You did yourselves PROUD
IT WAS no shock that Skelmersdale United’s glorious FA Cup run came to an end at a misty Wetherby Road, but they made the League Two side battle for three quarters of the game and given a bit of luck they might even have gone closer.
The first half was an evenly fought affair, with the opening seconds and the closing seconds crucial, in between Skelmersdale matched their opponents.
The period in between saw Skem going pretty much blow for blow.
After just 47 seconds Skelmersdale conceded, it was the nightmare start.
Skelmersdale going narrow in defence allowed Harrogate room on the right hand side, the cross went straight into the heart of the Skem defence and under pressure the ball wasn’t cleared, falling to big striker Mark Beck and the former Darlington man hit the foot of the post, the ball rebounded into the path of Calvin Miller and the summer signing from Celtic calmly slotted the ball past two defenders into the net to make it 1-0.
However, Skelmersdale came close to bouncing back immediately, Emini Adegbenro putting a shot inches wide of the Harrogate upright.
Skem fought on with Dan Mitchley giving home centre-back Kevin Lokko a torrid time with his physicality.
It really was anybody’s as Skem recovered well from the early setback.
On the half hour Skelmersdale came very close to equalising, a long throw by Alex Griffiths dropped on the edge of the six-yard box, Adegbenro fired at goal and only a brave block preserved the hosts’ lead.
The second arrived two minutes into added time.
Mike Grogan gave away a free kick on the Harrogate right and left-back Dan Jones drove the ball into the penalty area, Beck applying the merest flick to the ball, sending it low into the far corner of the Skelmersdale net and far out of the reach of goalkeeper Ben Barnes.
Seconds into the second half Barnes tipped a Tom Walker shot over his crossbar, but it was to be the last Harrogate threat for a while as Skelmersdale pushed them back.
Mitchley curled an attempt from 20 yards wide, then Daniel Murphy put a free-kick over the top.
Skem were actually having more of the possession now and it prompted Harrogate to make changes – and it changed the game.
Substitute George Thomson sent in a free kick, Jake Lawlor latched onto the ball and his deflected shot went into the bottom corner to make it 3-0. In truth it killed off Skelmersdale’s hopes.
The other home substitute Aaron Martin hit the post and in the 73rd minute he netted the killer fourth goal with a header from a corner.
In the latter stages the game became stretched and Skem did well to hang on, Barnes making some useful saves.
With two minutes remaining Skelmersdale got a due reward for their great effort.
A Griffiths free-kick was headed down by Murphy and with arguably the goal of the game, Mitchley sent a blistering volley into the Harrogate net.
It was well deserved, Mitchley had worked tirelessly up front and Skem had shown great spirit.
It was not to be on the night but in his post match comments manager Paul McNally said how proud he was of his players as the whole town of Skelmersdale should be.