WEST
AUCKLAND TOWN v SKELMERSDALE UNITED
Blue skies and sunshine at the newly
labelled Seagrave Stadium but the air is pleasantly cool and still, giving
perfect FA Cup conditions. The mild September has kept the grass green and lush
with only the unique contours of the Darlington Road pitch preventing
comparison with the proverbial billiard table.
West Auckland are taking on an opponent from
two steps up the pyramid, but having defeated the similarly placed Whitby in
the last round, they will not be overawed. During the handshake ritual the Skelmersdale
team, wearing all blue, look noticeably smaller than the West Auckland players,
in their amber and black; particularly Hall who towers over everyone.
West choose to play uphill in the first
half, requiring 50 or so Skem fans to relocate to behind the downhill goal.
They are barely in place before West’s striker Moffat links up with teammate Carr,
who moves unchallenged to the edge of the Skem box and drills a shot into
the bottom corner of the net to give the
home team a first minute lead.
Four minutes later the Skem defence again
stand off as West’s other striker, Campbell cuts in a few step from the left
wing before curling a fine right foot shot that beats the keeper but canons off
the inside of the far post.
After their slow start Skelmersdale start to
build attacks and the tricky Leadbetter creates some space on the edge of the
West box but his shot is deflected for a corner; when this is taken keeper
Nixon gathers well. West respond when Moffat’s cunning back-heel gives Briggs a
chance that he shoots wide.
Skelmersdale centre forward Hughes looks
quick and is playing right on, or usually just over, the offside line; he does
get away once and outstrips both the West defence and Nixon rushing from his
line, but is driven sufficiently wide for Hall to get back and stretch out a
long leg to block his shot on goal. West get their chance when Campbell is
clattered by McIntosh; the resulting free kick is aimed at the giant Hall but is
just glanced over his head for a corner. This too is aimed at Hall who wins the
leap but heads just wide.
There appears less danger when Campbell
receives a bouncing ball 25 yards out with his back to goal; however he calmly
hooks the ball over the keeper and into the goal. Hibbert, stranded off his
line, looks forlorn having let in two goals and had a post rattled inside
twenty minutes and otherwise has barely touched the ball.
His team up the effort and put on pressure
but balls into the box are all being won by West defenders or caught by Nixon.
A free kick, softly won, is wantonly hit dead. On the break Carr is also
profligate, unable to repeat his opening goal, this time scuffing a shot wide.
He then wins a corner with a blocked shot; leading to two more as Skem struggle
to cope with their taller opponents; from the third Moffat heads in but the
effort is disallowed for a push.
Skem press hard for something to take in at
half time but once more it is the West defenders that are winning the crosses,
whether they come in high or low.
At half time West are deservedly in front;
there is no indication of any gap in class. They are pressing well all over the
pitch, are first to the ball in their own box, and have class up front with
Moffat’s tricks and flicks coming off and Campbell’s finishing looking predatory.
Also Hall looks like scoring at every corner. Skelmersdale rarely threaten
other than with a through ball to Hughes who continues to be offside more often
than not. But at two up West must not get complacent - in this round last year
West were two down to Harrogate Town and looking second best, yet scored twice
in the last ten minutes to earn a replay.
The second half starts in similar fashion to
the first with Carr beating the offside trap and racing in on Hibbert who
spreads himself and saves with an elbow. Skem breathe a sigh of relief and
build up some pressure leading to a high ball that Nixon catches before being
bundled into, spilling it into the net. Referee rules a foul, but the pressure
continues.
This is relieved with a long clearance out
to the right wing where Campbell, on the half way line, lifts it over the full
backs head, leaving him fruitlessly claiming a high foot, and races towards
goal. He is pursued by two or three defenders, but they cannot catch him, and
as Hibbert comes out to narrow the angle Campbell slots the ball past him and
into the net. It’s a fine goal, even better than his opportunistic first, and a
body blow to Skem just six minutes into the half.
Credit to Skem, they keep plugging away:
Leadbetter wins a free kick but hits it straight into the wall; Hughes beats
the offside trap but Nixon gathers the through ball before he can get to it;
and then their best chance occurs when Hughes again breaks free. This time he
gets to the ball ahead of Nixon who does get manage to something in the way,
but only to deflect it towards Leadbetter. His sidefoot towards the open goal
may or may not have been going in, but Nixon and Hall heroically throw
themselves back across goal and block the attempt.
This spell is definitely Skem’s best and
Hughes is again put clean through only to be foiled as Nixon stands up and
blocks.
But with only 15 minutes left time is not on
their side, and West remain potentially lethal on the break. Briggs sets up
Carr for a shot that hits the far post and bounces along the goal line before
centre half McIntosh heads behind for a corner. This comes over from the left
and is flapped at by Hibbert, landing at Moffat’s feet. He drills it low and
hard back through the crowded six yard box, untouched into the centre of the
goal. So that is now 4-0 and game over.
A shot straight from the kick-off is a
measure of Skem’s frustration; it sails wide. They get a better chance when a
corner bobbles around before a short range shot is smashed into Nixon’s chest and
cleared.
With a minute to go Moffat is replaced by
new signing Wright, and when a free kick opportunity arises on the edge of the
box, Carr lines it up but sportingly lets Wright have a crack. His effort is
low and hard enough to squeeze under Hibbert’s dive for the icing on West
Auckland’s cake.
At the final whistle Skelmersdale drift off
disconsolately in ones and twos while the whole West Auckland squad congregate
and congratulate each other in the centre circle before leaving to an ovation
from the home fans. Five nil plus two against the woodwork is impressive and
they will look forward to the next round more than whoever is drawn against
them.
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