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Saturday 19th January 2002 - UniBond Premier Division
BARROW 3-1 FRICKLEY ATHLETIC
The Blues went down 3-1 at Holker Street but the result probably flattered
the home side as the Blues failed to take their chances which could have seen
them at least two goals up before the home side scored. The match saw the
re-introduction of Graham Lewis to the squad after returning from injury and he
came on as a second half substitute whilst John Wordsworth was fit enough to
return to the defence in place of Mark Ogley.
Playing
into a string wind, the Blues came close to grabbing a shock lead with barely
sixty seconds on the clock when a throw-in from the right by Steve Price bounced
over Andy Evans, Leroy Chambers and a Barrow defender for Simon Collins to steal
in and fire in a first time shot which Barrow Keeper Bishop blocked by falling
on the ball. Two minutes later the Blues forced a corner on the right which
Prendergast sent over. The ball was eventually fed by Gary Duffty to Dean Jones
who blazed over from 15 yards. Shortly afterwards Martin Kearney was called into
action for the first time when he was forced to save a low shot from the edge of
the box at full stretch. The Blues responded with Prendergast having a low
20-yard free kick well parried by Bishop with the loose ball being
hacked away to safety. Prendergast them had a 25 yard shot go wide of the right
hand upright before Barrow took the lead on 23 minutes. A long ball forward
found Steve Housham in space outside the Blues' box and he coolly lifted the
ball over the advancing Kearney and into the net. It was a goal which Barrow
scarcely deserved but five minutes later they added a second when a free-kick
from the right, just inside the Blues' half was headed down in the box to Grant
Holt who rounded Kearney to tap into an empty net. for a while the Blues game
fell apart, letting the home side forced the pace but slowly they weathered the
storm and held out until half time.
The Blues controlled more of the game in the second half and a Simon Collins
corner from the left on 50 minutes caused havoc in the Barrow box but the home
side finally cleared their lines. On 62 minutes Bishop was forced to push a
brilliant half volley from Simon Collins round the post whilst 8 minutes later
Chambers chipped Bishop from the edge of the box but the ball drifted wide of
the left hand post. Lewis, who had replaced Andy Evans on 65 minutes, combined
well with Chambers on the edge of the box before the former had a low shot
smothered by Bishop on 78 minutes but a minute later Barrow showed they were
still in the game when Kearney was forced to punch away a tricky looking cross from
the right. On 81 minutes Bishop was forced to smother at the feet of Chambers
who had almost seized on an under hit back-pass but 83 minutes the Blues finally
got some reward CHAMBERS picked up a loose ball outside the Barrow box and
turned to let fly from 25 yards with a rocket-like shot which flew into the top
left hand corner with Bishop rooted to the spot. However, there was to be no
great comeback this week as two minutes later Holt scored his second, and
Barrow's third, following a throw-in from the Barrow left.
Frickley Athletic : Kearney, Simon Collins, Gowan (Sc Collins 45), Hanby,
Wordsworth, Jones, Duffty (Myers 58) Price, Evans (Lewis 65), Chambers,
Prendergast.
Attendance : 1100
Referee : Mr J. F. Tattan (Liverpool)
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