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Tuesday 17th September 2002 - Harrogate Town 1-2 Frickley Athletic

The Blues made it two wins in a row as a determined performance saw them claim all three points at Harrogate Town. Phil Sharpe brought in loan midfielder Scott Kerr and newly signed forward Nigel Hemstock whilst Mark Hine and the suspended Craig Marsh were left out, although Hine occupied a place on the bench.

Playing in their change strip of white and black, Frickley took the lead with their first meaningful attack on ten minutes. A good break by Hemstock led to Andy Evans playing the ball out wide to  Ryan Williams whose cross found the head of Evans in the box but he could only head the ball into the air with it falling into the path of KERR who drilled his shot into the bottom right hand corner. Two minutes later Kerr went close again when a corner was only partly cleared to him some 25 yards out but his hot went wide of the left hand post. The home side responded with a deep cross from the left being knocked back across the edge of the box by Marc Thompson but his forwards, Scott Jackson and ex-Barnsley player Clint Marcelle, failed to make the most of it. On 21 minutes Thompson headed down to Scott Bonsall but Samways was equal to his effort. The Blues were forced to replace the injured Remo Nesa with Paul Burke with Hemstock moving out to the right in Nesa's place. However, on the half hour Harrogate got their reward when a corner from the left was headed past Samways by Frickley captain Mark Hancock at the near post. Four minutes later Town keeper Chris Hill had a lucky escape when he spilled a harmless cross by Williams when under pressure from Evans only for the ball to hit Evans and roll wide of the goal. Almost immediately Town surged forward with  Samways again denying Bonsall but on 44 minutes Frickley regained the lead. A long ball out of defence by Gowen was headed on by Evans into the path of BURKE who hit a ferocious 20 yard shot into the roof of the net, giving Hill no chance. The lead was almost immediately wiped out as on the stroke of half time Hunter's free-kick from 25 yards was delected off the wall and onto the left hand post and then into the grateful arms of Samways.

The second half saw the home side push the Blues back into their own half much more but not really create a clear cut chance at goal. On 53 minutes Samways was again called into action to save from Hunter whilst minutes later Marcelle flicked a header wide of Samways' right hand post. Frickley responded with Gowen's 35 yard shot beating Hill but flying just wide of the left hand upright. Samways then smothered a weak header by former Blues' player Mick McNaughton before Williams fired over from 25 yards at the other end. The Blues had a chance to increase their lead on 74 minutes when Hemstock was fouled on the right. Hancock's free-kick picked out Marquis but his header flew inches over the bar from 6 yards. Two minutes later Substitute Lee Morris had a great chance to make the game safe when Hemstock sent him clear but Morris' lob beat Hill only to hit the left hand post and bounce back towards Morris and ricochet wide of the goal. Marquis then headed another Hancock free-kick from the right wide as the Blues enjoyed a spell of pressure but it was the home side who enjoyed the majority of possession in the final 15 minutes but were unable to make any impression on a determined Blues' defence. 

Frickley Athletic : Samways, Nesa (Burke 21 (Morris 73)), Gowen, Elkin, Wordsworth, Marquis, Hancock, Kerr, Evans, Hemstock (Hine 87), Williams.  

Attendance : 347   

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