BACUP POSTPONEMENT CAPS A BAD WEEK FOR TOWN

by Glyn Jones

Last Saturday’s game at Bacup was postponed – not entirely unexpected, given that club’s poor record of staging games during the winter months – and it drew a line under a week best forgotten for St Helens Town.

Playing their first home game for two months on Tuesday against Litherland REMYCA, St. Helens were left incredulous, wondering how they let slip a two goal lead with just nine minutes remaining, only to finish up on the wrong end of a 3-2 defeat in identical circumstances in which they lost to Eccleshall the week before Christmas – and all this on the day the FA announced that qualification for next season’s FA Cup competition would be restricted to the top four placed teams in the First Division, as opposed to the anticipated top six.

Just like on 19 December, the game was played in the teeth of a gale, with driving rain behind the home side in the first half, they failed to add to a single goal, that headed home by Hamish Falconer from a fourth successive corner in the fifteenth minute.

Captain Andy Gillespie had two gilt-edged chances to stretch the lead in the closing minutes of the first half with the driving elements behind Town and it would have been no surprise to see St Helens go in three or four goals to the good at the interval, so dominant were they in the opening 45 minutes.

The second half was a different story, however.

Litherland, with the wind behind them, were an altogether more formidable proposition and Town found themselves under unrelenting pressure for the first 34 minutes of the second period and it was against the run of play when the ball broke kindly upfield and marksman supreme Gillespie netted neatly for his 21st goal of the season to put Town two goals clear with only 11 minutes to play.

Whether it was a case of Town taking their foot off the gas, or just running out of steam against the face of the storm was not particularly clear, but when David Thompson scored on 82 minutes, it appeared to be just a consolation goal for the North Liverpool side.

However, with just three minutes remaining, the Town defence unaccountably fell apart and two REMYCA players strolled through a huge gap and full-back Jake Connor scored easily to level the scores.

A minute later, with the ball booted out of danger, a quick throw-in found Connor unmarked and he again netted to win the game for the visitors.

Town were due to meet high flying Hanley Town at home on Tuesday, followed by a swift return to Brocstedes Park to take on Whitchurch Alport next Saturday. However, landlords Ashton Athletic were obliged by the match referee to play a game against Alsager Town last Saturday on a heavily waterlogged pitch which left it severely damaged and it is likely to be unplayable for several weeks.

As the Star went to press, efforts were being made to try to transfer Saturday’s game to Whitchurch, but their game last Saturday was completed in a downpour which left their pitch in a poor state, so prospects for this coming weekend look bleak to say the least.

Spectators will have to check the club and league websites before travelling.