Promotion race not run despite Skem’s stumble
SKELMERSDALE United’s promotion is on a knife edge as they were held to a shock draw on Saturday.
Opponents Litherland REMYCA have spent the entire season at the bottom of the North West Counties Premier Division and are already destined to finish in the bottom two relegation places despite a marked improvement in form.
The two points dropped leaves promotion out of Skelmersdale’s control, but in many people’s opinion it is far from done.
The two teams that can stop Paul McNally’s team reaching the promotion play-off are Wythenshawe Town and Charnock Richard – crucially they have to meet each other at Charnock Richard next Saturday 26th March.
The position is; if Skelmersdale win their remaining game they will be on 79 points, if Charnock Richard win all their remaining games (four) they will be on 81 points, if Wythenshawe win all their remaining games (four) they will be on 83 points.
Both significantly have four games to play in ten days; it is impossible for both teams to win all their four games.
It all ends on Saturday 2nd April, Skem are at home to Lower Breck, Wythenshawe are at home to Squires Gate and Charnock Richard are at home to Burscough.
It could be a dramatic afternoon.
At Litherland last Saturday it was a bright sunny afternoon with a stiff wind favouring the home side, they made early inroads on the United goal, a long range effort from Foy was acrobatically tipped over the bar by United keeper Ben Barnes, from the resulting corner the ball broke free to Carl Peers inside the 18 yd box who drilled home for 1-0 after just five minutes.
It took a while for Skem to get into the game and two free kicks in quick succession just outside the box resulted in a Michael Howard shot tamely saved by home goalkeeper Ryan Jones and a Dan Mitchley effort that sailed high and wide.
Just on the half hour Tom Croughan made a long mazy run into the REMYCA box, his pulled the ball back, his cross found Mini Adegbenro who fired home from close range to draw the side’s level, and it was no more deserved.
Michael Howard looked to have gained advantage to Skem as he rounded the keeper and with an open goal at his mercy he was upended, the ref was having none of it and booked Howard for the dive.
Just before half time REMYCA regained the lead, as Peers again found the back of the net from close range.
Skelmersdale piled on the pressure in the second half and very rarely did the home side make any advances on the Skem goal, but as much as United dominated there was no way through a very resolute defence.
Baba Conteh popped up on 75 minutes to draw the sides level again, great work from Callum Lees, his cross caused confusion at the back and in nipped Conteh than
United to give Skem a glimmer of hope.
United threw the kitchen sink looking for that all important goal but couldn’t find a way through.
The result was more disappointing as news filtered through that one of the challengers, Charnock Richard had succumbed at home.
The result left United in second on 76 points, Wythenshawe are 6 points behind with three games in hand, whilst Charnock are on 69 points and they to have three games in hand.
Skelmersdale still have a chance of a promotion spot but it is now completely out of their hands
Jones, Riley, Clark, Murphy, Hay, Clements, Foy P., Foy
J., McDonald, Peers, Hammill A. Subs Cox, Costello, Collins, Ordish, Hammill J.
Barnes, Croughan, Griffiths, Lees, Herbert, Sheen, Adegbenro, Conteh, Mitchley, Salkeld, Howard, Subs Servuts, Strickland not used Rotherham, Preston
Tim Eagles
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