Nantwich Town 0
Skelmersdale United 2
League (NW Counties League Div 1)

Match Report

SKEM STEAL POINTS

Nantwich Town 0, Skelmersdale United 2
NWCFL Division 1, 13 March 2004

Skelmersdale stole the three points with their clinical finishing proving the difference in this mid-table encounter between two clubs both seeking to play on new grounds next season.
Danny Griggs spurned a chance to give the Dabbers an early lead when Skem keeper Robbie Holcroft was at full stretch to push away the diminutive winger’s seventh minute effort. Generally, though Skem had the better of the early exchanges and alarm bells should have been ringing for the hosts when Lee Thompson broke through but slipped the ball wide of the target. The warning was not heeded and the visitors went into a deserved lead on 12 minutes. Leading marksman Stuart Rudd failed to connect cleanly but his shot fell into the path of Thompson who stabbed home past the helpless Stuart Heeps.
Rudd should have increased the lead but stabbed the ball wide after being set up by the influential Mike Cole.
To their credit, Nantwich showed guts and determination and clawed their way into the ascendancy with some neat football. Nigel Gleghorn inspired his troops with some masterly touches and raking passes while Tim Alexander showed similar quality in the back line. Gleghorn was unfortunate to see his curling 20 yard free kick bounce back off the crossbar with Holcroft stranded and, after the interval, the home onslaught continued. Dale Melling had a strike from wide on the left comfortably held by Holcroft and the Skem keeper got down well to deny an impressive shot on the turn by Gleghorn. Steve Jardine headed wide from a corner and then Anthony Buckle set up Danny Griggs whose strike flew just wide of the upright.
With the Dabbers lacking the cutting edge, Skem made the game safe on 78 minutes. Substitute Drew Hyland played in Rudd who outpaced the Nantwich defence and showed the Dabbers how to finish clinically by slotting past Heeps to notch his 34th goal of the season.
It was just not to be the Dabbers afternoon and it was summed up when Dave Standley cleared a goalbound effort off the line five minutes from time.

Nantwich Heeps, Hall, Gardiner (Davis,75), Alexander, Jardine, Buckle (Tainton,75), Griggs, Gleghorn, Huff,(Hughes,h-t), Lawton, Melling. Booked: Alexander (14mins), Buckle (62mins)
Skelmersdale Holcroft, Price, Bray, Standley, Rimmer, Cole, Hussey (Toohey,85), Morton (Birchall,73), Rudd, Thompson (Hyland,76), Osman. Booked: Cole (84mins), Hyland (89mins).

Match report written by Michael Chatwin