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Saturday 26th December 2001 - UniBond Premier Division

EMLEY 2-1 FRICKLEY ATHLETIC

For almost an hour there was about as much passion in the game as there usually is for a pre-season friendly but after Simon Collins had pulled a goal back the game came to life with the Blues being denied a clear cut penalty two minutes from time when an Emley defender clearly handled - no, carried - the ball in the box with the referee waving away shouts for a penalty.

The Blues were without Steve Price who was serving a one match suspension with Mark Ogley filling in at right full-back. On a relatively hard pitch, it was Frickley who made the first opening when, playing against his former side, Rory Prendergast sent over a dangerous cross from the left which just needed a touch but Andy Evans couldn't quite reach it. Two minutes later, persistence from Chris Gowan paid off as he ran at the Emley defence before having a low 20 yard shot saved at the second attempt. However, Emley scored with their first attack five minutes later. Initially, Simon Collins was fouled on half way but play was waved on, allowing an Emley forward to knock the ball past Dean Jones and then past the stranded Martin Kearney, who lost his footing on the slippy surface, and knock the ball into an unguarded net. The Blues soon pushed forward ag

ain with Prendergast forcing a save from the home keeper as he met a cross from Rob Hanby on 18 minutes whilst three minutes later a cross from Carl Fothergill went agonisingly across goal with no-one to add the finishing touch. On 28 minutes a good run from half way by Collins saw him lay the ball off to Pete Myers on the edge of the box but his shot went just wide of the right hand post. Just before half time Emley came into the game with Kearney being forced to make a couple of fine saves before Emley added a second on the stroke of half time when Gowan let Reynolds get goal side of him to tap fire in from close range at the far post following a cross from the Emley left.

At half time the referee was replaced by the senior assistant referee after picking up an injury. Nine minutes after the break Prendergast, who had a low shot saved, shot just over the bar from 25 yards. Then, on 61 minutes Emley forced a corner which was cleared as far as Prendergast just inside the Blues' half. Prendergast immediately ran at the Emley defence before breaking into the box and having his shot deflected for a corner. Prendergast himself took the corner which was headed in at the near post by COLLINS. A few minutes later tempers boiled over following a foul on Prendergast which led to a melee in the Emley half with, surprisingly, only the player who committed the original foul being shown the yellow card. The Blues then forced a series of corner, each of which resulted in Emley scrambling the ball away to safety whilst on 71 minutes the lively Prendergast broke away down the left before being brought down just outside the left hand edge of the box. Simon Collins' free-kick just evaded everyone and curled inches wide of the far post. As a last throw of the dice Gary marrow introduced Gary Dufty and Scott Collins in place of Carl Fothergill and Chris Gowan. One of Duffty's first touches was to tee up Evans for a shot from the edge of the box which sailed over the bar. Two minutes from time the ball was played into the box with Duffty and Dean Jones both trying to control it whilst an Emley defender clearly prevented the ball from reaching them by handling it and almost carrying it inside the box. Amazingly, the referee waved away claims for a penalty with him being probably the only person inside the ground who didn't see it.

Frickley Athletic : Kearney, Simon Collins, Gowan (Sc Collins 84), Hanby, Wordsworth (Matt Wilkinson 45), Jones, Myers, Ogley, Evans, Fothergill (Duffty 84), Prendergast.

Attendance : 424

Referee : Mr J. Lawson (Upton) - replaced by R.W Garthwaite at half time

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