Goalkeeper’s heroics can’t halt St Mary’s

WEST LANCS LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION HAS ST MARY’S .......... 3 VICKERSTOWN ........... 2 STEVE BAYES ON Saturday, Haslingden St Mary’s ground out a hard fought 3-2 win against a big strong Vickerstown side from Barrow.

St Mary’s got off to a bad start as early as the 3rd minute when the referee gave St Mary’s advantage from a clumsy tackle but the ball fell to Vickerstown who swept the ball forward to score.

St Mary’s hit back with some neat football and equalised on 13 minutes when Tom Hulme played a great through ball to Mickey Saunders who fired home.

St Mary’s continued to create chances and on 23 minutes they took the lead when Hulme picked the ball up in space and fired home into the corner from the edge of the area.

On 30 minutes Vickerstown equalised when they beat the offside trap.

On 43 minutes both teams were reduced to 10 men when St Mary’s winger Jamie Hart clashed with a Vickerstown player who appeared to stamp on the young player. The referee sent off Hart immediately and after consulting the linesman sent off the Vickerstown player.

The players seem to calm down in the second half and St Mary’s played some good attacking football but Vickerstown were dangerous on the break. The Vickerstown keeper pulled off two great saves to keep the teams level but on 67 minutes St Mary’s regained the lead when a Jordan Hilton corner was powered home at the near post with a Tom Hulme header.

But Vickerstown weren’t done and three mins later a brilliant Lewis Monahan save preserved St Mary’s lead.

And at the other end the Vickerstown keeper with two more great saves kept his team in the game. Yet again in the closing stages a fierce John Hollett goal bound shot was beaten away by the keeper.

St Mary’s held on to win a tight match which would have been easier but for the Vickerstown keeper’s heroics.

St Mary’s can now finish no lower than their present position of ninth which is a remarkable turn round considering their perilous position at Christmas.