Late Struggles and Missed Chances: Poulton FC Falls 4-1 to Milnthorpe Corinthians

On an autumnal feeling evening, Poulton FC made the hour-long journey north to face Milnthorpe Corinthians in a 6:45 pm kickoff, a time that proved challenging for many of the players who had come straight from work. With some not having eaten since lunchtime, the early signs suggested a difficult night ahead, despite a promising start.

The game began brightly for Poulton, with Toby Scammell testing the Corinthians keeper early on, raising hopes among the traveling supporters. However, those hopes quickly turned to concern as Poulton struggled to find the rhythm that had been so evident in their last outing. The crisp, short passing that defined their weekend performance was nowhere to be found, and they found themselves chasing the game as the half progressed.

Despite their struggles, Poulton managed to keep the scoreline level for much of the first half, thanks largely to a couple of key saves from goalkeeper Adam Ridings. But in the 33rd minute, Poulton’s luck ran out. A promising attack was quickly turned into a counter-attack by Corinthians, and the home side took full advantage, with their striker finishing clinically to make it 1-0. The frustration was evident on the Poulton bench, and things went from bad to worse just seven minutes later. A beautifully weighted through ball sliced open the Poulton defence, allowing Corinthians to double their lead.

With the scoreline at 2-0, Poulton finally started to show signs of life. A well-crafted move in the 45th minute culminated in a goal from Max Landless, giving the visitors a lifeline just before the break. The halftime whistle blew with Poulton trailing 2-1, but with some renewed hope.

The second half saw Poulton make a couple of changes in personnel, and they began to take control of the game. Landless nearly brought them level in the opening moments, but his shot struck the post, a sign of the luck that would continue to elude Poulton as the game wore on. The visitors were starting to dominate, and an equaliser seemed inevitable, but their hopes were dashed in the 53rd minute. A Corinthians corner was only partially cleared, and a first-time shot from the edge of the box found its way through a crowd of players and into the net, restoring the home side’s two-goal cushion.

The goal deflated Poulton, and to make matters worse, the heavens opened, drenching the players and dampening any remaining hope of a comeback. Still, Poulton pressed forward, and they were once again denied by the woodwork, as Landless struck the post twice more in quick succession, each time after some brilliant build-up play.

As the match entered its final stages and the light began to fade, so too did Poulton’s hopes. In the 88th minute, a loose pass was pounced on by Corinthians, who put the game beyond doubt with a fourth goal. The final whistle blew, confirming a 4-1 defeat for Poulton on a night they will want to forget.

After the match, manager Dale Azzopardi summed up the evening succinctly: “That was a night and performance to forget. We were too slow to get into our shape and too sloppy in possession. I saw glimpses of what we are capable of, and on another night we would have scored four—just not on a Tuesday night!”

Poulton will look to bounce back this Saturday when they face Hurst Green at Cottom Hall.