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Saturday 2nd October - Horden Colliery Welfare 3-0 Frickley Athletic

The Blues crashed out of the FA Cup at the Second Qualifying Round Stage after a gutless performance saw them go down 3-0 against a very ordinary Horden side.

In his last match in temporary charge before Gary Marrow takes over Gary Hatto was without the services of Chris Fawcus and Adam Russell, who were both cup-tied, and Dale Rimmington who is injured. 

Horden got off to the best possible start when they took the lead with only 1 minute 55 seconds on the clock. A ball played between Matt Plant and Phil Lindley was picked up by Kevin Devine who beat Marc Shackelton from the edge of the box. They increased their lead ten minutes later through Chris Pearson from the penalty spot. Andrew McKenna broke into the box but Shackelton did well to block his low shot. The rebound fell to Devine but Plant blocked his shot, only for Lindley to bring down McKenna as he went for the loose ball with the referee immediately awarding the penalty.

The Blues went close to pulling a goal back on 17 minutes when Hatto played the ball in to James Walker on the edge of the box. He fed Richard Tracey who beat Horden keeper Steve Tierney from 15 yards but Darren Atkinson got back to clear off the line. Walker then went close with an overhead kick that fell just wide, following some good play from Tracey down the right. Steve Robinson then broke down the right before feeding the overlapping Steve Woolford whose low cross flashed across the face of goal with no-one able to get the vital touch. 

Horden continually posed a threat to the Blues' vulnerable defence and James Huntley broke clear but fired well wide after 25 minutes. As half time neared the Blues managed to force some pressure and came agonisingly close to pulling a goal back as the half went into added time. First Robinson's cross from the right was met by a diving header from Nathan Hood but the ball flew just wide of the far post with Tierney rooted to the spot. Then, three minutes into added time Tracey turned in a crowded area and smashed the ball against the crossbar from 15 yards. Unforutunately, the home side broke quickly and released Devine down the right. With only Lindley to cover he unselfishly squared the ball to McKenna who made no mistake from just inside the box.

Playing down the slope in the second half and with the breeze behind them the Blues were expected to at least put the home side under pressure but, although they enjoyed a lot of possession they hardly created any good chances in the entire half. The introduction of Lee Wilkinson and Troy Bennett for Plant and Hatto just before the hour mark failed to create a much needed spark for the Blues. The only noteworthy chance came in the 89th minute when the hard working Robinson sent over cross which Bennett volleyed inches over the bar from 15 yards.

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