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Saturday 22nd March - Gateshead 2-2 Frickley Athletic

The Blues twice came from behind to earn a point against a Gateshead side also fighting to avoid the relegation play-offs, although the display was not as impressive as some of the recent outings.

Phil Sharpe started with the same eleven that beat Stalybridge in midweek but Steve Robinson was fit enough to return to the subs. bench.

Playing into a slight breeze on a dry and bumpy pitch the Blues were soon under pressure. In only the 3rd minutes Mark Samways was called upon to push a header from Michael Chilton over the bar after a free-kick was knocked back across goal. Minutes later David Colvin bazed wide of the left hand post from 20 yards. The Blues managed their first serious attack on 10 minutes and came close to taking the lead. Curtis Bernard did well down the left, as he turned his marked and cut into the box. His cross to the far post was aimed towards Duncan Richards who was harshly adjudged to have impeded a defender as he lunged at the ball. After 15 minutes Samways had the ball headed out of his hands as he tried to claim a corner but Mark Hancock headed off the line whilst shortly afterwards Gareth McAlindon was brought down just outside the box but the resulting free-kick was straight at Samways. On 20 minutes a good move down the Blues' right saw Richards take the ball in his stride and break into the box only for him to be brought down. The referee awarded a free-kick just outside the box, although the offence was clearly committed inside. Kieran O'Brien put the free-kick just over the bar. On 38 minutes O'Brien was forced off through injury and was replaced by Gary Hatto. Gateshead took the lead on 39 minutes when McAlindon clearly dived under a challenge outside the box. The referee waved "play on" but his assistant signalled for e free-kick which was then awarded. The free-kick saw the ball bundled in by Rob Jones from almost on the line. Less then a minute later the Blues were level as LEE MORRIS latched onto a through ball from Hatto and, although looking clearly offside, proceeded to lob the advancing Jon Kennedy. However, the joy was short lived as on the stroke of half time Samways missed a long throw-in form the left, leaving Chilton to head into an empty net.

Frickley had the first chance of the second half on 52 minutes when Gary Reece send a long ball over the home defence for Morris but Kennedy came out well to block his effort. Paul Marquis then picked up an injury and was replaced by Matt Daly. Gateshead had a golden opportunity to extend their lead on 59 minutes when Hancock dispossessed Chilton in the Blues' box, only to turn across his own box and clear the ball straight to Keith Douglas but he shot inches wide of the left hand post from 15 yards. The miss proved costly for the home side as on 62 minutes there was a comedy of errors in the Gateshead box which resulted in David Morgan heading across the face of his own goal for BERNARD to head in unchallenged. Hancock became the third Blues player to be forced off through injury when Steve Robinson replaced him. On 67 minutes Reece tested Kennedy with a powerful 25 yard shot which the keeper caught well whilst a minute later Samways saved a Jones header from a Ken Cramman free-kick. Bernard came close to giving the Blues all three points in the last minute when he advanced to the edge of the Gateshead box before letting fly with a powerful shot which Kennedy punched clear.

Frickley Athletic : Samways, Reece, O'Brien (Hatto 38), Woolford, Jackson, Marquis (Daly 57), Hancock (Robinson 61), Richards, Morris, Bernard, Lindley. 

Attendance : 202

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