Official Frickley Athletic Website 

www.frickleyafc.co.uk

Monday 19th July - Harrogate Railway 3-1 Frickley Athletic

A largely inexperienced Blues' side suffered a 3-1 defeat at NCEL side Harrogate Railway but they only had themselves to blame following a series of missed chances. Phil Sharpe brought in yet more triallists, with the most notable being former Whitby Town striker Stefan Zoll who partnered James Walker up front.

The Blues started well and went close on 14 minutes when Walker did well to win the ball on the right before sending over a low cross to Dominic Blair whose shot on the turn from 8 yards was well blocked, However, the home side took the lead just five minutes later when a free-kick from the right was flicked past a stranded Marc Shackleton from 10 yards. Remo Nesa played a good ball into space for Walker on 31 minutes but his angled drive found the side netting. Shortly afterwards one time Blues' striker Robbie Whellans hit the post for Harrogate as they showed they were still a threat.

The Blues created more chances during the second half and went desperately close on 49 minutes when Zoll flicked Troy Bennett's right wing corner inches wide of the far post. A minute later Zoll had a 20 yard shot deflected for a corner and when Bennett sent the flag-kick over, Zoll flicked it on for MATTHEW PLANT to head in off the underside of the crossbar. Jamie Thompson went close to giving the Blues the lead on 70 minutes when Nathan Hood found him in space on the edge of the box but the home keeper touched Thompson's first time shot against the post. Three minutes later disaster struck as Steve Woolford inadvertently headed a Harrogate corner into his own net whilst on 76 minutes Whellans struck a crisp shot just inside Shackleton's right hand post to put the home side 3-1 up. With just minutes left Hood shot wide from 15 yards with just the keeper to beat whilst Zoll forced the Railway keeper to pull off a great double save from point blank range.

Click on the 'vote' banner to vote for this site in Yorkshire's Top 100 Football Sites...