SKELMERSDALE UNITED 2 GLOSSOP NORTH END 1 AET

DONNELLY MAKES IT A MEMORABLE NIGHT FOR SKEM

SKELMERSDALE UNITED 2 GLOSSOP NORTH END 1 AET

By Neil Leatherbarrow

Over the years Skelmersdale United manager Tommy Lawson has gone into battle as a manager well over a thousand times, so when he describes a performance as “one of the best performances I have ever seen as a manager” you sit up and take notice. It may only have been a First Qualifying Round FA Cup Replay, but when he further lists the reasons why he made such a statement, you really listen.

The list of injuries his squad were handicapped with are far too numerous to list here, but suffice to say at least six of his players just shouldn’t have been playing and went through pain and in some cases pretty severe pain to send Skelmersdale through in this crunch game, in which it must be stated Glossop showed tremendous commitment themselves, doing anything but lying down and giving up.

Skelmersdale almost scored in the sixth minute, Glossop defender Martin Parker clearing off the line after Tom Hardwick got in a downward header from a free-kick. But just to show what sort of night it was going to be at the other end Glossop generated four corners in a five minute spell as they sought to get off to a good start too, a theory emphasized when former Skelmersdale striker had a shot saved and saw another go wide of the post in this opening period.

Skelmersdale took the lead on 22 minutes. Kenny Strickland drove in a corner, Ged Kinsella lost his marker and firmly headed the ball into the Glossop net from inside the six yard box.

Play got tight for a bit and chances were few, however, just before the interval Glossop started to press, though the nearest they came to levelling was when Martin Fearon pushed away a shot from Ben Brooks in the 40th minute.

The second-half started again with defences on top, although for the first twenty five minutes or so Skelmersdale looked the most likely scorers with a counterattack. Twice Dan Mitchley went close before a magnificent tackle by Glossop number 2 Mike Bowler kept out Paul Woolcott just when the midfielder was pulling the trigger back to score a second Skelmersdale goal.

Glossop got their lifeline in the 72nd minute. As a forward moved back from an offside position substitute Matt Williams went after the ball, Fearon moved to the left of the area and dived at his feet, Williams went down and a penalty was given. Glossop captain Dave Young stepping up to equalise via the foot of the post, as Fearon came agonisingly close to saving.

The game became stretched for a while as both teams went for the winner. For Skelmersdale Strickland put a free-kick just over the crossbar, then Mitchley brought and excellent save out of Glossop keeper Greg Hall after the highly impressive Kinsella set him up. Glossop were not done though and before the end Astley Mulholland headed wide from a good position and Williams had a free-kick saved by Fearon and arguably Skelmersdale were most pleased to hear the “final whistle”, so they could reform.

The opening three minutes of extra-time were crucial to the outcome of the game. Seconds into the extra thirty minutes George Donnelly was thwarted by a top drawer reaction save by Hall. Then on 93 minutes Skelmersdale struck. Louis Corrigan sent in a low skimming free-kick that was always going be almost impossible to hold, keeper Hall didn’t and the rebound ran to Donnelly, who needed no second invitation and slammed the ball into the roof of the net, for his first goal back in Skem colours.

Five minutes later it could have been all over. Alan Burton was pushed in the Glossop penalty area and a penalty was awarded to Skelmersdale. Mitchley sent the kick low to Hall’s left but the keeper grasped the ball at the second attempt.

Two tired teams then fought out the remaining 20 or so minutes. Chances becoming rare indeed, Glossop were still pressing but the Skelmersdale central paring of Rob McIntosh and Hardwick looked impregnable at times and the nearest Glossop came to sending the game into a penalty shoot-out was a free-kick from Williams that went over the bar.

Tommy Lawson and his players were naturally ecstatic at the end, and they deserved to be. He said; ”We have beaten one very good team out there, the way they came at us in the second-half was brilliant, but the commitment of the Skelmersdale players was more than brilliant, we held out very well and game them very few chances. At the end of ninety minutes I said to the players, ‘for them to have played like they did and not get the job done, they will be a bit down, so hit them early’, we did exactly that.”

Ged Kinsella probably summed the players view well when he commented after the match when going into the Physio room for treatment; “That was one of the hardest games I have ever played in my life.”

The reality is that both teams were an absolute credit to the Evo-Stik League and football in general. It was a pity someone had to lose.

SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Fearon, Mooney, Holden (Woolcott, 59, (Donnelly, 90)), Hardwick, McIntosh ©, Burton, Strickland, Donaldson, Mitchley, Kinsella, Corrigan Subs (not used) Owen, Heron

GLOSSOP NORTH END: Hall, Bowler, Moran, Parker, Young ©, White, Mulholland, Bailey, Rainford (Brooks, 21 (Evason, 105)), Lugsden, Stott (Williams, 70)

Referee: Mark Cunliffe

Attendance: 248