Skem hit for 10 as dismal season sinks to further depths
IT was an evening to forget for Skelmersdale United as they were thrashed 10-1 by Ashton United on Tuesday.
The Evo-Stik Premier strugglers have just seven games left to play and they are 18 points from safety as they sit at the bottom of the table.
Failure to win on Saturday at home to Buxton would confirm their relegation.
Boss Alan Rogers has had a huge task on his hands since taking over earlier this year but he was left feeling frustrated and disappointed after their latest defeat.
At times this season, the manager has been impressed by the attacking football of his young squad but it was the defending which let them down on Tuesday.
Skem have looked susceptible in set-pieces and they were undone by a number of long balls, corners and throw-ins yet again this week.
“We started quite brightly but we fell apart very quickly and there was just no coming back from it,” said Rogers.
“We must have conceded all of our goals from just long balls which were kicked across the pitch and that’s not good enough.
“The players haven’t taken on board what I’ve been telling them about defending and it has cost us hugely.
“It was really disappointing and it was unacceptable to produce so many mistakes like that in the game.”
Their defeat on Tuesday followed another big loss on Saturday as they were defeated 4-0 by Blyth Spartans.
It means Skelmersdale have now lost five games in a row and their last victory came at the end of last month.
They have conceded 28 goals in total throughout March and have only managed to score four at the other end.
Rogers knows his team is still young and developing but he is desperately looking to strengthen the side and he hopes to be able to introduce some new faces on Saturday when they take on Buxton in their latest home fixture.
“I’m trying to get a few players in before the game on Saturday but it’s proving really difficult at the moment,” said Rogers.
“We will continue to do all we can and bring in some more experienced boys but we just have to keep going.
“The players we have are too young at the moment so we need experienced players to come into the side and play alongside them to help them develop.
“Our centre-backs are only 19 years old at the moment. It’s just too young.
“The players made six mistakes which cost us the goals.”