Wythenshawe Town 2-1Skelmersdale United
Skelmersdale United lost their second consecutive game against a side who were third in the table and who now leapfrog Skem into the Play-off positions.
It wasn’t a game for the faint hearted, in a game played on a bitterly cold afternoon, with a constant downpour and swirling winds, it was never a day for a classic encounter, but it made up with all out commitment from both sides.
United had the better of the early exchanges, with Danny Mitchley going close and Mikey Howard setting up Elliott Morris who blazed over inside the first 15 minutes. It was no surprise when United took the lead on 25 minutes as an exquisite through ball from Strickland found Howard who raced through on goal and side footed past the onrushing Bacon in the Town goal.
Wythy hit back almost immediately when a Dom Smalley cross was headed home at the back post by an unmarked Matty Bryan.
Ben Barnes kept the scores level has he tipped over a Wright whipped free kick from all of 25 yards and Lloyd Ellams had United’s best chance just before the break when his first-time volley from outside the box flew just inches wide of the far post.
Wythy took the early initiative in the second half with a Bryan shot from a tight angle grazing the crossbar and again Barnes had to be at full stretch to tip over a dipping volley from Palma.
Howard and Morris fought their way through the mud and the home sides defence without troubling the keeper as the game became literally bogged down in midfield, which was not helped by an over officious referee.
One bit of magic brought the ultimate winner for Wythenshawe as Max Leonard powered his way through midfield and latched on to a through ball from Smalley lobbing the advancing Barnes from just outside the box for 2-1.
Skem manager sent his troops forward in numbers looking for the equaliser and at one point all 22 players were embedded in the Wythy box, Simpson, Grogan and Mitchley all had efforts, but Skem couldn’t find a way through.
United with the defeat drop down to third in the table, 1 points behind todays opponents but do have the advantage of 2 games in hand.
Manager Paul McNally said after the game “All credit to Wythenshawe they played really well in difficult conditions. It was dubious if the game should have started, the pitch was cutting up badly during the warm up and it only got worse”.
And Wythenshawe manager James Kinsey was of a similar opinion “It was a lottery out there”.
United line up: Barnes, Lees, Griffiths, Herbert, Grogan, Strickland, Morris, Simpson, Mitchley, Ellams, Howard. Subs: Salkeld, Adegbenro, Sheen. Unused: Preston
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