The much anticipated return match against Southport Shoreline had arrived.

After the disappointment of defeat on the opening day of the season, Skem were determined to reverse that result and beat their opponents on their home soil. The date was September 29th and the setting was Sandbrook Recreational Ground in Ainsdale, a severe step down from the previously promised Haigh Avenue, home to Southport FC. Skem were starting to look like their usual selves with two of last seasons star players returning to the squad after injury, club captain Kelly Corser took up her usual role in the heart of the team after missing out on the season opener, and Ash Taylor, the creative genius whose goals and assists were the backbone of Skems success last year. However, on this occasion, Taylor was to swap her shooting boots for a pair of goalie gloves and take her place between the posts, while the management team searched for a long term replacement for last years keeper Robyn Carter, whose non appearance at training had seen her dropped from the squad. The broken foot that had haunted Taylor pre season was still on the mend and another injury now could see her ruled out for most of the season, but her desire to feature in this fixture was so great that she volunteered to play in goal. As with the first game Skem won the toss and elected Shoreline to get the game underway. Shooting left to right on a slight incline, Skem started much the same as game one, they got amongst Shoreline and applied some early pressure, forcing Shoreline to adopt the long ball once again. This nearly became fatal for Skem as a couple of usually simple headers went backwards instead of forwards, putting unnecessary pressure on Skems back line. Five minutes in and Shoreline broke down the left, but a sharp Weedall tracked the run well and made a superb tackle to avert any danger, picking up a slight knock in the process. It wasnt long before Shoreline were put through again, but a very bright Taylor came off her line to not only win the ball, but then proceed unconventionally for a goalkeeper to skilfully take on the opposing forward and start off a move that would ultimately lead to the games first goal. The ball was picked up in midfield by Skems Olivia Cardwell whose stirring run into the Shoreline box left their back line at 6s and 7s, and before they could readjust , the first games stand out player Becca De Gier thundered the ball into the back of the net to put Skem in front. Skem were now in the ascendancy, and dominating the game everywhere on the park. They nearly created another great chance when Abi Hart ran from deep to beautifully read the Shoreline pass and make a pin point interception before bearing down on goal and winning a corner. The resulting corner from Cardwell was so close to going in that most of the Skem line cheered in celebration before realising it had narrowly gone over. Cardwell was really starting to run things for Skem now as she looked back to her best, she once again carved open the Shoreline midfield to thread an inch perfect ball to Abbey Lynott who had cut in from the right only to be brutally taken down in the box, a penalty for sure and an almost certain red card, but the referee after giving the penalty without hesitation didnt even issue a caution, a poor decision by anyones standards. Up stepped Cardwell to clinically convert the penalty and put Skem Two goals up. Unfortunately for Lynott, her day was over nursing an injury that would rule her out for the next three weeks with medial ligament damage. The game was only 30 minutes old, and yet had so many talking points, and none more so than the referees constant inability to see when a player is offside. Cardwell had played the line all afternoon and not once was she given the benefit of the doubt. And just after the half hour, after some great play in midfield from Lynotts replacement Buckley and De Gier, Cardwell had the ball in the net, only for it to be ruled out. Shoreline were getting nowhere, and it was hardly surprising when you had players in Skems team who would literally throw themselves in front of anything, as the first half drew to a close, Kayleigh Bradshaw stood firm in midfield to block the ball once, twice, even three times in succession with her head, back, face, or anything else she could get in the way. Having gone off at the end of the first half with a slight injury, Skems Abi Hart was good to go once again as the second half got underway. The second half seemed even as Skem struggled at times to find the fluidity they had in the first half. They nearly found themselves three goals up when a Shoreline goal kick went straight to De Gier who instinctively volleyed the ball first time back over the keeper, only to see it bounce over the bar. Once again, Skem were to rue their missed chances as Shoreline pulled a goal back with 25 minutes to go, a great shot had seen Taylor pull off an excellent save only for the oncoming player to put the

ball in the net. Chances were now coming at both ends with Cardwell throwing everything at Shoreline to try and force a third goal, on 70 minutes she rounded the keeper only to hit the side netting. Injuries and substitutions were now playing a major part as Skem lost Weedall firstly after another heavy tackle, and not long after they lost their vice captain Natalie Walsh to a vicious tackle leaving Walsh in agony with ankle and knee injuries. Shoreline were getting away with murder, and still the referee seemed reluctant to punish their dirty tactics. Skem were now up against it for the last 10-15 minutes as Shoreline pushed and probed the Skem backline for an opening. The opening came with literally minutes to go as a failure from keeper and defender to clear the ball gave Shoreline an open goal and almost certain equaliser, but just when you thought 3 points were gone for Skem, deputy keeper Taylor made a tackle with an outstretched boot that any international centre half would be proud of, the cheers rang out from the Skem touchline as victory was moments away. The final whistle went on this mild breezy afternoon and Skem were definitely the happier of the two teams having exacted revenge for their opening day defeat, 2-1 victors over Shoreline, whose manager wasnt so gracious in defeat as the disappointment was there for all to see. A close woman of the match as so many could of taken home the prize, left back Molly Parker was outstanding once again, as was Weedall with 4 of the votes, but it was deputy goalkeeper Ashley Taylor who took home the reward for her heroics at the death to win a game for Skem they could quite easily of drawn.