And away we went, an almost immediate handball claim by Skem was waved away by
a forgiving referee and an early penalty was consigned to the filing tray
marked 'what could have been'. The game settled from this early
palpitation, both teams examined their options, assessed their opponents set up
and urgency. The first gratis gift came the way of the Town but the
free-kick was marred by a dopey-dick ref who got in the way of the ball and
helped squander any chance available. No 9 (Stuart Wellstead) eventually
released but the attempt lacked any gumption whatsoever and the mittman
gathered with general comfort. Next and the visiting No 3 (Jerome Wright)
burst from the back, cut in towards the opponents box and was duly fouled.
Full marks were awarded as the player stayed upright and forced on, eventually
releasing a shot that rasped the side-netting, it was a shame as the
determination and honesty deserved a goal. The ball must have taken a
deflection on the way forth, one corner and then another followed, the end
result was a ballooned shot from Wellstead into the slightly chilled night air.
The action and tempo were now increasing, the hosts won a
free-kick in the middle of the park from which a long ball into the box was
played with No 9 (Richard Bridie) rising like a stout Stinkhorn from a woodland
floor, seemingly hanging in mid-air like a
levitating voodoo man and then nutting the globe toward goal with much
cranial vigour - the ball however didn't play fair and flew wide of the
framework. In response to this slight scare The Town played a long ball
from back to front, No 7 (Brad Byrne) was on it, darted into the danger zone
and after the merest contact fell to the floor like the veritable 'sack of
shite'. The man in the middle sensed a misdemeanour, his finger was
raised and the little whiote spot was pointed to. The penalty was struck
by Wellstead, the bottom corner was where the ball was sent, alas it was a few
inches off-line and the upright made its presence felt and saved the day for
the hosts.
From here Skelmersdale came on strong, a booming cross found a rising nut, the
ball eventually came off No 5 (Jordan Tyrer) who knocked it just over the bar.
Another attack, Town were in defensive chaos, No 10 (Einar White) had a
free-shot, the save from No 1 (Callum Jakovlevs) was first class, the follow-up
shot way off the mark. It was a choice moment all made irrelevant by the
waving flag - sometimes those liners are real spoilsports. Skem continued to possess, probe and pass, all that came though
was a weak shot by No 7 (Luke Holden-Moakes) and a potentially decapitating
cross from No 11 (Liam Wood) that all heads missed (thankfully). From the
advancements of the hosts The Town had the odd foray against the flow one of
which saw a decisive counterattack come in the form of a pass, a staright
thru-ball and a swivel by the eager Holden-Moakes who slipped his marker, got
the noggin down, eyed goal and slipped the ball neatly beneath the advancing
keeper. It was a self-made goal, neatly taken, it was exactly what the
game needed.
We we now heading to the break, No 6 (John Keatley) let fly a howitzer as my
good lady went for a brew. The bar was duly boomed, White came in with a
follow-up, the outside of the post lost a few licks of paint. As the half
came to a close the visitors had a few digs on goal but their shooting boots
were not tuned in to the night's work, the 15 minute interval came, no doubt
the two dressing rooms would be highly inflamed for different reasons, this one
was far from finished.
The break was used to slurp tea, share a choccy bar and chat with a couple of
friendly locals. Things were looking up for Skem with a new ground being
worked upon - I like to hear good news stories.
The second half soon began, The Town were on it, No 4 (Jack Timmons) put in an
early tester, a player entered the fray with no number on his shirt, the report
suddenly became a trifle tougher. As the guests pressed a Bat fluttered
by, no doubt looking for the odd moth-based meal on this night of the full moon
on a day marked down as unlucky. One team would surely be tasting defeat
tonight and feeling the brunt of the hoodoo that comes with these so-called
jinxing days, I held my breath with child-like imaginings coursing through the
noggin - ooh aye, Dracula Lives!
Back to the game, a Town corner, nowt doing but Wellstead won a clever
free-kick from absolutely nothing, a canny player that and one who duly stepped
up and had the bonus boot that went by the wall and forced the keeper to sprawl
and neatly save. The ball however, went
loose, Byrne was quick to react and slid home to bring this one level and
put the result up for grabs. From here, if truth be told, the travellers
were very much dictating the flow with half chances appearing and incessant
pressing the order of the day. A corner saw the ball enter the box and
ping this way, that way, every way you can think of - players were scampering,
lunging, become desperate, it all became too
much and a Skem lad was sent to the bin of sin to consider his excitably induced
crime. The game was getting tasty, the home manager had to be spoken to
but only after the guests had put together a quick move that saw an end
shot get deflected and the predator that is Wellstead grab the lead goal for
the Wythy pack who were definitely up for the fight. The turn around was
complete, now it was just a matter of protecting the advantage.
Once more, as the hand of the clock progressed, did the rampaging visiting pack
advance. A stunning multi-pass move opened
up the hosts like a can of beans, it was a shame after consuming the opponents
resistance the end fart was somewhat deflating and deflected for a
corner from which, disappointingly, nowt came. Eventually Skem were back
to 11 players on the pitch, from here the response needed to begin and begin
with much ardour. Both teams battled well, in many respects they snuffed
each other out and little in the way of a true chance manifested itself.
The home lads dug deep, No 16 (Joel Douglas) had a chance to bury but blazed
way off target and was saved a true showing up by a waving flag and then a free
kick via the feet of No 2 (Matthew Coughlan) was sent goalward and only just
shy of the inside of the post. Town kept their opponents honest and in
the main on the back foot, the last real chance fell to the home No 3 (Alex
Griffiths) who after a bout of head tennis somehow had a shot that was nicely
blocked by a still wide awake keeper. A last free-kick for Skem went
straight at the keeper and as my wife looked at me with those 'if this goes
into extra time I will kill you eyes' the
whistle finally blew and I was saved a beating unlike the hosts who were now
done and dusted. It had been a fine match, touch and go throughout with
the visitors just deserved of the
victory. The Man of the Match goes to Wythenshawe Town's No 3 (Jerome
Wright) for some quick feet, alertness, a range of prowling tactics, some
good fair play and, without doubt, adding a touch of class - a very good player
indeed. After a quick leak we were done with another cup match beckoning
for yours truly on the morrow - fantastic isn't it.
FINAL THOUGHT - A fine cup match in the company of 70+
other folk and all for £6 at a decent ground indeed. Skelmersdale United may have lost tonight but are no mugs
and have many qualities to call upon during the league campaign that will
certainly put them through the mixer and test their very mettle. They
have a few eye-catching players and a variety of options although tonight I
don't think all were used to their full potential. A bit more width, a
touch more forcefulness and of course, a rub of the green and things may just
have turned out differently but Wythenshawe Town played a good game tonight,
stayed composed when the chips were down and stuck at the task to get
the end result they so desired. The away team seem to be heavily pregnant
with quality in all areas, I look forward to the impending birthing process to give rise to many sprogs of success with the future
looking rosier than the freshly thwacked arse of a fetish-obsessed Tory MP
(dirty git). So for the Wythy Warriors the conflict of the cup continues,
from the Skem Soldiers it's back to the parade ground to prepare for league battle - it is all exciting
stuff and as long as we all keep enjoying and supporting what can we
possibly have to complain about!
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