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Saturday 6th November - Gresley Rovers 2-1 Frickley Athletic

The Blues went out of the FA Trophy at the first hurdle after going down 2-1 at Gresley Rovers. The Blues had battled back to draw level after going behind with just 11 minutes gone but an error from goalkeeper Marc Shackelton led to substitute deliberately blocking a goalbound shot with his arm which gave the referee no option but to award a penalty which gave Gresley the win.

Gary Marrow was without the services of the suspended Gary Ingham, injured Richard Tracey and unavailable Steve Robinson so Marc Shackelton replaced Ingham in goal whilst Woolford replaced Robinson at right full-back.

Kicking down the prominent slope the home side enjoyed the better of the early exchanges and took the lead after just 11 minutes, although the goal had an element of luck about it. A quick break down the left saw the ball played across to the right where Chris Fawcus intercepted it. But, Fawcus' clearance struck Liam Hebbard and ricocheted across the 18 yard box to Emeka Ejiofor who controlled the ball before firing past Shackelton from just inside the box. The Blues slowly started to impose themselves on the game and Simon Collins went close on 20 minutes after picking up a loose ball and letting fly from 25 yards but goalkeeper James Pemberton caught his shot well. Matt. Moran was tormenting Gresley full-back Jimmy Turner but it was when Moran drifted inside on 39 minutes that the Blues equalised. Moran collected the ball 25 yards out, pushed it past a defend and then rolled it into the path of ADAM OLDHAM who beat Pemberton with an angled shot from 15 yards. Minutes later Moran ran at the Gresley defence before shooting from 22 yards but the ball flew inches wide of the right hand post with Pemberton rooted to the spot.

Dean Foley replaced Chris Fawcus at half time with Selby moving to left-back. Gresley started the second half well and forced a few early corners. From one of these Matt Smith headed over from 6 yards. On 52 minutes a cross from the left found Ashley Dodd at the near post but Shackelton reacted well to push his flicked shot around the post. After being penned back in their own half for a while the Blues started to impose themselves on the game again. On the hour Lee Pugh knocked the ball down to Oldham who turned inside his marker and fired in a shot from 22 yards which Pemberton saved comfortably. Six minutes later Shackelton came out of his area to try and head clear a long ball but missed his header with the ball falling to Ejiofor who took a while to control it before firing in a shot from 25 yards which Shackelton blocked with his legs on the edge of the box only for the ball to rebound to the unmarked Aaron O'Connor who shot goalwards but Foley deliberately dived to block the shot with his arm to prevent the goal, leaving the referee no option but to send him off and award the penalty. O'Connor took the kick and scored from the spot. Shackleton was involved in the action shortly afterwards when he flung himself to his right to save an overhead kick from O'Connor and five minutes from time Shackelton saved well from Hebbard after Woolford failed to cut out a cross from the right.