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Garforth Town 2 (Walker 35, Priestley 49) Skelmersdale United 1 (Hine 10)
Garforth: Higginson, Turner, Villerman, Fisher, Plummer, Price, Walton (Thornton 90), Hotchkiss, Walker, Priestley (Small 81), Hunter (Brown 75). Subs: Mathers, Lonergan.
Skelmersdale: Ashton, Field, Corrigian, Hardwick, McIntosh, Strickland (Hickey 61), Williams, Evans, Hine, Tuck (Woolcott 61), Almond. Unused Subs: Rendell, Duffy, Hickey, Brocklehurst.
Referee: Ken Haycock
Booked: McIntosh, Tuck, Woolcott, (Skelmersdale) Higginson, Plummer, Turner (Garforth)
Sent Off: Corrigian (Skelmersdale)
Report by Jordan Owens
Garforth boss Steve Nichol named the strongest line-up available to him for the crunch tie against Skelmersdale United to decide who lines up in the play-offs with Farsley AFC, Witton Albion and Curzon Ashton in the winner takes all game at the packed Genix Healthcare Stadium.
In the first real chance of the game on 10 minutes Skelmersdale United took the lead. Joseph Evans played a superb overlapping ball down the right wing, Kenny Strickland was on the end of it and he put a low cross into the area for Josh Hine to tap in to give Skelmersdale the advantage.
After good hold up play by Adam Priestley he managed to win Garforth a corner, Lawrance Hunter whipped in the ball and found Chris Fisher but he was unable to guide his header and saw his effort go just wide.
Moments later after a long clearance by the Skelmersdale defence, Shaun Tuck gained possession and tried a spectacular lob from 20 yards, which went just inches wide of the Garforth goal, in what would have been one of the goals of the season.
After a mix up between Skelmersdale midfielder Evans and goalkeeper Sam Ashton Garforth won an unexpected corner, Oliver Hotchkiss swung the ball in and found Hunter who played the ball back into the six yard box and found Fisher but his weak effort was straight at Ashton who made the save.
Referee Ken Haycock made his first booking of the day on 28 minutes, after good play by Paul Walker, he was taken out by Robert McIntosh after he had sent Hunter down the wing and the referee adjudged there to be no advantage.
On 31 minutes Garforth had their best chance of the game, Jamie Price found the ball in space on the flank, he teed up Hunter 12 yards out to shoot, but his effort was easily saved by Ashton in the Skelmersdale goal.
Garforth got a foot-hold back into the game on 35 minutes when Walker equalised for Town, some great footwork and hold up play by the forward enabled him to pick out Andy Villerman on the left flank, who sprinted to the by-line to collect and cross the ball which was superbly met on the volley by Walker to break his goal-scoring drought.
Skelmerdale’s Tuck went down in the area on 41 minutes in search of a penalty, he was sent clear and took the ball around Higginson and then went down over the advancing Goalkeeper, but was shown a yellow card for diving.
Just before half-time Skelmersdale won their first corner of the match, Louis Corrigan whipped in the ball and found Tuck but he was unable to hit the target with his header.
The referee issued a minimum of four minutes added time to the first half after a head injury to Skelmersdale’s Evans and during this period Walker almost gave Garforth the lead, he was again found in space on the edge of the Skelmersdale box and his effort went just wide of the left hand post.
Skelmersdale then had a great chance to take the lead, Evans found Hine in the area, he threaded the ball through to Tuck who only had Higginson to beat, but the Garforth Goalkeeper made a superb save to deny the Evo-Stik First Division North player of the year, which proved to be the last action of the half.
During the half-time period the news reaching the Genix Healthcare Stadium was that seventh placed Lancaster City were beating Warrington Town 3-1, meaning a draw between Garforth and Skelmersdale would result in neither team making the play-offs, meaning both teams would have to go all out attack in search of a win.
The Miners came out all guns blazing in the second half and on 49 minutes took the lead. Midfielder Oliver Hotchkiss played a superb through ball to send Garforth Town Striker Adam Priestley clear against Skelmersdale’s advancing goalkeeper Ashton but Priestley kept his nerve and slotted home superbly to temporarily keep Garforth in the play-offs.
Hotchkiss again played another superb ball and this time found Walker on the left flank, he superbly dribbled into the box and shot at goal but his shot was blocked by Tom Hardwick in the Skelmersdale defence. From the resulting corner Hotchkiss found Price who crossed and found Priestley with a free header from five yards, but he was unable to convert the chance, heading just over.
After a quick throw-in by Skelmersdale’s Lewis Field, Chris Almond lashed on to the ball with an attempt on the half-volley from 25 yards, but Higginson made a brilliant save to deny the midfielder.
From the resulting corner Garforth counter-attacked, Hotchkiss again played a wonderful ball which found Walker, he dribbled into the area and teed up Hunter but his shot was blocked on the line by Field to stop Town extending their lead.
Skelmersdale reacted to Town’s second half dominance on 61 minutes by making two substitutes, taking off Tuck and Strickland, and replacing them with Paul Woolcott and Anthony Hickey.
The substitutes revived Skelmersdale who almost equalised seconds later, Evans picked out Louis Corrigian at the back post who unleashed a superb volley from six yards, but Higginson made another fantastic save to keep Town in front.
Skelmersdale felt they should have had a penalty on 65 minutes after McIntosh went down, from this Corrigian fouled Garforth’s Priestley and was then sent off for violent conduct appearing to strike Priestley and Hotchkiss in the face as the visitors began to lose their discipline.
Garforth received a free-kick on the edge of the Skelmersdale penalty area after Hotchkiss was bought down after a bad challenge from Woolcott. Hunter stepped up to take the free-kick but his effort went just over.
Paul Walker continued to be a threat down the left hand-side and won Town a corner. Hunter again whipped in and Priestley got on the end of it, but Ashton did just enough to save the Striker’s header.
10 men Skelmersdale didn’t give up though and came close to an equaliser, Sean Williams got to the by-line and fed Hickey to strike, but Higginson got down low to make another great save.
On 75 minutes forward David Brown entered the game, in place of Hunter, as boss Steve Nichol tried to make his side kill of the game with another goal. Just after the substitution Ben Higginson was booked for time-wasting.
Impressive Miners goal-scorer Priestley was replaced in the 81st minute by Midfielder Ben Small as Garforth looked to seal the win and Evo-Stik First Division North play-off place.
Walker again continued his threat in attack, he again took the ball into the Skelmersdale penalty area and laid the ball off for substitute Brown to strike from the edge of the six yard box, but his effort hit the post and went wide.
Matthew Plummer’s foul on the edge of the Garforth box on Hine gave Skelmersdale an opportunity of an equaliser. Williams struck the free kick which beat the wall but Higginson again denied the visitors.
Five minutes of added time was issued by the referee Haycock, as Garforth looked to hold on to their slender lead and secure a place in the play-offs. Chris Walton was replaced by Ben Thornton.
Garforth Town continued to clear the ball as the defence parked the bus. As the referee blew for full time the Miners’ victory was met with a huge roar as Garforth secured their highest finish ever and a play-off place. Steve Nichol and his troops will now travel to Curzon Ashton on Monday in search of promotion to the Evo-Stik Northern Premier Division via the play-offs. |
