Miracle escape too big an ask
SKELMERSDALE United fell to their biggest home defeat of the season when a strong powerful Barwell team had far too much for their inexperienced side, leaving hopes of staying in the Evo-Stik Premier Division a near impossibility.
The first warning sign of what was to come came in the sixth minute when debutant goalkeeper Joe Hilton dived fulllength across his goal to palm away a shot from Brady Hickey.
Two minutes later Barwell’s threat was no mere warning, it was the real thing. Pearson Mwanyongo crossed to the far post from the right, Callum Ball jumped unchallenged and headed the ball back into the goalmouth and gave the on the run Hickey a simple task from a handful of yards.
In the 14th minute Barwell doubled their lead. The ball was given away in the Barwell half and former Derby County forward Ball carried the move forward before releasing Hickey behind the Skem defence for a chance he gratefully accepted.
Skelmersdale came back with what was to be their best chance of the game in the 24th minute. Steve Irwin sent a sweeping ball from left to right, Remy Howarth controlled with his right-foot at the same time switching the ball to his left, his shot was only kept out by Barwell goalkeeper Liam Castle’s outstretched foot.
The rest of the half was not the greatest spectacle ever and the only two real goal scoring opportunities fell to Hickey, both efforts clearing the home crossbar.
Since the arrival of manager Alan Rogers when Skelmersdale have put in a poor first-half show it has been followed up by a better second-half display, but sadly on this occasion, Rogers didn’t weave his magic in the dressing room. Instead Barwell got better.
In the 50th minute Hilton brought off a magnificent reaction save to his left from Hickey, but three minutes later he was well beaten.
Edward Nisevic and Ball pulled off a slick exchange on the left and the former put in a driven cross, the mobile Hickey got his head to the ball and put it well wide of Hilton into the net to make it 3-0. It was effectively the killer blow.
Just after the hour Nisevic was put way at pace down the left and crossed low to the near-post, Luke Barlone got to the ball first and stabbed it home from close range.
In the 68th minute another Skelmersdale passing move broke down because of a loose pass and the ball went straight to Barlone, the burly forward immediately lifted the ball over the Skem defence where Ball ran onto it and blasted past Hilton for 5-0.
The last 20 minutes was poor, both teams made changes and none of them enhanced the entertainment level as the game drifted to a finish.
In the 77th minute Skelmersdale went close, Howarth made a mazy run in the penalty area and laid the ball to Irwin, whose shot was tipped over the bar by Castle. It would have been a consolation, but not a lot more.
Rogers is getting a name for being honest with his post match comments and in his after match interview he said Barwell’s win was thoroughly deserved and it was the worst performance since he took the job. He was more descriptive when he said: “We knew what they were going to do, we knew what they were going to bring but unfortunately couldn’t deal with it.” Alan went on to point out that he has a lot of youngsters and they have got to learn about playing adult football, adding “The budget I have got to play about with that is where we are at, I am not a miracle worker.
“As you have seen with this young squad we are either superb or awful, there is no in between” He finished by praising seventeen year old goalkeeper Joe Hilton who he said had an outstanding game. The match sponsor Clearview Windows agreed and gave the keeper who is on loan from Everton the Man of the Match award.
You have got to feel for Alan Rogers, more experienced players do cost more money and it could certainly be said that he has done a good job with what he has available to him.