SKELMERSDALE UNITED 2 BUXTON 1

SKELMERSDALE QUICK OFF THE MARK TO CAPTURE THREE POINTS

SKELMERSDALE UNITED 2 BUXTON 1

By Neil Leatherbarrow

An excellent first-half show of some fine flowing football gave Skelmersdale United the foundation to sew up three points at Stormy Corner. Leading 2-1 at the interval with the exception of one dangerous free-kick, Skelmersdale defended solidly after the interval to fend off a Buxton fightback.

There were just four minutes gone when Skelmersdale went into the lead. The ball was chipped up to centre-forward Chris Almond; he headed it down in textbook fashion to Ged Kinsella, who slotted the opportunity home to give Skem a great start.

For a while the game became tight and Buxton almost took advantage of a slip, but Alex Wiles shot over the crossbar.

Most all the rest of the first-half saw Skelmersdale on top as Buxton struggled to get to terms with Skelmersdale’s slick passing football.

The highlights were a shot from Kinsella that went just wide after a good build-up and an effort from Sam Staunton-Turner that was saved by Buxton goalkeeper Phil Barnes.

Almond went on to pick up the “50005 Taxis” man of the match award and his setting up of both Skelmersdale goals went a long way toward him deservedly getting the award.

In the 36th minute the Skelmersdale pressure brought about a second goal, Almond cleverly holding up the ball before releasing it to an on the run Tom Ince, who with outside of his left-foot drilled a swerving shot past goalkeeper Barnes from 18 yards out.

Buxton looked good on the counterattack and moments before the break they put themselves back into the game from a situation that was somewhat against the run of play, or to be precise Niall Doran did, because the visiting number eleven, fought his way through two challenges before powering a low shot into the Skelmersdale net.

The second-half opened with both teams going close. Only a great save by Martin Fearon retained the Skelmersdale lead in the first few minutes, and then youngster Jack Phillips put a seriously threatening effort wide of the Buxton goal.

From 55 till 75 minutes Buxton pressed. However, the nearest they went to equalising was a Jamie Green free-kick (that really was of the highest quality) which struck the Skelmersdale crossbar and a superbly timed tackle from Rob McIntosh that kept out substitute Denjy Bembo-Leta.

Having weathered the Buxton attempts to generate an equaliser with near comfort Skelmersdale finished the game well.

Barnes saved lowdown from Almond on 75 minutes, before a Strickland ball right across the face of goal went without a touch and an overlapping Shaun Holden fizzed a shot inches over the bar.

After the match Tommy Lawson was clearly pleased, he commented; “In the first-half we played the best football we have played all season and should have had more than a one goal lead at half-time. . . We defended well in the second-half, limiting them to not much in the way of chances, it was a great effort.”

SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Fearon, Fernandes, Holden, McIntosh ©, Rendell, Staunton-Turner, Phillips (Mooney, 68), Strickland, Almond, Kinsella, Ince Subs (not used) Corrigan, Hardwick, Donaldson, Owen

BUXTON: Barnes, Buckley (Bradbury, 82), Green, Niven (Bembo-Lita D., 56), Burrell, Young ©, Taylor, Bembo-Lita F., Wiles, Barraclough, Doran Subs (not used) Burbeary, Jameson

Referee: Simeon Lucas

Attendance: 222