ST Helens Town very nearly came away from Abbey Hulton on Saturday with a 2-2 draw but, in the end, had to settle for a 3-1 defeat in a game of three penalty kicks, two awarded to Town, one of which was missed.

It was inevitable in a way that the result should rest on a spot-kick as, back in August, Town opened up their new Ruskin Drive facility in embarrassing circumstances, when the floodlights went out with the score at 0-0 in the final minute, with Abbey Hulton unable to take their last-gasp penalty kick.

With 24 minutes gone, Matty Smith found Liam Diggle with a fine pass and the Town striker was unlucky to hit the post. In the scramble to deal with the rebound, Abbey centre-back Tom Kilgariff was adjudged to have fouled Danny Lomax and a penalty was awarded by Wigan referee Matt McQuillan.

Kilgariff, who came off much worse in the clash, had to have treatment for three minutes, during which time Lomax waited patiently to take the spot-kick, then fired just to keeper Luke Birkenshaw’s right and he pulled off a fine save.

Two minutes later, at the other end of the field, Diggle brought down his opposite number, but this time, Josh Graham made no mistake, sending Carl Williams the wrong way to put Abbey Hulton 1-0 up and that was how the score remained until the break. The second half was more eventful. Danny Greene had an early chance, but was just wide then, moments later, moved in on goal, only to be muscled off the ball by a defender and the home keeper before he could land a blow.

Just on the hour, Williams produced a fine finger-tip diving save from his namesake Kieran’s header and 16-year-old Abbey Hulton prodigy Tyler Savage went close to scoring, but his shot was deflected by a packed Town defence.

Tyler Savage was the provider in the 68th minute for captain Josh Tune to score from close quarters to stretch the home lead to 2-0 but three substitutions by Lee Jenkinson very nearly changed the game in the last 15 minutes.

First, Shaun Brady did well to create a half-chance along the goal-line with ten minutes remaining, only for Birkenshaw to smother his effort, but the stopper had no chance when Brady scored from the penalty spot two minutes later.

With the score at 2-1 and only four minutes left, Town’s best opportunity fell to Diggle, who hit a wonderful shot from the corner of the box, only to be trumped by an equally magnificent save from man-of-the-match Birkenshaw, to prevent a certain equaliser.

Abbey Hulton made sure of their victory in the last minute when substitute Kieran Ball netted at the far post, after another good pass from Savage.

Town’s man-of-the-match was centre-back Andy Webster.

Town have their final home game of the season on Saturday, when Stockport Town are the visitors to Ruskin Drive, kick-off at 3pm.

The sides drew 1-1 at Lambeth Grove on their 3G facility back in October on a very wet day when St. Helens played very well to shock their high-flying hosts. Another draw, or even a win, must be the aim this time around, as pressure is coming from the teams below Town in the table, everybody trying not to be the bottom of the heap, notwithstanding there is no relegation this season. After Saturday, Town have two away games left to play, at Cheadle on 5th May and at Alsager on Bank Holiday Monday, 7th May.