Skem well beaten but youngsters willing to learn
HAVING bagged their first away of the season on Tuesday up at Workington, Skelmersdale United faced another long trip, this time down to Northamptonshire for a first ever league visit to Corby.
The Steelmen are the league’s form side and going into Saturday’s game they had picked up 23 out of their last 30 points, winning six of their last ten matches, promotion form in any league.
So it didn’t help when Skem conceded after only 11 minutes, a position that was exacerbated by the loss of the experienced Steve Gillespie and arguably their best forward Nathan Randell to injury in the first quarter-hour.
Corby had clearly done their homework and pressed Skelmersdale from an early stage and it was a loose pass that gave Corby the ball for their opening goal. After a series of passes the ball went to Ben Milnes who was tackled on the edge of the 18 yard box, however, the ball ran to Jordon Crawford, who went between two defenders before slotting the ball home.
Phil Trainer went close for Corby before the hosts made it 2-0 on 23 minutes.
David Bell’s diagonal ball opened up Skem and Courtney Wildin drove the ball into the near-post area, Crawford sharply nipped onto the ball first and stabbed the ball home from about four yards.
Skelmersdale are an inexperienced side and the loss of two of their better players caused problems but they gradually started to establish a hold in the game, but that was sadly to be undone six minutes before the interval. Bell lifted a free-kick to the far post, home centre-half Aaron Brown lost his marker and launched a diving header into the net.
It could be said that Skelmersdale had not really been at the races in the first-half, but they did have valid excuses.
That was to change after the restart, though by then they had a mountain to climb.
The wind had helped Corby in the first-half and it almost gave Skem hope early in the second period, Max Allen curled a left-foot free kick into the box and the wind sent it on a course for goal, Corby goalkeeper Aidan Grant scrambling across his goal to finger-tip the ball over the crossbar.
Skelmersdale had plenty of possession but struggled to create a lot in front of goal, although now they did defend a whole lot better when Corby counterattacked.
For the Steelmen, Brown headed wide and Skem goalkeeper Chris Cheetham made one tremendous save at Stefan Moore’s feet, but Skelmersdale did have their moments. Jack White and Steve Irwin linked up to put the ball to Remmy Howarth in the goalmouth, only a fine reaction save thwarted the Blackburn Rovers loanee.
It has been said before and will no doubt be said again this season, the Skem youngsters have plenty to learn, but they are learning as the win at Workington proves. They cannot argue about the destination of the points, but again they left the pitch with plaudits for their efforts.
It would have been very easy to have sat back in the secondhalf and accepted their fate. They didn’t. They stood up like men, that will stand them in good stead in the remaining 12 games.