Plenty of positives for spirited Skem
THE match to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the 1967 FA Amateur Cup Final lived up to its billing.
And perhaps most importantly from the hosts’ perspective it showed that Tommy Lawson has Skem very much on the right lines with the season two weeks away. Although Skelmersdale went three goals down there was a highly valid excuse for that and the way Skem fought back and were just denied a dramatic draw promised plenty.
Only a double save in the first two minutes kept Skelmersdale out, Tom Ince playing a tidy exchange of passes with George Donnelly before seeing his first shot parried by Enfield goalkeeper Nathan McDonald and the rebound was scrambled away.
Once they settled, Enfield looked a good team and their reputation built on only having missed the play-offs to go up to National League South at the end of last season looked fully justified.
In the 19th minute Enfield struck, Nathan Livings pushed a well weighted ball behind Skelmersdale’s makeshift defence and Corey Whitely rounded Martin Fearon before slotting home from an angle.
Enfield continued to press. Nigel Niata fired high and wide from a good position then Whitely brought a good save out of Fearon.
In the 32nd minute the North Londoners got their second. Ricky Gabriel slipped Niata in down the inside-left channel and he finished clinically.
Skelmersdale raised their game after that and it was a prelude of what was to come in the latter stages of the game. Shaun Holden continued his overlap down the left and finished it with a vicious near-post shot that McDonald did well to keep out, then impressive debutant Callum Mahoney looked certain to have set up Ince with a sitter, but a miraculous interception by Stan Muguo saved Enfield.
However, just before the interval that man Whitely showed just why he is being watched by clubs of the calibre of Reading and Dagenham when he thumped a shot against the Skelmersdale post.
Just after the restart Mahoney brought a diving save out of McDonald, but it was to be Enfield that got the crucial third goal of the game. Whitely received the ball on the left in the 61st minute, he carried it across the field before unleashing a powerful 20 yard effort to “put the game out of Skelmersdale’s reach.” Or was it?
Two minutes later Ince cut into the Enfield box from the left and was the victim of a clumsy challenge. A penalty was given and despatched by Chris Almond.
The goal more than gave Skelmersdale hope, it gave them momentum and the tempo of the game changed noticeably.
Soon Almond fired into the side netting then on 70 minutes there was an almighty goalmouth scramble. Holden’s corner to the far post was nodded down to Almond his shot was acrobatically kept out on the line before somehow Enfield got the ball away.
Almond had another shot held by McDonald before in the 77th minute Mahoney set off on a run from the left he slotted the ball behind the Enfield defence and Frenchman and former Nantes player Lucas Piquet wrong footed keeper McDonald and made it 2-3 from 15 yards out.
Skem pressed and Enfield fell back as Lawson’s side finished strongly.
However the best effort fell to Mahoney and went just wide as Enfield held out for a win that based on the whole game they probably deserved, but the way Skelmersdale came back at them is a positive for Tommy Lawson.
Among the positives was the return of George Donnelly who been out since October and has undergone the surgeon’s knife for a hip injury. He will get better as he gets fitter and his experience could be invaluable. The signing of forward Mahoney looks a real plus, apparently his father Mal captained Skem many years ago, and he would be pleased with his son’s performance.