Official Frickley Athletic Website 

www.frickleyafc.co.uk

Saturday 8th March - Eastwood Town 3-1 Frickley Athletic

Reduced to ten men when skipper Steve Robinson was red carded for handling a goalbound header on the goal line, Frickley saw the tables turned in this UniBond Challenge Cup semi-final at Eastwood.

The Blues had to reshuffle with Dean Jones injured, while Neil Towler and Rob Pell were both cup-tied, and Lee Morris started on the subs bench because he was not fully fit.

Chris Gowen headed a Town effort off the line in the 14th minute, with Frickley going in front from almost their first threatening attack three minutes later.

Chris White whipped in a cross from the left and Steve Oleksewycz outjumped the home cover to head down for Dean Wilburn to fire in from eight yards.

Eastwood came back and were awarded a penalty after Robinson's handling in the 32nd minute, Anthony Howells seeing his spot kick parried by Jon Hood, but he knocked in the rebound.

The home side went ahead in the 41st minute when a corner from the right was headed in at the near post by Marc Smith.

Town were fortunate not to lose Marc Stevenson, who had aleady been booked, in the 56th minute when he blatantly pushed Wilburn on the edge of the penalty area but escaped a second yellow.

While Jonathan Groome came on for White on the hour, it was Eastwood who had the edge with Lindon Meikle having a shot deflect off Scott Turner in the 64th minute and drop to Anthony Howells who turned and fired just wide from ten yards.

Jon Hood palmed away a low 25 yard drive from Paul Mitchell in the 72nd minute and a 20 yard free-kick by Mitchell two minutes later clipped the top of the bar.

A header from Matt Rhead went just over the Blues goal in the 84th minute while Ricky Hanson headed over Hood five minutes later but Chris Hilton cleared off the line.

It was in stoppage time that Howells broke down the right and his angled shot was deflected into the path of Lindon Meikle who slotted the ball into the net for Town's third goal.

 

Eastwood Town		Frickley Athletic
Ian Deakin	1	Jon Hood
Gary Breach	2	Steve Robinson
Chris Shaw	3	Chris Gowen
Richard Cooper	4	Chris Davies
Marc Stevenson	5	Phil Lindley
Kris Mathews	6	Scott Turner
Deon Meikle	7	Chris Hilton
Paul Mitchell	8	Danny Walsh
Marc Smith 41	9	Steve Oleksewycz
Anthony Howells 33	10	Dean Wilburn 17
Lindon Meikle 90	11	Chris White
Matt Rhead (9, 54)	12	Lee Morris (9, 69)
Ricki Hanson (3, 63)	14	Jonathan Groome (11, 60)
Jay Smedley	15	Adam Pollock (4, 80)
Attendance : 279
Referee : Mr. P. Bramley