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Central defender Jonathan Wordsworth, newly signed from Stocksbridge Park Steels, was brought straight into the starting line-up at the expense of Mark Ogley whilst utility player Phil Brown, who played for the Blues during the latter part of last season, has returned to the club after playing local football and slotted in at right full-back.

The visitors came close to snatching the lead after just 15 seconds when Steve Foster got into the box from the right and looked to have taken the ball past Mark Wilkinson as he tried to shoot but Wilkinson got a hand to it before it was cleared for a corner. After shaking off that early scare the Blues started to have more influence in the proceedings but several promising attacks broke down due to poor or half-hearted passing. On 15 minutes Steve Foster broke through the Blues defence as he latched on to a flick from Yeo but, under pressure from Brown, he shot tamely at Wilkinson. Shortly afterwards some good play down the Hyde right led to Yeo shooting into the side netting and a minute later the same player shot over the bar from 18 yards after seizing on a loose ball. It was with Hyde's next attack on 26 minutes that they took the lead. Dean Jones was penalised for a foul outside the box and Neil Critchley stepped up to fire the ball inside the left hand post from the resulting free-kick. Frickley needed a quick response and they got one quicker than they could have imagined. On 28 minutes Chris Gowan picked out Simon Collins' run down the left of the box. He looked to have lost the ball to John Foster but he immediately won it back and was brought down from behind by Foster as he broke into the box. STEVE PRICE stepped up convert the penalty low to the right to haul the Blues level. Three minutes later, and not for the first time this season, the Blues were penalised as Andy Evans flicked the ball on to Savic who was in the clear but the referee pulled back play to award the Blues a free-kick for a foul on Evans and to book Hawtin. The Blues had a golden opportunity to take a 2-1 lead that they scarcely deserved on 33 minutes as Sanisa Savic turned inside the box and was brought down with the referee immediately pointing to the penalty spot. Price again stepped up to take the kick but this time he decided to aim his kick to the left which Acton guessed correctly and saved well and then recovered to block Simon Collins' follow-up shot. Hyde came back and retook the lead five minutes later when Steve Foster, looking to be clearly in an offside position, collected a through ball to fire an unstoppable shot from the right hand side of the box which Wilkinson could only watch as it hit his far post and nestled in the net. Although Foster looked well offside the lead was no more than Hyde deserved as some of their play belied a bottom of the table side.

With Gary Duffty replacing Simon Collins (neck injury) at half time the Blues came out a little more determined at the start of the second period. Within the space of a few minutes Savic twice went close with shots from the outside of the box, with the second leaving Acton rooted to the spot as the ball flew just millimetres wide. But on 50 minutes Hyde cam close to extending their lead. Both Jones and Brown chased a through ball with Steve Foster with Jones bringing Foster down in a similar position to where Hyde scored their first goal from. Again Critchley took the free-kick but this time he opted to aim for the near post which the ball hit and bounced out to safety with Wilkinson beaten. Steve Foster then had a 25 yarder comfortably saved by Wilkinson before Savic was brought down about 5 yards outside the box. This time Rob Hanby had picked up the loose ball and broke into the box before the referee decided to blow and award the free-kick which Price put over the bar. Hyde substitute Salmon got into a good position on the left of the box before shooting into the side netting before on 64 minutes Graham Lewis was brought down in full flow outside the box as he threatened to break clear. Price shipped the ball into the box from the free-kick where it was met by LEWIS who headed it beyond the reach of Acton and into the net - although it may have had a final touch from Hanby but Lewis will no doubt claim the goal. Lewis, who was buzzing at the time, then cut in from the left before having a well struck 20 yard shot well saved as the Blues finally managed to put some pressure on the visitors. On 80 minutes Acton went up with Evans for a high ball in by Gowan but only managed to get a slight touch on it. The loose ball fell to Duffty who shot over from the edge of the box when he really ought to have hit the target. Then, on 86 minutes, Evans flicked on to Savic who got goalside of the last defender but was dragged back as he tried to lift the ball over the advancing keeper. Luckily for Hyde the referee decided the offence was committed an inch outside the box rather than inside leaving Savic to blast the free-kick into the wall.

All in all a draw was probably a fair result with Hyde deserving their half time lead but the Blues did manage to improve a little in the second half and deserved a point, although taking into account the missed chances the Blues could have pulled off a victory. New signing Wordsworth, who has played very little football recently at Stocksbridge after a falling out there, performed admirably whilst Phil Brown improved the right full-back position until he was forced off through injury.

Frickley Athletic : Wilkinson, Brown (Ogley 58), Gowan, Hanby (Scott Collins 84), Wordsworth, Jones, Lewis, Price, Evans, Savic, Simon Collins (Duffty 45)

Hyde United : Acton, J. Foster, Taylor, Ashwell, Hawtin, Critchley (Salmon 63), Young, Hall, Yeo (Obong), S. Foster, Nolan. Unused sub. Matthews.

Attendance : 169

Referee : Rodney Cook (Sheffield)