee- W.Davis
Att- 90.