The Blues gave debuts to their two new signings, Michael McNaughton and Matt Clarke, but suffered defeat by a single goal following the mysterious dismissal of Nicky Cranston just after the hour mark.

Emley begun the game with more of the possession with Mark Wilkinson being called upon to pull off a couple of fine saves in the opening fifteen minutes along with a header being cleared off the line by Chris Hilton following a corner on 19 minutes. Frickley then slowly began to come more into the game with Chris Hurst sending Cranston clear down the right after 31 minutes before racing into the box to head Cranston's cross over the bar. A few minutes later Clarke and Hurst between them managed to rob Lacey on the edge of Emley's box. Hurst took the ball on and from a tight angle beat Cuss in the home goal only for his shot to rebound off the angle of post and crossbar.

The start of the second half saw Frickley continue where they left off at the end of the first with Clarke heading over following cross by Martin Fox and Hilton almost catching Cuss out with a deep cross from the right which struck the top of the bar but the game turned in the 61st minute. Cranston, who had already been booked, broke well down the right before sending and excellent ball out to Rob Hanby who was in acres of space just outside the box with Ian Edge along side him but the referee pulled play up and promptly sowed Cranston a second yellow card followed by a red. Presumably it must have been for something Cranston said as no contact was made with any Emley player but just a few minutes earlier Emley's Jones had tried to get Cranston sent off, running half way down the pitch to protest at a tackle whilst carrying the ball and shouting abuse at the referee, but this didn't go punished. Just three minutes later Emley made thier extra man tell when Bambrook shrugged off a challenge to fire in from just outside the box. Try as they might Frickley just couldn't find an equaliser with the nearest being a header by McNaughton which went just wide.

Frickley Athletic : Mark Wilkinson, Hilton, Fox, Lafferty, McNaughton, Hanby, Cranston, Price, Clarke, Hurst, Edge (Brookes 78). Subs. West, McAreavey

Attendance : 236