Skem need a miracle to beat dreaded drop
SKELMERSDALE UNITED .................. 0 GLOSSOP NORTH END ....................... 3
SATURDAY’S defeat leaves Skelmersdale United on the brink of falling into the North-West Counties League next season.
Safety could still be achieved but it would require a near miracle, realistically Skelmersdale require around 18 or 19 points from their last nine league games - Skelmersdale have only amassed nine points from 29 games.
Four changes were made to the Skelmersdale starting XI for the crucial visit of the former Football League Division One side from Derbyshire goalkeeper Ryan Kirkman, left-back James O’Hara, defender Jordan Tyrer and forward Joel Douglas donning blue starting shirts, plus a few positional changes.
Both teams knew this was a real six pointer and that possibly contributed to the healthy crowd at Volair Park.
Sadly for Skem the game couldn’t have got off much worse, they conceded a goal after only six minutes.
Peter Boyle went down due to a challenge by Matthew Coughlin and a free kick was given around 25 yards from goal slightly to the left of the semi-circle.
Jack Touhy curled a right-foot shot over the Skelmersdale defensive wall and inside goalkeeper Kirkman’s right-hand post to make it 1-0.
Buoyed by the goal Glossop continued to press and they went very close again from a right-wing corner, the six foot plus Moussa Samassa rising to fire a header that was going inside the goal, however, Coughlin made amends for giving the earlier free-kick away by making an excellent goal-line clearance.
Skelmersdale responded by getting a free-kick for a foul on Sean Yeldrem, but Paul Cliff ’s free-kick went over the crossbar.
On the half-hour Glossop doubled their lead. Initially former Skem forward Dominic Marie was put in on goal and Kirkman did well to keep him out with his legs, the ball ran into space and was pounced on by Boyle, the Glossop number nine after controlling with his chest slotted the ball low into the net to make it 2-0.
The game then went end to end for a while and Cliff put a good ball through for Douglas, who delayed his shot and was tackled, the chance was gone.
Skelmersdale lacked the confidence to put any sustained pressure on the Glossop goal while the more experienced Glossop side defended well.
Early in the second-half there was one funny incident when after the whistle had gone Glossop number seven Kane Hickman turned and accidently powerfully wacked the ball straight into the referee’s backside, but referee Lewis Raper proved he had a sense of humour by smilingly patting Hickman on the head when the player expected more serious retribution.
Glossop started to assert themselves again and but for a good save by Kirkman they might well have got their third goal, Marie went through and laid the ball off to Mason Duffy, Kirkman saved at his feet and from the rebound Boyle saw his shot blocked by Tom Grimshaw.
Up the other end, after latching onto a wayward pass Skelmersdale substitute Danny McLoughlin had two efforts blocked by Glossop defenders, then Yeldrem couldn’t connect with the ball during a scramble in the Glossop area.
In the 72nd minute Glossop sealed Skem’s fate, a corner was driven in from the left, Kirkman flapped at the ball and Jack O’Leary headed firmly into the net from the six yard line.
Glossop sat on their valuable lead and saw Skem’s attacking attempts off.
Although McLoughlin put a shot just wide from 25 yards it was Glossop’s game, they were a bigger stronger, more experienced side than Skem and it made all the difference in the end. SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Kirkman, Coughlin, O’Hara, Molyneux M., Samson, Tyrer, Yeldrem, Grimshaw, Douglas, Griffiths, Cliff Subs Keegan, Bromilow, McLoughlin, Welsh, Saeed GLOSSOP NORTH END: Holmes, Russell, O’Leary, Touhy ©, Quansah, Hill, Hickman, Samassa, Boyle, Marie, Duffy Subs Cooper, Latham, Etches, Frangillo, Maeico Referee: Lewis Raper Attendance: 159