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Saturday 21st December - Ashton United 3-2 Frickley Athletic

This was really a game that the Blues should have won quite comfortably. After taking an early lead through Chris Newton the Blues were in control for around 80% of the game but missed several chances to increase their lead and were made to pay during Ashton's purple patch early in the second half.

With Craig Elkin unavailable and Mark Hancock serving the last of his four match suspension Phil Sharpe brought Andy Evans back into the starting eleven with Remo Nesa fit enough for a place on the subs. bench.

The Blues started well with Curtis Bernard heading over a Lee Morris cross after just 40 seconds but ninety seconds later the Blues were in the lead. Evans headed down Kieran O'Brien's high cross into the path of NEWTON who hit a great 18 yard shot which curled past goalkeeper Andy Johnston. A good run down the left by Curtis Bernard saw him send over a dangerous looking cross which just evaded Evans whilst on 27 minutes Johnston saved Bernard's close range shot instinctively with his legs following Ashton's inability to clear a corner. Just after the half hour the home side managed their first serious attempt at goal when Mark Samways watched an angled 18 yard shot go wide of his right hand post. Just before the break the home side did manage to force some pressure but the Blues coped with it quite well.

The second half saw the Blues pegged back within 60 seconds of the restart with Paul Garvey cutting in from the left to fire an angled shot past Samways. Six minutes later Chris Gowen went agonisingly close when his low angled shot was touched round the post by Johnston. On 52 minutes Morris tackled back well just outside his own box but proceeded to take the ball towards his own box and was dispossessed by Rodney Rowe who sidestepped a couple of challenges before going down inside the box with the referee awarding the penalty which Lee Connor scored from. Two minutes later it was 3-1 as the Blues defence went to sleep, allowing Rowe to score via a deflection as he followed up after a header had come back off the crossbar. However, the Blues fought back and pulled a goal back from the penalty spot on 71 minutes. Evans flicked the ball on to Bernard who broke into the box and was brought down with the defender extremely lucky to only receive a yellow card. LEE MORRIS stepped up to score from the spot. Seconds later Evans drilled a low shot just wide of the right hand upright with Johnston rooted to the spot. But on 79 minutes the Blues were reduced to 10 men when Antony Jackson was sent off for a second bookable offence for a foul on half way. Two minutes later the Blues thought they had equalised when Gowen's free-kick from the left was headed past Johnston and appeared to hit the roof of the net just behind the crossbar before being hacked clear. Unfortunately, none of the match officials were impressed and the goal claims were waved away. Then, on 86 minutes Steve Woolford received his marching orders, again for a second yellow card.

Frickley Athletic : Samways, Richards, O'Brien, Woolford, Jackson, Marquis, Morris, Bernard, Evans, Newton (Nesa 60), Gowen. Unused sub. Sharpe

Attendance : 225 

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