Brave Poulton Battle Leaders Tempest but Fall Short in Spirited Display.

Poulton’s trip to league leaders Tempest United ended in a 2-0 defeat, but the scoreline doesn’t quite reflect the resilience shown by the visitors at various stages of the match. With Tempest sitting comfortably at the top of the Premiership, Poulton, who find themselves in 12th place, were always going to face a stern challenge. Despite a few bright moments, Poulton couldn’t quite break through against a side that continues to set the bar for the rest of the league.

First Half

The opening period was largely dominated by the hosts, who went ahead early on in the 25th minute. A quick and clinical move saw Tempest’s number Sam Parkinson take a shot from the edge of the box, giving Poulton’s defence no time to react. Poulton did well to remain compact, but a turnover in possession in the 33rd minute nearly handed Tempest a second—only a miss from the striker kept the score at 1-0. However, that second goal did eventually arrive, just before the break in the 40th minute. Poulton, while certainly not outclassed, were finding it difficult to get a foothold in the match and although they ended the half brightly, a few wide efforts and a chance tipped over the bar was as close as a goal came for the FY6ers.

Second Half

The second half saw Poulton’s resilience come to the fore. A quick move in the 53rd minute saw Dan Smith create space on the left-hand side, and his shot forced Tempest’s goalkeeper into his first meaningful save of the game. That opportunity spurred Poulton on, and Smith again found himself in the thick of the action in the 75th minute. A brilliantly weighted ball from Dickinson put him through, but his powerful shot whizzed just past the far post. Despite some quality moments, further chances and some delightful movements in midfield, Poulton were unable to get the goal they arguably deserved. Tempest, however, almost put the game beyond doubt in the 81st minute, when Poulton’s goalkeeper Adam Ridings produced a save of the season contender, clawing away a header from point-blank range.

Final Thoughts

Poulton’s 2-0 defeat at Tempest United is a tough result, but there were signs of promise. Despite the quality of the opposition, Poulton showed moments of creativity and determination, with Dan Smith at the heart of most attacking moves. Though the scoreline suggests a comfortable win for Tempest, the match was a lot closer than it might first appear. Poulton will take heart from the chances created and will look to build on these positive moments as they prepare for their next challenge.

Manager’s Comments:

Manager, John Wigglesworth had this to say: “With a couple of key absences we changed formation to remain compact at the back and more threatening going forward. I couldn’t be prouder of the second half performance where we showed our quality and if Smith’s effort goes in I fully back us to find at least the equaliser. It just wasn’t to be but plenty of positives to pick up, as we won’t play many better than Tempest.

Next match, the lads are home to Eagley on 25th January.