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Saturday 1st February - Frickley Athletic 0-2 Droylsden

The Blues welcomed back Antony Jackson, Steve Woolford and Duncan Richards after suspension whilst Ossett Town allowed loanee Craig Boardman to partner Jackson in defence. Richards lined up alongside Woolford in midfield with Steve Robinson rather surprisingly starting at right full-back in pace of Gary Reece.

After a scrappy opening to the game the Blues came close to opening the scoring in the 11th minute. Jackson played the ball forward to Lee Morris who headed down to Curtis Bernard whose first time pass inside James Glendenning found Remo Nesa bursting into the box but goalkeeper Paul Phillips smothered well at his feet. Just two minutes later Droylsden took the lead when the Blues had several failed attempts to clear following a corner and eventually Darren Wright stroked an angled shot past Mark Samways from 8 yards. Wright had the ball in the net again on 21 minutes, heading in a cross from Ged Murphy, but it was disallowed for offside. On 23 minutes Bernard and Morris combined well to send Nesa clear down the left but his cross was poor. As half time approached the Blues managed more possession but were unable to create any clear cut chances. On 39 minutes Morris was fouled 25 yards out but Gary Hatto's free-kick went narrowly over the bar. On the stroke of half time Droylsden's Adam Farley and Jimmy Haarhoff combined well down the right for  Farley to send over a dangerous cross that was just too deep.

Droylsden went close to extending their lead on 50 minutes when Wright's 25 yrad free-kick was brilliantly saved by Mark Samways who got down quickly to his left. Just after the hour mark Phil Sharpe made a double substitution to try and salvage something form the game with Hatto and Nesa being replaced by Chris Newton and Gary Reece. At the same time former Blues' player Leroy Chambers was replaced by Gavin Salmon. Jackson was then pushed up front whilst Robinson moved inside, allowing Reece to operate as right full-back. On 65 minutes Salmon shot narrowly wide of the left hand post from close range whilst ten minutes later Jackson powered a header just wide of the far post as he met a Chris Gowen corner. Then, on 84 minutes, the visitors made sure of the three points as Salmon got clear on the edge of the box to prod the ball past the advancing Samways. Reece then sent over a brilliant cross from the right that just needed a touch at the far post to result in a goal but no-one attacked the ball whilst on 87 minutes Bernard put an angled shot inches wide from 8 yards.

Frickley Athletic : Samways, Robinson, Gowen, Richards, Boardman, Jackson, Nesa (Reece 63), Woolford, Bernard, Morris, Hatto (Newton 63). Unused sub. Sharpe

Droylsden : Phillips, Farley, Warner, Glendenning, Burke, O'Brien, Murphy, Hall, Chambers (Salmon 63), Wright, Haarhoff (Kevan 76). Unused sub. Kerr

Attendance : 137 

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