Official Frickley Athletic Website 

www.frickleyafc.co.uk

Monday 24th March - Bradford Park Avenue 2-2 Frickley Athletic

Recent signing from Pickering Town Adam Russell scored a last minute equaliser to earn Frickley a deserved point at Bradford Park Avenue. The Blues had trailed 2-0 with just 2 minutes remaining before Antony Jackson rifled in a 30 yarder to give the Blues hope of snatching something from the game.

With Avenue refusing to allow loan player Phil Lindley to play Phil Sharpe brought Chris Gowen back into the side along with Russell who was on the bench. Avenue included former Frickley players Simon Collins, Chris Howe and Andy Hayward in their line-up.

The Blues started brightly and ought to have taken the lead with less then 2 minutes on the clock as Lee Morris sent over a lobbed cross from the left of the box which Gary Reece met with a header at the far post but his effort sailed just over the bar. Curtsi Bernard then shot side of the left hand post from 15 yards before the home side went close to taking the lead through Hayward, with the former Blues' star having his angled drive blocked by Mark Samways who also blocked Hayward's follow-up. Samways then saved a 25 yard drive by Painter. On 26 minutes Paul Marquis headed over following a corner by Gowen but Bradford went close on 28 minutes when Wayne Benn turned and shot straight at Samways from the edge of the box. Then , in first half injury time, Jason Maxwell met a cross from the left with a powerful downward header that bounced narrowly over Samways' crossbar.

The second half saw the home side assert more pressure on the Blues defence although Bernard had the first sight of goal of the half when he beat Andy Quinn down the left before cutting inside but his shot from 20 yards was straight at Howe. However, two minutes later Avenue took the lead when a free-kick from half way was headed across goal for Simon Collins to knock in from close range. Frickley should have been back on level terms a minute later when Gowen broke through the middle to thread a ball through the Avenue defence for Bernard who sprinted clear but shot straight at Howe who then blocked Bernard's follow-up. Gary Hatto then replaced Kieran O'Brien, with Gowen dropping back into defence and shortly afterwards Russell replaced Duncan Richards with Morris dropping deeper. The home side extended their lead on 73 minutes when Painter got past Jackson inside the Blues box to lift the ball to the far post where Hayward headed in. In a last throw of the dice Matt Daly replaced Gowen with Jackson moving up front. Hancock had a chance to reduce the arrears on 86 minutes but his 20 yard free-kick dipped just over the bar but three minutes later JACKSON scored a cracker to give the Blues hope. He picked the ball up some 30 yards from goal and turned to crack a rocket-like shot in off the right hand post with Howe rooted to the spot. Less then a minute later the Blues drew level as Hatto sent over a deep cross from the left which RUSSELL powerfully headed home from 6 yards.

In the end a point was probably a fair result as both sides missed good chances and could in fact have taken all three points.

Frickley Athletic : Samways, Reece, O'Brien (Hatto 60), Woolford, Jackson, Marquis, Hancock, Richards (Russell 69), Morris, Bernard, Gowen (Daly 81). 

Attendance : 294

Main Club Sponsor Required for 2002/03. If interested, please contact us...

Click on the 'vote' banner to vote for this site in Yorkshire's Top 100 Football Sites...