ST HELENS Town welcomed back right-sided defender Andy Webster, after an absence of eight years in the United States, on Saturday and his man-of-the-match display not only added steel to the defence at Litherland REMYCA, but inspired much-needed confidence in his colleagues Hamish Falconer and Andy Presho.

The result was an unlikely 2-1 away win, Town’s first of the season, against the previously unbeaten league leaders. In fact, it was Town’s first ever win against their North Liverpool rivals, who completed a league double over St Helens last season.

Webster began his Town career as a teenager ten seasons ago and had played 109 games, scoring one goal, before leaving for a coaching career in the Universities in Oklahoma.

He settled and married in the States, returning only occasionally, but showed up last week and signed on again for Town and attended Thursday night’s home game against newcomers Sandbach United, which Town lost 4-2, after twice leading and looking set for a win.

George Lomax put St. Helens into the lead on 37 minutes, but Dereece Gardner equalised four minutes into the second half. Sam Sheen then restored Town’s lead in the 56th minute, but a double from Carlos Correia put the Cheshire side 3-2 ahead with 22 minutes left.

In the closing stages, with keeper Lee Novak injured and all three substitutes already used, Christian Banasko had to go into the net and, as Town pressed forward for an equaliser, Sandbach hit them on the break in the last minute, Alfred Hammond scoring his side’s fourth goal to confirm the outcome, a 4-2 win which did little justice to the effort Town put into the game.

Saturday’s game, on paper, held out little hope for St Helens, but it was a typical early season, unpredictable encounter, which saw Town field a much-changed formation with more of an emphasis on defence, with only Andy Gillespie employed up front, with George Lomax playing a deeper role.

Chris Lomax was an absentee, as were Cole Ashton and Ant Whelan, nursing longer term knocks. With Webster inspiring the defensive line, Litherland were strangely subdued in the windy conditions and an early free kick from Sam Sheen curled in past the home keeper after 6 minutes, its flight somewhat exaggerated by a strong gust of wind.

Litherland were lively in midfield, but poised little threat against the Town defence in determined mood and it took a packed box, a hasty challenge and a loud shout before the referee awarded the home side a penalty which former Town goal machine Colin Quirk despatched to level the scores on 31 minutes.

Throughout the second half, Town closed down Litherland and with chances for both sides at a premium in the easier conditions, the visitors appeared content to sit back and soak up the home side’s attacks.

In a rare sortie upfield, team captain Gillespie scored the winning goal, taking his time to control the ball and placing it precisely around the keeper into the net for a perfect finish to restore Town’s lead on 70 minutes and they comfortably held out until the final whistle to get their season up and running.

Next Saturday sees another away game, at Charnock Richard, another new club, from the West Lancashire League. At the beginning of last season, Town were beaten 8-1 at that ground in a pre-season friendly, so they will be wary of the strength of the opposition.

Then, on Thursday evening (7.45pm kick-off), they will be back at Prescot Cables’ ground for another home game against yet another new team, Prestwich Heys.

The clubs were both members of the Lancashire Combination in the early 1970s and contested the Combination League Cup Final in May 1971, Heys winning over two legs.

4 Andy Gillespie

15 George Lomax

17 Phil WIlliams

22 Andy Gillespie

39 Sam Sheen

45 George Lomax

51 George Lomax

57 Ste Rigby