Date: Monday 31st August 2009
Competition: Unibond League 1st Div North
Venue: Valerie Park, Prescot, Merseyside
Attendance: 243
Bank Holiday Monday means football day and usually matches with something of a great local rivalry between the sides playing due to traffic jams and reduced public transport. Today is no exception. It’s the ever grand Valerie Park this afternoon where Prescot Cables take on Skelmersdale United in a Unibond League Division 1 North match. Cables start to life in their new league hasn’t been the smoothest with some sporadic results in their opening games.
A 0-5 hammering by Lancaster City on the opening day of the season has been followed up with an encouraging draw and win against Trafford and Ossett Albion respectively. But recent defeats to Colwyn Bay and Atherton LR make this match somewhat crucial for Cables this afternoon. Skelmersdale United have made an unbeaten start in the league to this point with two wins and two draws in their opening four matches, so they will be looking to extend that run today against the league’s new boys.
The players made their way out from the changing rooms and onto the pitch with Prescot in their home colours of amber and black stripes and Skelmersdale in their changed strip of all red. Captains and match officials meet in the centre circle and after a brief delay whist the referee makes the Skelmersdale keeper change his shirt to one of a correct colour, the match gets underway with Prescot Cables kicking off. The first real chance of the half fell to the visitors in the 5th minute when a cross from the wing was flicked on towards goal and produced an absolutely fantastic save from Andy Paxton in the Prescot goal to turn the ball away for a corner. Skelmersdale were now showing early signs of confidence and after some good work from a forward to create himself some space in the penalty area from the angle, his shot hit the side netting in another early warning shot for the home side.
Cables managed to get forward themselves in the 14th minute when the won themselves a corner that was delivered right into the danger area and the Skelmersdale keeper initially dropped but managed to recover at the second time of asking. The match then took on an even view with neither side really managing to get on top of the other, until the 24th minute when the deadlock was broken. Prescot forward Aaron Rey slipped his two defenders and made a break forwards, upon reaching the goal line he executed a sweet cross to the back post where the unmarked Phil Green leaped like a salmon trying to get upstream to send a looping header over the keeper and into the top corner of the net to give the hosts the lead. Some eight minutes later Cables lead was doubled when they won themselves a corner in the 32nd minute. The delivery was once again to the back post and Mark Calland rose the highest to win the header and send the ball past the keeper and into the top corner once again. Prescot now hold a commanding lead in the encounter and Skelmersdale United must surely be disappointed to have conceded two very similar goals in a short space of time, leaving them with a considerably uphill battle for the rest of the match.
Although they made a good stab of trying to get themselves back into the game a minute later when a headed effort on goal went wide of its target. The half would end with Prescot holding a two goal advantage after taking their opportunities and it’s a lead that they deserve. If Skelmersdale can pick up their game a little and go all out hell at the Cables defence, the 2nd half could see this game become a gripping encounter.
Half Time:
Prescot Cables 2 – 0 Skelmersdale United
Skelmersdale’s response and start to the second half was what was hoped for, they immediately went after the Cables goal with serious intent. The would have halved their hosts lead in the 49th minute had it not been for Andy Paxton in the Cables goal, the keeper pulling off an impressive double save from two close range Skelmersdale shots to keep his clean sheet intact. Another good opportunity for the visitors came in the 51st minute when Cables half cleared a cross into the box for it to fall to the feet of a striker on the edge of the penalty area, but he couldn’t keep his shot down and it sailed over the crossbar. But the breakthrough for Skelmersdale that they had been threatening came two minutes later when a cross from the edge of the penalty area found a completely unmarked Stephen Burke. Burke’s header on goal was saved by Paxton but he couldn’t hold it and Burke tapped in the rebound to bring Skelmersdale right back into the encounter. The visitors could now smell blood and Andy Paxton was the hero again in the 56th minute when a powerful shot was drilled form the edge of the penalty area and he made another wonderful save to turn the ball behind the goal.
The match then became Skelmersdale trying in vain to break down the Cables defence and the hosts attacking on the break when they got the opportunity. A few messy challenges and yellow cards were produced as the match wore towards his conclusion. Skelmersdale were continuing to come forward relentlessly and Cables were digging their heels in waiting for the full time whistle. The nerves of the home supporters were not eased much when the announcement came over the tannoy “there will be a minimum of six added minutes”, Skelmersdale must have been encouraged by this news though. Five of the six added minutes had gone when a last ditch Skelmersdale effort hit the crossbar in a massive stroke of unfortunate luck and the full time whistle sounded not long afterwards. Cables had hung on for a brilliant victory.
It proves to be Skelmersdale United’s first defeat of the season and promotes Prescot Cables to 9th place in the division, surely the locals must be getting nosebleeds at the sight of their team so high up the league after recent seasons at the bottom of the league.
Cables fans will now be hoping for a bit more consistency from their side and Skelmersdale will look to move on after getting that first defeat out of their system. Congratulations to Prescot Cables.
Full Time:
Prescot Cables 2 – 1 Skelmersdale United
A 0-5 hammering by Lancaster City on the opening day of the season has been followed up with an encouraging draw and win against Trafford and Ossett Albion respectively. But recent defeats to Colwyn Bay and Atherton LR make this match somewhat crucial for Cables this afternoon. Skelmersdale United have made an unbeaten start in the league to this point with two wins and two draws in their opening four matches, so they will be looking to extend that run today against the league’s new boys.The players made their way out from the changing rooms and onto the pitch with Prescot in their home colours of amber and black stripes and Skelmersdale in their changed strip of all red. Captains and match officials meet in the centre circle and after a brief delay whist the referee makes the Skelmersdale keeper change his shirt to one of a correct colour, the match gets underway with Prescot Cables kicking off. The first real chance of the half fell to the visitors in the 5th minute when a cross from the wing was flicked on towards goal and produced an absolutely fantastic save from Andy Paxton in the Prescot goal to turn the ball away for a corner. Skelmersdale were now showing early signs of confidence and after some good work from a forward to create himself some space in the penalty area from the angle, his shot hit the side netting in another early warning shot for the home side.
Cables managed to get forward themselves in the 14th minute when the won themselves a corner that was delivered right into the danger area and the Skelmersdale keeper initially dropped but managed to recover at the second time of asking. The match then took on an even view with neither side really managing to get on top of the other, until the 24th minute when the deadlock was broken. Prescot forward Aaron Rey slipped his two defenders and made a break forwards, upon reaching the goal line he executed a sweet cross to the back post where the unmarked Phil Green leaped like a salmon trying to get upstream to send a looping header over the keeper and into the top corner of the net to give the hosts the lead. Some eight minutes later Cables lead was doubled when they won themselves a corner in the 32nd minute. The delivery was once again to the back post and Mark Calland rose the highest to win the header and send the ball past the keeper and into the top corner once again. Prescot now hold a commanding lead in the encounter and Skelmersdale United must surely be disappointed to have conceded two very similar goals in a short space of time, leaving them with a considerably uphill battle for the rest of the match.
Although they made a good stab of trying to get themselves back into the game a minute later when a headed effort on goal went wide of its target. The half would end with Prescot holding a two goal advantage after taking their opportunities and it’s a lead that they deserve. If Skelmersdale can pick up their game a little and go all out hell at the Cables defence, the 2nd half could see this game become a gripping encounter.Half Time:
Prescot Cables 2 – 0 Skelmersdale United
Skelmersdale’s response and start to the second half was what was hoped for, they immediately went after the Cables goal with serious intent. The would have halved their hosts lead in the 49th minute had it not been for Andy Paxton in the Cables goal, the keeper pulling off an impressive double save from two close range Skelmersdale shots to keep his clean sheet intact. Another good opportunity for the visitors came in the 51st minute when Cables half cleared a cross into the box for it to fall to the feet of a striker on the edge of the penalty area, but he couldn’t keep his shot down and it sailed over the crossbar. But the breakthrough for Skelmersdale that they had been threatening came two minutes later when a cross from the edge of the penalty area found a completely unmarked Stephen Burke. Burke’s header on goal was saved by Paxton but he couldn’t hold it and Burke tapped in the rebound to bring Skelmersdale right back into the encounter. The visitors could now smell blood and Andy Paxton was the hero again in the 56th minute when a powerful shot was drilled form the edge of the penalty area and he made another wonderful save to turn the ball behind the goal.
The match then became Skelmersdale trying in vain to break down the Cables defence and the hosts attacking on the break when they got the opportunity. A few messy challenges and yellow cards were produced as the match wore towards his conclusion. Skelmersdale were continuing to come forward relentlessly and Cables were digging their heels in waiting for the full time whistle. The nerves of the home supporters were not eased much when the announcement came over the tannoy “there will be a minimum of six added minutes”, Skelmersdale must have been encouraged by this news though. Five of the six added minutes had gone when a last ditch Skelmersdale effort hit the crossbar in a massive stroke of unfortunate luck and the full time whistle sounded not long afterwards. Cables had hung on for a brilliant victory.It proves to be Skelmersdale United’s first defeat of the season and promotes Prescot Cables to 9th place in the division, surely the locals must be getting nosebleeds at the sight of their team so high up the league after recent seasons at the bottom of the league.
Cables fans will now be hoping for a bit more consistency from their side and Skelmersdale will look to move on after getting that first defeat out of their system. Congratulations to Prescot Cables.Full Time:
Prescot Cables 2 – 1 Skelmersdale United
