JACKSON AT THE DOUBLE
Glossop North End 1-2 Skelmersdale United

Martyn Jackson was the United hero on Saturday afternoon as United travelled to Derbyshire to face Glossop, Jackson who only joined the club in January bagged two goals that gave Skem victory, their 4th in the last 5 matches on the road.

It could have been a different story, as the home side set about the blues from the off, Bevan Burey, ex Skem player was brought down in the box as early as the 3rd minute, Sam Ashton pulling of a top class save to deny Freedman from the spot.

It was Jackson who made the hosts pay as the defensive midfielder crashed home after 8 minutes to give Skem an unlikely lead, Glossop dominated proceedings having much of the ball and the majority of shots, Freedman, Valentine & Etia all going close, whilst Skem were left with a few forays forward, with only their second shot on target it was Jackson again on 38 minutes, much a carbon copy of his first who gave Skem a 2 goal cushion at half time.

It was very much the same the second half, a backs to the wall performance from Skem, Herbert & Bell at the back stood firm, assisted by a tenacious midfield performance from both Mcloughlin & Djalo kept the home side at arms length.

There was late drama as Nathan Valentine, the Glossop skipper fired home on 90 minutes to reduce the arrears but United held firm, even with the 10 minutes added time to give them the 3 points.

The result moves them up to 13th in the Pitching-In NPL-West table but such is the tightness of the division they are just 3 points of 7th spot
United have now won 8 games away from home, whilst the home record shows just 3 wins and they are the only club in the English Pyramid that has yet to draw a game this season
United are at Home next week at the Burscough Community Stadium to bottom club Ramsbottom United, considering their home form the result will not be a forgone conclusion

SKELMERSDALE UNITED- Ashton, Hagen, Herbert, Bell, Freeman, Jackson, Morris, Djalo, Milne, Mcloughlin, Alabi - Subs O'Brien, Gallagher, Lees, unused Newton, Gerrard

GLOSSOP Ellison, Moran, Sanogo, Okome, McGuire, Jeanne, Burrey, Valentine, Etia, Yoak, Freedman Subs Noak, Lavelle, Hogan, Hopkins, Malkowski

Photo -Andrew Shuttleworth