Squires Gate Football Club Match Report

squires gate football club

Match Report

Squires Gate 1 - 2 St Helens Town

Squires Gate's first game since the 12th December, after an un-welcomed winter break, was to end in defeat as visitors St Helen's Town looked to get their own back on Gate who had comfortably beaten the visitors earlier in the season.

Gate started the game the livelier of the two sides and created some early half chances although not troubling the visitors keeper who started the game wearing two right handed gloves for reason's unknown to his manager and players.

As the balance of play evened out St Helen's started to apply some pressure on Gate and some neat play saw the visitors go close. On 14mins they should have taken the lead when a cross put into Gates 6yd box was not capitalised on by the visitors striker Hanley. It didn't take the striker long though to find the net and in some style as he lobbed Speight from 20yds. A nothing ball clipped over skipper Tom Benfield's head saw Hanley with only keeper Speight to beat and the on rushing keeper made up Hanley's mind to give St Helen's a 1.0 lead after 18mins.

On 35mins Hanley was to prove his worth to St Helen's and the difference between the two sides on the day as he once again beat Tom Benfield in the centre of the park and an on rushing Speight was once again beaten as this time the striker placed the ball into the bottom corner of the goal under Speights reach. Speight was called into action 2mins later as the keeper managed to tip over a 20yd strike from Town after a half cleared corner fell nicely on the edge of the box.

Gate looked to get something back before the break and it was Player/Manager Russ McKenna who went the closest when his 20yd strike clipped the inside of the post and bounced out along the line with the visitors keeper helpless to do anything about it.

After the interval Gate came out looking to get themselves back into the game with some good early pressure. For all their effort however Gate's final pass seemed to be the undoing of themselves and St Helen's defenders cleared their lines. In the 57th minute, a scuffle off the ball between Gate's Mayers and Town's Fargher saw the latter sent off for what looked like a head butted gesture towards the Gate striker. In sending the player off the referee indicated Fargher's gesture as Town's players crowded around him. For the record Gate's Paul Ryan did not throw any punches and would suggest that when writing match reports people do not exaggerate the stories to make their own players actions seem meaningless, Mayers was fortunate not to be booked for his involvement on the other hand.

With the man advantage Gate re-shuffled their formation and new signing Anthony State came on to try and add some freshness and creativity. It was Paul Ryan who once again had a good opportunity but his luck was out as he was unable to trouble the keeper.

In the 87th minute Gate found the net in scrappy fashion as the ball dropped to Mayers 8yds out and the striker turned the ball into the net. Gate applied more pressure but time was against them and Town held on to seal the victory.

Gate's next game is on Wednesday night away at Padiham.

Team: Speight, McCann, Benfield, Ford, McKenna, Richards, Osbourne, Ryan, Harvie, Mayers, Jackson Subs: Horrocks, McKendrick, State, Jo, Thomas

Att: 46

Match Photos January 30th 2010

site info

Website Sponsored by

Last Update: