St Helens Town 2 Litherland REMYCA 4.

ST Helens Town’s Boxing Day clash against fourth-placed Litherland REMYCA was always going to be a hard game to win, but they set off at a frantic pace and Will Threlkeld was denied in the first minute by a good reaction save from Sean Lake in the visitors’ goal, but he had no answer when Andy Webster shinned the ball over the line in the next movement to put Town ahead and Luke Edwards found himself in possession in acres of space at the corner of the penalty area and he fired St. Helens into a 2-0 lead after only nine minutes.

Town, however, needed a good lead against the more experienced side from North Liverpool, who are amongst the favourites for promotion to the Premier Division and despite their lead, without Andy Gillespie, who was ill, Paul Carney, still out injured, Ste Rigby and Ant Whelan (both suspended), Town were lacking key players in crucial positions and as Litherland fought back, it soon became clear that heroic efforts by all the home side’s defenders were called for to keep the early lead intact.

Key to the REMYCA attack were ex-Town forward Colin Quirk, ably assisted by wingmen Michael Boyle and Tom Foley, together with Lee McConchie who was strong throughout in midfield and full-back Alex Ryan who pushed forward all afternoon.

For Town, Andy Webster tackled like a demon and led the back line by example and Adam Fairchild, playing only his third match between the sticks for St. Helens pulled off a string of unbelievable saves, some at point-blank range.

Wade Muscart, in only his second Town game, was pressed into service at right back and stood his ground well, before taking a nasty elbow in the face from centre-forward Colin McDonald, who cynically tried to claim he was the victim.

Webster cleared off his line after 8 minutes and Andy Presho did likewise a few minutes later, either side of Fairchild saves and Town did extremely well to withstand wave after wave of attack, but the dam eventually broke on 33 minutes when Ryan blasted the ball home from close range to give REMYCA a foothold at 2-1. Town had a few chances to restore their two-goal advantage at that stage, both falling to Dale Korie-Butler, who twice hit the ball over the Litherland bar, the second attempt rather closer than the first. In between these chances, Fairchild pulled off another fine save from a Ryan free kick from 30 yards out and just when it appeared that St. Helens might survive until half-time with a lead, REMYCA levelled when Foley scored with the last kick of the half to send the teams in at 2-2.

The wind had returned at the start of the second half and it was bitterly cold and hardly had the game re-started than Litherland took the lead for the first time, Colin McDonald finishing a fine move on 51 minutes.

Again, Town had chances to score, but failed to take them and having lost Edwards at the interval, though replaced by Josh Hoult, Town played the second period without the pace which had troubled REMYCA for the first 45 minutes and Hoult found himself in receipt of a yellow card soon after McDonald’s goal for a badly-timed tackle.

A fourth goal for the visitors was perhaps inevitable and it duly arrived with 13 minutes remaining, Boyle finishing well out on the right as the Town defence was split open by a timely pass.

St Helens have now played two of their toughest games of the season in quick succession and, though beaten, have not been disgraced, against more experienced opposition.

Their next match is away to Prestwich Heys on Friday evening (7.45pm kick-off) and this is a game they can win, the home game early in September having finished in a 2-2 draw.

January sees four Saturday home games, Holker Old Boys visiting Prescot on 7th January.

The games on 14 and 28 January clash with Prescot Cables home fixtures, so both will be played at Ashton Town’s ground, Eccleshall on 14th and Whitchurch Alport on 28, whilst the AFC Blackpool game on 21 January will take place at Prescot.

There will be a free date on 4 February as the Bacup away game has already been played earlier in the season.

Assuming Friday’s game at Prestwich goes ahead, Town will have 18 games left, 13 at home and only five away.