United found themselves making only their fourth away-day journey of their NCEL Premier Division season on Saturday with a visit to the Cleckheaton region of Yorkshire to meet mid-table Liversedge. After a bright opening, they were able to secure all three points and take their recent unbeaten run to seven games, though the result was not as comfortable as it might have been.

Jacob Webster and Jimmy Hunter were both restored to the starting line-up, with Danny Chambers and Jack Davies named amongst the substitutes. Mick Galloway’s re-shuffle enabled Michael Armstrong to begin the game in his preferred defensive role to accommodate United’s three-man back line alongside Mark Littlewood and Kial Thurman.

Liversedge had beaten Arnold Town 1-0 four days earlier, whilst United’s scheduled midweek fixture at Brighouse Town had been postponed due to the severe weather in parts of Yorkshire.

In fairly blustery conditions, which at times blew wickedly across the Claybourne Ground pitch, United got off to the best possible start when they snatched a third-minute lead after good work from Danny Gordon enabled Blaine Hancock to expertly guide his first time strike past the Liversedge ‘keeper from the edge of the penalty area.

Gordon was a frequent early threat on the left and on more than one occasion the home defence appeared stretched as they tried to cope with his direct style.

Shortly after Hancock’s opener, Matt Savage found himself in space and his lofted effort only just cleared the bar as the home keeper appeared stranded and a Shaun Rickford header drifted past the upright.

It wasn’t all one-way traffic at this stage and Scott Miles pulled of an excellent finger-tip save to keep out the home side and Littlewood, Armstrong and Thurman all made timely interceptions as Liversedge tried to catch United on the break.

Rickford continued to cause the home side problems and another headed effort almost brought reward and moments later United’s hard-working skipper rapped his ninth goal of the campaign following good work from Webster in midfield, securing a 2-nil lead for United on thirty-three minutes

Throughout the first half, Kelvin Mushambi, Webster and Hancock were each playing their part in a workmanlike forty-five minutes that saw United deserved leaders at the interval.

It was likely that the home side would change things in the second half and this became apparent immediately on the restart as they pressed with far more conviction, producing some neat touches during the first fifteen minutes of the new half.

During this phase, United found it increasingly difficult to maintain possession and the pressure on the defence became fairly intense at times, much to the chagrin of the Manager.

Though United continued to weather the storm with some solid defending and good goal-keeping, they were assisted to some extent by some poor finishing from the home side. They also had the occasional opportunity to stretch their lead with both Rickford and Savage unable to convert the half-chances that came their way.

With ten minutes remaining, United’s over-worked defence finally surrendered a goal.

Having relinquished possession cheaply in midfield, the home side’s tricky wing man fired in a low cross from the right that was struck home effeciently by Matt Bugg.

The goal further lifted the home sides hopes but during the latter stages, United appeared to gain back some of their earlier control, seeing out the remainder of the game without too much fuss and substitute Elliot King almost restored the two goal advantage with a late, late effort, securing the team’s unbeaten run throughout September.

Armstrong, Thurman, Littlewood and Webster all provided the grit needed to combat the improved second half from the home side and Miles again proved his worth, making even difficult saves looking fairly straightforward.

Long Eaton United Team: Scott Miles, Kial Thurman, Mark Littlewood, Michael Armstrong, Jimmy Hunter, Kelvin Mushambi, Blaine Hancock, Jacob Webster, Matt Savage, Shaun Rickford, Danny Gordon.
Subs: Elliot King (Mushambi 75), Danny Chambers (Savage 81)

This was another potential banana-skin for United and although they didn’t exactly come through the afternoon unscathed, they did what was necessary and secured all three points.

What was surprising was how Liversedge emerged in the second-half and ponders the question as to why they were unable to begin the game in the same manner, as they clearly possess players who are capable of causing problems.

United’s Manager was even more vociferous than usual during certain periods of the game, which was doubtless due to his demands that the players in blue maintain a standard that he desires, particularly when his team are in possession of the ball.

There were still highlights over the ninety minutes, principally from a defensive point of view, and with a little fortune the margin of victory could have been greater. Most pleasing of all was a further goal from Shaun Rickford, who continues to confound previous concerns about his ability to come up with the goals at this level, and at a strike rate that is a good as any in recent seasons.

At the time of writing, United’s defensive record isn't bettered by any other team in the division, though there is a tinge of disappointment in the fact that eight of the thirteen league goals they have conceded have come against teams in the bottom half of the Premier Division.