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Wednesday 27th April - Gateshead  1-1  Frickley Athletic

The Blues moved to within a point of UniBond Premier Division safety after taking a point at fellow strugglers Gatehead – a result which guaranteed the home side their own safety against relegation. 

With Simon Collins fit to return to the side Steve Kennedy dropped back into the centre of the defence with Dean Foley dropping to the subs. bench. 

The Blues started the game the more positive of the two sides and came within inches of taking the lead after just three minutes. Calum Selby’s free-kick was cleared only as far as the edge of the box where Matt Daly met the ball on the half volley but his powerful shot grazed the left hand post. Wael Nazha had the next chance after 17 minutes when he beat home ‘keeper Darren Horrigan to a long ball from Steve Robinson but he headed agonisingly wide of the goal. Minutes later Gateshead missed a golden opportunity to take the lead when David Colvin broke down the Gateshead left to send over a great cross which the unmarked Paul Brayson completely missed at the far post. At the other end Robinson’s long throw bobbled about inside the box before falling for Andy Evans but his low angled drive was pushed around the post by Horrigan. As half time approached Colvin headed over the bar following Stephen Harrison’s free-kick from the right. Then, on 41 minutes Nazha ran at the Gateshead defence as he cut in from the left but, with Blues’ players pouring forward in support Nazha carelessly gave the ball away, allowing a long ball to pick out Brayson despite Kennedy’s attempt to cut out the pass. Brayson immediately bore down on Ingham’s goal, turned inside Daly who had done well to get back, and beat Ingham with an angled shot.