The Blues rode their luck at times in a game which could easily have gone either way. Mark Ogley and Phil Brown were both unfit with Lee Stratford moving into the centre of defence and Duane Beckett starting in midfield. Chris Hurst returned after missing Wednesday's win at Burscough through work commitments whilst the visitors were without leading goalscorer Chris Ward.

Lancaster started the better of the two sides with Brown having a header scrambled clear after just 3 minutes. A few minutes later the Blues had a let off when the ball was given away to Lee Clitheroe some 30 yards or so out and he immediately tried to chip Mark Wilkinson but the ball came back off the crossbar. Frickley started come more into the game and Duane Beckett saw his left wing corner pushed from under the bar by Thornley. Leroy Chambers then brought off a good save from Thornley as re received a throw-in from Mark Tyrell on the edge of the box and turned his marker brilliantly before shooting from 15 yards but Thornely pushed his effort over the bar. Chambers was having a bit better game than of late with Lancaster's defence struggling at times to control him. As the half drew to a close Lancaster had a couple of chances with Wilkinson reacting well to punch away a snapshot by Brown from 16 yards on 40 minutes whilst on 44 minutes Graham put a 35 yard free-kick well over the bar.

Just a few minutes after the restart City again hit the woodwork as Haddow's effort came back off the bar with Wilkinson beaten. Tyrell went close three minutes later at the other end as he turned and shot over from 12 yards. On 55 minutes Chris Hurst headed Beckett's right wing corner into the danger area only for Tyrell to divert his header over the bar. On 62 minutes Chambers did have the ball in the net as he raced onto Rob Hanby's header but he was adjudged offside. City were immediately on the offensive as Wilkinson reacted quickly to catch from a close range header following a corner. On 71 minutes Hanby had a snapshot from about 12 yards which was smothered by Thornley and Brown then shot over from 15 yards for the visitors. Lancaster had a let-off on 29 minutes when Thornley dropped a free-kick by Steve Price but they managed to scramble the ball clear. Dean Jones then conceded a free-kick in a dangerous position on the right of the box from which Mayers headed over the bar from close range. The last few minutes saw chances at both ends. First Chambers got to a through ball just before Thornley and tried to lob him but Thornley managed to get a touch to block his effort. Then, at the other end, Tyrell headed off the line from Martin's header following a corner from the right. Finally, three minutes into added time, Chambers got clear down the right and sent over a cross which was headed by a defender out to the left. Tyrell retrieved it and turned the ball back into the middle where substitute Andy Gregory had a free header but could only head tamely wide of the right hand upright.

Frickley Athletic : Mark Wilkinson, Hilton, Tyrell, Jones, Stratford(Matt. Wilkinson 45), Hanby, Beckett (Gregory 52) Price, Chambers, Hurst, Marsh (Duffty 76)

Lancaster City : Thornley, S. Clitheroe, Graham, Haddow, Rigby, Mayers, Martin, L. Clitheroe (Love 38), Brown, Welch (Cheal 84), Potts. Unused sub. Sharrock

Attendance : 140