Premier Division

Ruston Sports  1    Skegness United  5

Ruston’s went into the game knowing a victory could obtain them the runners up spot in the league, therefore the game was more competitive than would normally been for an end of season game.

The home side got off to the worst possible start in the first minute. A long ball out by United  was missed by home defender Dungate, and Luke Rayner-Mistry ran on to the loose ball, cut inside and placed his shot pass David Miller into the corner from 10 yards. On 9 minutes United went two up. After a foul on Michael Howard on the right side of the penalty area, Ryan O’Loughlin floated his free kick into far top corner giving Kelly no chance. The next 10 minutes play was centred on the mid-filed area, and then on 20 minutes got their third goal of the afternoon. Kurt Crossley picked up the ball on the right hand side, and played the ball across the home penalty area, and Michael Howard coming in at the far post knocked the ball home from 5 yards. At this stage United had full control of the game. However, a poor kick from Ben Martin allowed Ruston’s back into the game, when Jake Keyworth collected the ball, and placed it over Martin has he was trying to get back on his goal line. On 25 minutes following a Ruston’s corner the shot was wide of the post, and then three minutes late a free kick by the home side was well wide of the target. The visitors returned to the attack, and O’Loughlin was just wide with a free kick following a foul on Howard.  Then O’Loughlin was just wide with another shot after being played in by Mark Hallam. O’Loughlin was in the action again after receiving a ball from Jordan Smith his shot was blocked for a corner. Ruston’s were finding it difficult to create any clear cut chances against the United defence.  Then United won a serious of corner kicks, and from the forth Jordan Walden was just over with his header. At this stage United were well in control of the match, and Crossley shot wide when well placed. The final action of the half came when from an O’Loughlin cross Howard hit the post.

United started the second half as the first by scoring in only the second minute of the restart. Rayner - Mistry was played down the right hand side, and when the cross came over Crossley laid the ball back to Ryan O’Loughlin to score his second of the afternoon. After the home side had a couple of half-chances, Howard had a snap shot which was just wide. On 60 minutes were reduced to ten men when Mark Hallam was sent off for what appears to have been remarks made to the referee. Then good work between O’Loughlin and Crossley set up Rayner-Mistry who hit the bar from only a few yards out, after this Kyle McGuigan had a shot cleared of the line.Crossley then nicked the ball off home defender Stuart Ward, and when well placed miss- hit his shot wide, and  Crossley then headed wide following a United corner. The home side then had a number of corners, and from one Stuart Ward headed over when well placed.  Rayner-Mistry was causing problems to the home defence with his runs down either side, and from one of these with 8 minutes to go was brought down in the area. From the resulting spot kick Kurt Crossley fired home to make him the leading league goal scorer for the second season.

The game ended with a well deserved victory for United, in which all the team has a unit had played their part.

Team: Ben Martin, Jordan Smith, Michael Twigg, Jordan Walden, Jamie Skinner, Kyle McGuigan, Mark Hallam, Luke Rayner-Mistry, Michael Howard, Ryan O’Loughlin, Kurt Crossley.

Unused subs: Calum Pearce, Herbie Nicholls, Jason Smith and Jonathan Cussons.

Man of the Match: Jordan Smith.