Skelmersdale United 0, Bradford Park Avenue 1

Mar 17 2008 by Frank Hughes, Liverpool Daily Post

SKELMERSDALE stayed top of the UniBond First Division North despite losing to a late goal at home to a Bradford side now just five points behind them.

Shaun Foster came to keeper Ryan McMahon’s rescue on a couple of occasions, most notably in the 25th minute when Tristram Whitman’s shot got the better of McMahon, but Foster cleared the shot off the line.

United finished the half stronger. Aaron Turner skirted across the edge of the penalty area before unleashing a powerful shot, but Jon Worsnop pulled off a terrific flying save to deny Skem the lead.

In the 36th minute Georgie Donnelly’s cross to the far post found Anthony Murt, but Worsnop blocked the eventual shot.

Donnelly then took receipt of Murt’s through-ball in the 53rd minute but once again the keeper blocked his shot, as he did with Donnelly’s follow-up from the ricochet.

Donnelly should have hit the target in the 74th minute when he found a gap between the two centre-halves, but he somehow conspired to send his shot sailing over the crossbar.

Then Bradford PA snatched the points in the 78th minute and it was with a goal worthy of the entrance fee alone.

Whitman weaved his way through Skem’s defence and lobbed the ball over Michael Duffy’s head before unleashing an unstoppable shot into the corner.

SKEM: McMahon, Foster, Hardwick, Akrigg, Duffy, White, Birchall, Turner, Murt, Donnelly, Almond (Wilson 70) Subs: Prescott. Kelly. ATT: 383.