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The Blues went down to another heavy home defeat, this time against a strong Burton Albion side, but it was certainly a result which flattered the visitors as for long periods the Blues had played some good football with only some poor finishing and a lack of luck preventing the Blues from adding 2 or 3 goals to the scoreline. In fact against many teams in the division I suspect that tonight's performance would have been good enough to comfortably record a victory but Burton's superior firepower proved decisive. However, it could all have been different had Gary Duffty's 29th minutes 'goal' not been ruled out for offside.

Steve Richards started with much the same side as Saturday with the exception of the injured Curtis Bernard, Sanisa Savic and Luke Smith. Gary Duffty was partnered up front by the returning Scott Collins who has just re-signed for the club whilst Paul Wilkinson was a newcomer to the subs bench.

Frickley had the first decent attack of the game on 5 minutes when Carl Fothergill sent Gary Duffty away down the right but his dangerous cross was cleared for a corner. Albion responded four minutes later with Anderson sending a header wide of the right hand post. Graham Lewis, who had possibly his best game of the season to date, then ghosted through 2 challenges as he broke into the Burton box with the ball running into the path of Scott Collins who hit a first time shot into the side netting. Albion struck back, forcing Martin Kearney to save after Anderson turned in the box and shot goalwards before the Blues could count themselves unlucky with a swift move out of defence. Kearney sent the ball up field to Lewis just over half way. He then sent Chris Gowan clear down the left wing where he beat two defenders and sent over a cross which Scott Collins met on the volley but unfortunately his effort sailed over the bar. Two minutes later the Blues' luck got worse as Scott Collins hit a tremendous shot from 20 yards which beat Duke in the Albion goal but rebounded back off the far post. Duffty followed up to fired the ball into the empty net but the goal was disallowed for offside, presumably against Duffty when Collins first shot. This was to prove costly as shortly afterwards Albion took the lead. Nigel Clough played the ball in to Moore on the left of the box where got to the byline before cutting the ball back to Glasser who fired in from 8 yards via a deflection. Frickley responded with Lewis being fouled just outside the box but Simon Collins free-kick went straight into Duke's hands. Then, on the stroke of half time, and against the run of play, the visitors added a second. A cross came over from the right which Farrell, with his back to goal, hit with an overhead kick which bounced just inside the near post from the edge of the box.

The Blues attacked from the whistle at the start of the second half and ought to have pulled a goal back on 48 minutes. Simon Colllins broke from midfield but was stopped by a tackle half way inside the Burton half. The loose ball fell to Fothergill on the right who sent over a deep cross which picked out Duffty unmarked at the far post. Unfortunately his header went over the bar when it looked easier to score. Matt Wilkinson then tried his luck from 30 yards but his effort dropped just over the bar and Rob Hanby hit a 20 yarder which Duke saved well whilst at the other end Kearney was forced to save from Farrell. Moore then got away from Wilkinson and broke into the Blues' box but Jones cut out his pass, almost putting into his own goal in the process but it went just past the post. From the corner Kearney went to punch but Stride beat him to it to power a header past the man on the line into the roof of the net to give Burton a three goal lead. The game seemed to be destined to finish 3-0 as Paul Wilkinson, who had replaced Scott Collins found Lewis is space on the left of the box but he dragged his shot wide of the right hand post. But, a minute into stoppage time Albion added a fourth with Stride heading in at the far post from a deep cross from the right. Things got worse still four minutes into added time as Clough sent a Burton player clear down the left with the Blues' defence appealing for offside. The ball was cut back into the path of substitute Garner who picked his spot from just inside the box to make the scoreline even more flattering to the visitors. Dean Jones then talked himself into a red card for his protests to add even more strain to the Blues already depleted squad.

Frickley Athletic : Kearney, Matt. Wilkinson, Gowan, Simon Collins, Jones, Hanby, Lewis (Bashforth 89), Price, Scott Collins (Paul Wilkinson 62), Duffty, Fothergill. Unused sub. Foot

Burton Albion : Duke, Kavanagh, Henshaw, Glasser (Lyons 69), Blount, Evans, Stride, Moore, Farrell (Garner 69), Clough, Anderson (Webster 54)

Attendance : 513