St Helens Town 0, Great Harwood 2

IT IS a fact of sporting life that all teams will suffer a dip in fortunes in the course of a season but Town's struggle to pull out of theirs is becoming acute.

Saturday's visit of lowly Great Harwood was Town's sixth game without a win. But even so, they went into the contest in fifth place so all is not lost providing they can get back on track, and quickly.

Their last realistic chance of silverware is in the Floodlit Trophy but they will have to sharpen up markedly if they are to overcome revived Rossendale United at Hoghton Road next Wednesday evening.

Indeed Town beat Rossy in a November league meeting and with victories over other potential high flyers in Clitheroe and Fleetwood it is disturbing how at the moment, teams from the wrong end of the table are helping themselves to points they scarcely expected.

The previous week two late spectacular strikes against Leek CSOB salvaged a point but there was to be no dramatic salvation in Saturday's dreary encounter at sunlit but windblown Hoghton Road. The first half saw Great Harwood have first use of a strong diagonal wind but had to face a difficult sun so they did little other than contain and use the huge throw ins of Paul Walker as their main offence.

Town looked uneasy in all departments and survived a couple of scrambles as Ottley and Lightbown competed for the scraps from Walkers throws. Ironically Town had the best chance of a dismal first half when on 15 minutes O'Neills over hit chip held on the wind and hit the bar but neither he nor Laird could convert the rebound when staring keeper Kennedy in the eye.

The second half saw an improvement and Town began to force the pace for the first time but there was no end product as Jones nodded down and although Hill drove over from 20 yards minutes later it seemed as though things were looking up. Things took a notable turn for the worse when keeper Hollywood was put under needless pressure from a back pass which he could only play into touch. Walker launched another missile from the throw and as the ball broke to the areas edge Jon Riley found the bottom corner to put Great Harwood in front.

Town boss Jim McBride sent on Griffiths and Kilshaw in quick succession with Bickerstaffe and Laird making way but there was never any serious threat of an equaliser with only Hill's efforts threatening to lift the gloom. That gloom became total darkness for the St Helens cause in the 80th minute when Kirwan bundled down Bright in the area and Graeme Lightbown slotted home the perfect spot kick.

This Saturday Town travel to Glossop (coach noon, kick off 3pm). Wednesday's Floodlit Trophy visit of Rossendale kicks off at 7.30pm.

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