Skelmersdale Provide The Shock as ‘The Pitmen’ Fall Short

Unibond Division One North side Skelmersdale United made the trip down the M6 and left Keys Park with a cup scalp and an impressive performance against a full strength Hednesford side.

The match was played on a cold misty evening and a slick pitch which encouraged both sides to pass the ball during a hard-fought match, full of incident and action.

The first opportunity of the game came on six minutes after good work by Ross Draper. The competitive midfielder, given a starting berth by Dean Edwards, broke through the middle. He made a nice lay-off to Luke Edwards which allowed him to win a free kick and Tom Marshall’s curling free kick was hit straight at Ryan McMahon in the Skelmersdale goal.

With five minutes gone Hednesford produced another bright move when, after a quick free kick by Elliott Durrell, Sean Platt curled a teasing cross in towards the attack pairing of Edwards and Barnett; luckily for the away side neither could reach it and McMahon was able to punch the ball away.

Both teams started the game on the front foot and with eight minutes gone Skelmersdale crafted a flowing move down the Hednesford right only to see Steve Morrison screw his shot against the Hednesford defence when well placed.

As the twenty minute mark passed both sides struggled to find a break upfront and both seemed to lack a cutting edge in front of goal. Skelmersdale forced two corners in succession after some smooth passing but both were easily dealt with by a confident Hednesford back-line.

On twenty-five minutes Marshall curled a good ball into the Skelmersdale box and Draper rose highest to flick the ball onto a wide-open Durrell. His left foot volley from ten yards out was well saved by McMahon who gathered the ball on the second attempt.

Neither team were giving an inch in the tackle and on thirty-three minutes the home side courted a controversial opening goal. Skelmersdale captain, Michael White, was injured in an aerial challenge but the Pitmen continued to play on and Draper broke over the half way line. With Hednesford attackers queuing up to finish the move off, Draper squared it to Edwards who got it all wrong and the ball dribbled harmlessly wide of the goal.

The away side seemed to be spurred on by the incident and within two minutes had carved out their best chance of the game. After good work down the left wing by the Skelmersdale midfield the ball fell to Chris Almond whose shot was again blocked by desperate Hednesford defending.

As the game opened up, the deadlock was broken on thirty-seven minutes when ‘The Pitmen’ scored a classy goal from an incisive counter attacking move. The ball was won in midfield and Anthony Maguire broke down the left, the defence opened up allowing Maguire to release Tyrone Barnett through the middle. Edwards was wide open with the goal at his mercy and Barnett easily squared for the youngster to coolly slot the ball in.

The following ten minutes after the goal belonged to Skelmersdale as they reacted well to going a goal down. Hednesford had Brock to thank on forty-four minutes when Chris Almond tested the goalkeeper after some good work by Martin Crowder and Tom Walker down the flank.

Skelmersdale started the second half as strongly as they had finished the first and another save from Brock almost straight after the restart from Chris Almond kept the score at 1-0.

Hednesford’s strike force were struggling to click and with Durrell drifting in and out of the game Skelmersdale took advantage on fifty-four minutes with a rasping drive from the impressive Adam Wade. He was given time and space to run at the Hednesford defence and rifled a shot past the despairing Brock into the left hand side of the goal to put his side back on level terms.

The away side very nearly grabbed another goal on fifty-six minutes when a cross in by Almond found Tom Walker free in the area; only a good reflex save from Brock kept the underdogs at bay.

Hednesford continued to struggle in the attacking third and were left to rely on some strong and committed tackling from Draper to continue to break down any Skelmersdale attacks. It was this commitment which saw Hednesford take an unexpected lead on sixty-five minutes with a lucky fluke.

Luke Edwards doggedly chased a lost cause along the Skelmersdale back line and as he challenged with Michael White the ball ricocheted off the Hednesford striker and looped over the helpless McMahon from all of twenty-five yards.

The home side threatened to add to their lead when Marshall showed strong running out of defence and took the ball towards the Skelmersdale area. His left foot shot was pushed away by McMahon; a goal mouth scramble resulted and Marshall had another good chanced turned away by the goalkeeper.

Drapers’ desire and tough tackling earned him a deserved caution on sixty nine minutes when he fouled Adam Birchall from behind.

Two minutes later and Skelmersdale were back on level terms again when a blocked free-kick wasn’t cleared by a static Hednesford defence and the lively Adam Wade snuck the ball past a helpless Brock from six yards out.

The underdogs’ second goal seemed to knock the stuffing out of a Hednesford side who had suffered a rare loss in the league just three days previously; Skelmersdale looked favourites to grab a winner.

As the home side chased the game a quick breakaway saw Chris Almond release Aaron Turner through the middle of a ragged Pitmen defence and he coolly slotted the ball into the net to send the vociferous away fans into rapture.

Hednesford chased the game for the remaining thirteen minutes but could never really break down a resolute Skelmersdale back line with Michael White leading by example. The introduction of the cultured Mark Briggs and Sam Hall following the third goal didn’t have much of an effect and, perhaps with one eye on this Saturday, Hednesford’s chances of league cup glory went out with a bit of a whimper.

The Lancashire club will travel to Kendal Town on February 7^th in the next round. ‘The Pitmen’ meanwhile continue on the road to Wembley when they travel to Forest Green in The FA Trophy this coming Saturday.

Hednesford Town

Brock, Platt (Hall 78), Maguire, Gill, Harvey, Marshall, Sheppard (Briggs 78), Durrell, Barnett, Edwards Draper. Subs not used; Burley, Harbutt, Musafiri

 

Skelmersdale United

McMahon, Duffy (Turner 45), Crowder, Akrigg, White, Morrison, Wade, Birchall, Walker, Almond, Armstrong

Referee Mr J.D.S. Mayhew (Dudley)

Attendance 146

Chris Brewerton

 

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