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Saturday 3rd January - Frickley Athletic 4-2 Barrow

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The Blues managed a hard earned victory over high flying Barrow after cruising into a 3-goal lead with just 32 minutes gone but Barrow rallied and had the Blues hanging on until a Michael Blythen goal two minutes from time sealed the win.

With Scott Brough unable to play due to an agreement with Barrow when Brough joined on loan Mark Vickerage came back into the side after missing the last few games through illness. Otherwise the starting eleven was the same as for Boxing Day's win at Wakefield & Emley. Dale Rimmington replaced the unfit Antony Jackson on the bench.

The Blues should have been ahead after just 3 minutes when Lee Morris took the ball off Mark Salmon out on the right and cut inside to roll the ball across the box to Vickerage who miss-kicked in front of goal. The ball fell to Nick Richardson who blasted wide of the left hand post. Two minutes later a Mark Hume mistake let in Dan Sheriffe who curled an angled 16 yard shot against the left hand post, with the ball rebounding to safety. Barrow had their first chance on 8 minutes but Wayne Curtis shot wide from just inside the box. The Blues then forced some pressure which earned a couple of corners. From the second VICKERAGE's left wing kick found its way into the roof of the net off the gloves of Barrow 'keeper Simon Bishop who was under pressure from Lee Morris (click here for video clip). Six minutes later it was 2-0 as Steve Robinson played the ball over the Barrow defence for MORRIS to flick the ball over the onrushing Bishop, with the ball bouncing into the roof of the net. On 20 minutes Barrow played a quick free-kick to Lee Warren who got down the right to send over a dangerous cross which was headed clear. Wayne Curtis then beat Phil Lindley before having his angled drive from 15 yards well blocked by Jon Hood. The Blues increased their lead on 32 minutes when Vickerage played a neat ball inside the Barrow defence for MORRIS to beat Bishop from 12 yards. Barrow scored a crucial goal on 39 minutes give them selves a lifeline when Andy Hill fired a low 15 yard shot past Hood and they went close to reducing the arrears even more on 44 minutes but Hood saved Curtis' powerful 18 yard shot.

Six minutes after the break the Blues almost snatched a fourth goal following a break after a Barrow corner. Robinson cleared to Vickerage who picked out Morris but the striker's 20 yard shot drifted wide of the right hand post. Barrow were now pushing forward much more than they had in the first half and he Blues were being forced to defend deeper. On 54 minutes Hood smothered the ball at the feet of Curtis but the defence did well to get back and block Gavin Knight's follow-up shot. However, on 58 minutes Barrow did score a second goal when a long ball from half way saw Hood come out of his goal to head clear but he miss-judged the ball and could only glance it into the path of Neil Campbell who hooked the ball into the empty net (Click here for video clip). Hood was called into action again when he parried a shot on the turn from Knight, then on 73 minutes Barrow had a glorious chance to equalise when Knight was clearly fouled in the box as he tried to dribble his way into a shooting position and the referee awarded the penalty. However, Knight himself took the penalty and blasted off the top of the crossbar (click here). This seemed to deflate the visitors, with the Blues coming back into the game again. On 84 minutes substitute Blythen  teed up Richardson but his 18 yard shot  cleared the bar but on 88 minutes the Blues sealed the game. Gary hatto's clearance sent BLYTHEN away into the box and, despite, Bishop blocking his first shot, he followed up to fire into an empty net.

Frickley Athletic : Hood, Richards, Fawcus, Lindley, Pugh, Marquis, Robinson, Richardson, Morris (Hatto 83), Sheriffe (Blythen 80), Vickerage (Rimmington 68).

Barrow : Bishop, Shaw, Maxfield, Huime, Salmon, Hill, Knight, Oliver, Campbell (Rankine 68), Curtis, Warren (Arnold 78) 

Att: 300

Ref : Mr  I. Smedley

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