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Frickley got off to a bad start to the season as they went down to a single goal defeat at Burscough with the goal coming on 31 minutes. Four players, Paul Foot, Curtis Bernard, Sinisa Savic and Simon Collins, made their UniBond League debuts for the Blues as Steve Richards opted to play with a three-pronged attack consisting of Bernard, Savic and Graham Lewis. Rob Hanby was moved to right wing-back.

The first half was really a non-event as far as attempts at goal were concerned with Burscough managing the first effort at goal from either side, a header from 6 yards which went wide, after 28 minutes. Three minutes later the home side took the lead as the only decent move of the half lead to a goal. The ball was played from the left to the right before a good cross came over which was headed past Wilkinson at the far post. This started to open the game up a little with Dean Jones seeing his header from a Steve Price free-kick go narrowly wide whilst on the stroke of half time Price saw his 20 yard volley fly agonisingly wide of the left hand post with the keeper rooted to the spot.

The Blues came out for the second half in a much more determined mood, no doubt after a half time rocket from Richards. Within a minute of the restart Simon Collins played a delightful ball in towards Bernard in the box but the ball bounced away from him on the wet surface. Two minutes later Bernard headed over from Price's corner whilst on 50 minutes Bernard laid the ball off to Lewis on the left hand corner of the box and he hit a strong first time shot with his left foot which curled just wide of the left hand post. However, on 52 minutes Burscough broke quickly down the right and Jones brought down Lawless in the box with the referee immediately pointing to the spot. The same player stepped up to take the penalty and thankfully put the ball well over the crossbar. Gary Duffty came on to replace Savic up front with Bernard dropping to deeper to receive more of the ball. It seemed just a matter of time before the elusive equaliser would come as chance after chance came but the chances were at a price as gaps were left at the back. On the hour Bernard sent a cross into the box which found Jones at the far post but he somehow managed to direct his header wide from 6 yards whilst Collins put a powerful 35 yarder just inches over the bar on 61 minutes. Burscough really ought to have gone 2-0 up on 63 minutes when the Blues, stretched at the back, allowed a Burscough player a free header at goal which Wilkinson blocked but the loose ball fell invitingly to a home player who contrived to hit the top of the bar from close range with the goal at his mercy. Within a minute Lewis had a golden opportunity to punish Burscough for the miss as Duffty sent him clear but he sliced his shot wide from around 15 yards. The chances once again dried up but Price went close three minutes from time but his 20 yards free-kick grazed the outside of the post.

In the end the Blues were made to pay for a poor first half performance but the second half showed what the side is capable of. On another day several players may well have found their name on the scoresheet, especially Lewis but the home side were also guilty of missing chances and the result could easily have gone either way.

Frickley Athletic : Mark Wilkinson, Hanby, Tyrell, Foot (Gowen 75), Ogley, Jones, Lewis, Price, Bernard, Savic (Duffty 55), Collins. Unused sub. Matt. Wilkinson

Attendance : 205