Skem held by Avro

SKEM HELD TO A DRAW

SKELMERSDALE UNITED 1 AVRO 1

By Neil Leatherbarrow

In a closely fought encounter Skelmersdale United were held to s draw at home to fellow promotion candidates AVRO on Tuesday night at the JMO Sports Park. Both the goals arriving in a seven minute period midway through the second-half after the visitors took the lead from the penalty spot.
Skelmersdale had started the game promisingly, Mike Howard causing AVRO some early problems, initially Howard put a dangerous ball across the face of goal which avoided contact, then he was denied by a save at the foot of his post by goalkeeper Jordan Latham.
Both teams were not prepared to give much away and gradually AVRO got into the game as an attacking entity. On the half hour Bailey Slone bringing a good save from Skelmersdale goalkeeper Ben Barnes.
Chances were fairly rare not because the teams weren’t pushing forward. Because when they did they were met by good defence and so it remained until the interval when the scoreline was blank.
AVRO began the second period well and Skelmersdale needed to be at their best defensively, perhaps the best move from the men in orange saw a shot from Louis Potts go just wide of the Skem post on 56 minutes.

In the 66th minute the deadlock was broken and not in a way that suited Skem. Liam Ellis was tripped just inside the Skelmersdale penalty area and referee Kyle Lines pointed to the penalty spot. Ellis picking himself up off the floor to powerfully blast the ball into the Skem net.
Skelmersdale equalised in the 73td minute and there was arguably some element of justice about it in that Howard was the Skem goal scorer, he had gone close a few times earlier, this time he rewarded by a quality finish.
The rest of the game saw both teams get a grip on affairs defensively and when the final whistle went a 1-1 draw could be said was the right result on the night. Both teams will not be happy with dropping two points, but it would have been unfair if either had gone home losers.

SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Barnes ©, Davies, Conteh, Herbert, Grogan, Strickland, Towey, Djalo, Adegbenro, Griffiths, Howard Subs Mitchley, Servuts, Preston, Brodie, Ellis G.

AVRO: Latham, Harrop, Sloane, Wood, Jacobs, Frost, Poxon, Cottrell ©, Ellis L., Potts, Morrow Subs Reeves, Afuye, Hampson, Byrnes, Camara

Referee: Kyle Lines

Attendance: 162