7/11
Are they Scouse? Or are they Manc? So sang the home fans… Actually they didn’t, as an early goal sank Town from the beginning, both players and fans, a deathblow from which the yellow and blues never recovered. Skelmersdale have been unlucky in recent years with promotion proving elusive, but put on their 07/08 form yesterday that saw them atop the table for the majority of that season. Three goals to one clinched this match for them.
Garforth were watertight for 59 seconds, before the sucker punch that took the jam right out of their donut. Another Skelmersdale attempt on goal came from a lob that Morgan saved, a third from a poorly struck shot.
Town had their share of the scant first half chances; Ovington chipped a ball for Fidel Mholo, who cut inside. Sadly, his shot curved the wrong way. Minutes later, a soft free kick was conceded by Town on the right channel, twenty yards from goal. The low curl was saved, the rebound converted by the advanced Mark Houghton. Can a rebound be offside in the new laws? I can’t quite remember.
Nathan Kamara threaded a ball through that wasn’t latched onto, and later Town had an excellent passing interchange between several players from defence to midfield before a through ball was slightly overhit to Greaves. The play drew applause. While the goalkeeper claimed the ball, this was a rare showing of the potential in the side, and a shame it was that it would not be repeated more often in this game.
Town improved in the second. Though Skelmersdale remained a solid outfit, Garforth harried and pressed more, Claisse and Williams toiled in midfield and Thornton and Greaves caused more problems. Darren sent a ball up the left wing to Tom, who cut in and squeezed a ball through for Ovington. Unfortunately, as Chris’ run went one way, the ball was sent the over. Still, the counter attack showed intent.
Even more unfortunately though, the goal that United scored thereafter showed even more intent. A well weighted, curled ball to the left channel caught an offside trap cold, and the chance was finished well, slid under Morgan for the formidable three-goal deficit.
Dignity was clawed back in the form of a consolation goal that rewarded the improvement of industry; a corner was cleared, and Claisse enabled a one on one opportunity for Tom Greaves, who finished low with a cutback to the left post to give Town slim hopes, with over twenty minutes left to play.
The other Tom almost found himself on the score sheet, as Mr Claisse tested the agility of the Skem shot-stopper with a lifted top corner effort from twenty yards. The midfielder saw his shot saved well, but won applause and a corner.
Garforth were unable to further make a dent in the solid defence of Skelmersdale United, who cross the Pennines with another valuable three points. Town have played better, but a lot worse, and there are positives juxtaposed in with the negatives as is ever the case in the strange world of football.
