SKELMERSDALE UNITED 1 ASHTON UNITED 2

CONCENTRATION LAPSE PROVES CRUCIAL

SKELMERSDALE UNITED 1 ASHTON UNITED 2

By Neil Leatherbarrow

It is many years since Skelmersdale United beat Ashton United and Saturday’s match at Stormy Corner probably said plenty about why. With the game evenly balanced going into the interval the visitors struck twice in three minutes to give them the crucial edge in fast deteriorating weather conditions as the rain fell incessantly.
Skelmersdale went close in the 8th & 9th minutes. First only a clever intervention from Ashton defender Joe Connor prevented a good move between Chris Almond and Tom Ince creating a goal, then goalkeeper Paul Phillips made a superb reaction save from Tony Rendell.
In the 12th minute it was Rendell’s turn to step in on Skelmersdale’s behalf, the defender denying Martin Pilkington as the Ashton number nine was set to strike.
It was an entertaining start, the pitch was in good order and both teams were showing plenty of endeavour. As the rain came down though, that situation worsened, almost by the minute.
Skelmersdale looked slick, Shaun Holden and new signing Dom Marie (the Dave Jones & Friends Man of the Match) outpacing the Ashton backline and setting situation’s up, the latter bringing another fine clearance out of the impressive Connor on 22 minutes.
The surface became slippery and in the 44th minute Ashton had a bit of luck as a slip put former Skelmersdale star Adam Morning in behind the home defence, he still plenty to do though, rounding the advancing Martin Fearon, before slotted home from an acute angle. It was a very good finish.
If conceding so close to half-time was anything but ideal, conceding a second was a major blow. When Connor got above everyone to head home two minutes into added time that is exactly what happened and it was crucial to the outcome.
If a slip on the mud had given Ashton their opening, one by their players almost let Skem straight back into it inside three minutes. Steve Mason losing his footing leaving Yaw Gyimah in, however the Ghanaian also slipped and the chance was gone.
Skelmersdale continued to press, but it was much easier now to defend and unceremoniously clear the ball than it was to be creative and by the hour mark the pitch was in a condition that you certainly wouldn’t have started a match on.
In the 75th minute though one Skelmersdale player did keep his feet and with it he brought hope. Substitute Isaac Kusaloka twisted away from his marker on the left and sent in a driven ball to the near-post, Rob McIntosh got to it first and directed the ball across goal into the far corner.
Five minutes from the end Skelmersdale almost saved it, Kenny Strickland’s free-kick bringing a superb diving save out of Phillips.
If the deficit at half-tome had been one rather than two Skelmersdale might not just have levelled they could well have won as they dominated after the interval, but the second goal allowed Ashton to sit deep and fend Skelmersdale off. Maybe the efforts of the previous Tuesday had taken a slight toll. Whatever the speculation, Skem didn’t play badly the ball just didn’t roll for them on the day, or rather it didn’t roll much at all in the second-half with all the mud and water and there might be the gist of the story.

SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Fearon, Fernandes, Holden, McIntosh ©, Rendell, Woolcott, Almond, Strickland, Gyimah (Kusaloka, 63), Marie (Kinsella, 68), Ince Subs (not used) Staunton-Turner, Corrigan, Donaldson

ASHTON UNITED: Phillips, Coo, Mason, Gorton ©, Connor, Lees, Melia, Gee, Pilkington (Haining, 87), Johnson (Toner, 59), Morning (Baguley, 73) Subs (not used) King, Halford

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