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Tuesday 30th March - Frickley Athletic 0-1 Hucknall Town

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Phil Sharpe brought Wayne Benn back into the starting line-up following the completion of his three-match suspension with Gary Hatto dropping to substitute and Phil Lindley moving into the left of midfield.

The visitors started brightly with Marc Shackleton being called into action fairly early on to save a couple of tame shots that Hucknall really should have done better with. Gary Ricketts then headed into the side netting from 2 yards at the far post from a right-wing cross after 9 minutes and the same player should have done better minutes later when well positioned 8 yards out but he headed tamely at Shackleton. A long clearance then saw Danny Bacon sprint clear but, with just Shackleton to beat he shot weekly at the Blues' keeper. On 20 minutes Shackleton was called upon to pull off a great save, diving full length to his right to push the ball past the post from a low 18 yard shot from Leon McSweeney whilst it was amazing how the ball stayed out of the goal from the corner. Bacon met the corner with a back header from 5 yards that struck the crossbar and bounced down, striking Benn, who was stood on the line, on the shoulder and somehow bouncing clear. Mark Smith led a quick break for the Blues on 25 minutes but his ball to Lee Pugh on the edge of the box was cut out and Smith couldn't take advantage as he was crowded out as the ball fell back to him. A minute later Pugh headed the ball on to Nick Richardson who had his back to goal 6 yards out but the ball was cleared as he tried to turn. The Blues were now starting to force more pressure on the visitors defence, with Morris setting up Smith who sidefooted straight at Paul Pettinger from 18 yards on the half hour.

Both sides had chances early in the second half with Ricketts getting behind the Blues defence but his cross was hacked clear for corner whilst at the other end Morris put Dean Barrick under pressure and his clearance fell to Richardson whose early 20 yard shot went narrowly wide of the left hand post. Then, on 51 minutes, Bacon knocked the ball back to McSweeney whose 18 yard shot was going wide but it struck Ricketts and deflected just inside the left hand post to give the league leaders the lead. Two minutes later Shckleton was at full stretch again to push a 25 yarder from Roy Hunter around the post. On the hour Morris was fouled some 25 yards out and substitute Gary Hatto's free-kick found its way to Lindley on the right but his volley was well over the bar. Minutes later Smith fed Robinson whose 18 yard shot drifted just wide of the left hand post with Pettinger beaten. Morris was then fouled out on the left and, when Benn whipped in the free-kick it was headed behind from 5 yards by a defender under pressure from Brooker. On 77 minutes Benn was fouled nearly 30 yards out but Smith put the free-kick about a yard over the bar. As the Blues pushed further forward in search of an equaliser it was inevitable that the visitors would break. On 83 minutes Hunter found Bacon in space on the edge of the box but his low shot came back off the left hand upright and was cleared. With 2 minutes left Smith cut in from the right and sent in a low shot from 18 yards which Pettinger gathered at the second attempt.

Frickley Athletic : Shackleton, Richards, Lindley, Pugh, Brooker (Nesa 72), Marquis, Robinson (Blythen 86), Benn, Morris, Richardson (Hatto 60), Smith

Hucknall Town : Pettinger, Asher, Barrick, Miller, Hunter, Winder, Mayman, McSweeney, Ricketts, Bacon (Ward 86), Todd. Unused subs. Davis, Colley

Attendance : 299

Referee : Mr A. J. Greaves

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