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Both sides made changes to their line-ups following Tuesday evening FA Trophy replay between the two clubs. The Blues, with Mark Ogley taking charge in the absence of Gary Marrow who had a prior engagement, had Rob Hanby fit again to return in midfield in place of Phil Brown whilst Pete Myers replaced Gary Duffty down the right.

The first action of the game saw Martin Kearney react quickly to claim the ball at the feet of Danny Warner after Myers had given the ball away to Troy Hayder on the edge of the Blues' box. However, the Blues should have taken the lead with their first decent attack of the game. Graham Lewis did brilliantly down the left before sending over a cross which Carl Fothergill knocked into the path of the overlapping Myers. Myers hit a first time shot which Chris Hulley half saved with the ball rolling slowly across the goalmouth to the far post where Andy Evans somehow managed to hit the post from about a yard out. Amends were soon made as five minutes later Steve Price delivered the ball from the right onto the head of EVANS who planted his header beyond Hulley to give the Blues the lead. Shortly afterwards Kearney pulled off a wonder save to turn away a well struck 25 yard free-kick from Warner which looked destined for the top left hand corner until Kearney flung himself to his right to knock it round the post. But, just after the half hour mark the Bloods drew level as the Blues conceded possession in their own half, allowing a through ball to be threaded through to Nigel Evans who pushed the ball past the advancing Kearney before slotting in from a narrow angle. Fothergill was then just unable to reach a ball in from the left by Chris Gowan, although Hulley was almost deceived as he expected Fothergill making contact with the ball but he recovered to save. Then, just before half time, a mix-up between Jon Wordsworth and Gowan almost let in Nigel Evans but Gowan recovered to clear the danger.

Almost immediately after the break Andy Evans collected a ball over the top to lob wide from 25 yards but the Blues didn't have long to wait before regaining the lead. On 48 minutes Lewis chased a lay-off from Evans down the left which Esdaille tried to shepherd out for a goal kick but Lewis got to it and cut into the box before being brought down by Esdaiile. PRICE stepped up to score from the spot low to Hulley's right. Fothergill then headed just wide from a good ball in from the right by Myers whilst Evans went agonisingly close again as he headed fractionally wide after Hulley failed to cut out a cross from the left by Gowan. On 57 minutes Price sent a long ball up field which EVANS collected whilst the Droylsden defence stood appealing for offside (which he certainly looked offside to most people). He calmly ran on to round Hulley and roll the ball into an empty net. Two minutes later Nigel Evans volleyed just wide of the right hand post for the visitors before Fothergill was subjected to a vicious 2-footed challenge near the corner flag which amazingly went unpunished. Andy Evans then headed over from a cross by Collins from the left whilst Fothergill seized on a flick on from Evans to turn and shoot but Hulley smothered his shot. Esdaille then got what he deserved as he injured himself in an over-the-top challenge on Lewis which the referee again didn't punish. Wordsworth then made a great tackle to take the ball off Kinney when he was in a good position but then the inevitable happened as a brawl started on half way which resulted in Myers and Steve Porter being booked - but this probably wouldn't have occurred if the referee had clamped down on some of the preceding challenges. On 77 minutes Kearney was called into action to tip over a long range effort from Mick Moore and from the corner Kinney headed over at the back post. Andy Evans had a chance for his hat-trick on 83 minutes when Scott Collins picked him out in the clear to the right of the box but Hulley got down well to block his low shot. The, right at the death Evans' namesake Nigel had an even better opportunity to pull a goal back for the Bloods when, looking offside, he was clean through but as Kearney came out the Evans lost control with the ball sticking under his feet, allowing Wordsworth to clear the danger.

Frickley Athletic : Kearney, Simon Collins, Gowan, Hanby (Brown 85), Wordsworth, Jones, Lewis (Scott Collins 79), Price, Evans, Fothergill, Myers (Duffty 75).

Droylsden : Hulley, Esdaille (Richardson 69), Porter (Bradshaw 74), Farley, Lattie, Holmes, Warner, Mills, Evans, Kinney, Hayder (Moore 66).

Attendance : 146

Referee : Andrew Morbin (Sheffield)