ASHTON UNITED 5 SKELMERSDALE UNITED 0

CUP SUCCESS CATCHES UP WITH SKELMERSDALE

ASHTON UNITED 5 SKELMERSDALE UNITED 0

By Neil Leatherbarrow

What appears a very bad day for Skelmersdale was arguably not quite as bad as that on the day, as four of the goals arrived in the last 18 minutes at Hurst Cross giving Ashton who were clearly the better team on the day victory by a margin that flattered them somewhat.

Skelmersdale had hung on well until the 72nd minute when former Skelmersdale player Adam Morning made it 2-0 and effectively opened the floodgates that Skem had fought hard to keep shut for almost all the game prior to his strike.

The hosts were saved by their goalkeeper in the 8th minute when only goalkeeper Paul Phillips sharp intervention to Phil Mooney’s dangerous cross kept the ball away from a pair of Skelmersdale forwards who looked poised to strike.

Gradually though Ashton started to assert and Rob McIntosh did well to clear in the 14th minute from a Chris Baguley ball into the goalmouth, however two minutes later Ashton couldn’t be thwarted. A long ball was headed on by Dale Johnson, putting Martin Pilkington clean in on goal and he finished well low into the corner.
Skelmersdale probably had their best chance of the game six minutes later. Dan Mitchley looped a header over Phillips, but sadly over the crossbar too.

The final five minutes before the interval saw Ashton press and Skelmersdale hold on. With a scramble in the penalty area resulting in a clearance, before Martin Fearon saved from Pilkington after the striker had forced his way through on goal.

After the restart Skelmersdale struggled to get going and Ashton applied pressure, but again Skelmersdale kept themselves in the game with some fine defending. In one frantic spell, Fearon saved from Johnson then Pilkington had a shot blocked, before Fearon saved again from Pilkington.

The second goal was crucial to the outcome because it arguably gave Skem too much to do to salvage the game and a free-kick that wasn’t given didn’t exactly help them. Tom Hardwick appeared to be on the wrong end of the decision in the 72nd minute and the ball was switched across the field to an unmarked Morning on the left and he duly chipped the ball over an advancing Fearon and into the net.

Two minutes later Morning did it again, he crossed from the left to the far post and Jay Gorton headed home.

It was all over and a tired looking Skelmersdale side suffered, experienced substitute Jody Banim was presented with an opportunity that he was never going to waste to make it four before Johnson got in on the scoring in added time.

Skelmersdale didn’t pose a great deal of attacking threat on the day, but by virtue of hanging on they had the hope that a goal on the break might save them. When the second goal went in the impact of a long injury list and two hard FA Cup games combined to finish them off, one goal was possible, two was just not on and they were punished.

It was probably the worse Skelmersdale performance for 18 months or so, but it was not entirely unexpected after what the players had gone through over the previous seven days, a number of Skelmersdale supporters were very critical of the team in the latter stages. Although they were disappointed, under the circumstances it was not fair comment from them.

ASAHTON UNITED: Phillips, Mason. Coo, Gorton ©, Connor, Sutherland (Haining, 56), Baguley, Gee, Pilkington (Banim, 84), Johnson, Melia (Morning, 56) Subs (not used) Jacobs, Vincent

SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Fearon, Mooney, Holden, Hardwick, McIntosh ©, Burton, Donaldson (Donnelly, 70), Strickland, Mitchley, Kinsella, Corrigan (Bellew, 70) Sub (not used) Heron

Referee: Sam Mulhall Attendance: 157

Read more: http://skemunitedforum.proboards.com/thread/2388/ashton-united-5-skelmersdale#ixzz3mOl14HE9