Official Frickley Athletic Website 

The Blues fought out a goalless draw at bottom club Hyde United to extend their unbeaten run to six matches but it could have been even better had the referee not failed to spot a blatant handball in the Hyde penalty area five minutes from full time.

The game saw few chances at either end throughout the ninety minutes as the Blues certainly more than held their own. The home side had the first chance of the game with Martin Kearney being forced to pull off a good save after the Blues' defence was opened up by a good run down the Hyde right. However, the Blues enjoyed most of the possession although they were unable to pose much of a threat up front until Simon Collins saw his free-kick from the left hand corner of the box deflected just wide of the post. Another questionable refereeing decision denied Graham Lewis a shooting chance when he has clean through on goal but the referee pulled play back to award a free-kick to the Blues for a foul on Andy Evans. On 41 minutes the Hyde 'keeper caught a header by Lewis on the line following Steve Price's free-kick on the right and on 45 minutes Richard Acton again denied Lewis after he had cut through the Hyde defence to fire in angled shot from the edge of the box which Acton blocked well with his hand with a defender managing to scramble the ball clear before the onrushing Carl Fothergill could reach it.

The second half saw Fothergill replaced by Scott Collins who took up a position on the left whilst Lewis moved inside to partner Andy Evans. Pete Myers picked up a stray pass across the Hyde defence to fire over from 25 yards on 57 minutes but there was very little goalmouth action until the 74th minutes when Kearney underhit a pass across the box but luckily Price managed to close him down to prevent a goalscoring chance. Barely a minute later and Acton almost gifted the Blues a goal when he missed a back-pass from Matt Taylor but managed to recover to clear off the line before Evans could get there. Simon Yeo then sent an angled shot wide of the near post for Hyde before the home side had a header cleared off the line, possibly by Myers, following a right wing corner in the 84th minute. A minute later Myers broke down the right hand side of the Hyde box and attempted to square the ball to the unmarked Evans in the box but his pass was clearly blocked by an outstretched hand of a defender but the referee waved away claims for a penalty and, unfortunately, his assistant was at the wrong side of the pitch to give a decision.

Nevertheless, it was another point gained whilst the Blues maintain their nine point advantage over Hyde. One disappointing aspect of the game was the way in which the Hyde players threw themselves to the ground after every challenge - if that's they way they play every game then its no wonder they are struggling at the bottom.

Frickley Athletic : Kearney, Simon Collins, Gowan, Hanby, Wordsworth, Jones, Lewis, Price, Evans, Fothergill (Scott Collins 56), Myers. Unused subs Duffty, Ogley

Attendance : 307 

Referee : P.A. Brabin (Bolton)