Official Frickley Athletic Website 

www.frickleyafc.co.uk

Saturday 24th August 2002 - Frickley Athletic 0-1 Lancaster City

Already without the injured Jon Wordsworth, Craig Elkin also reported unfit whilst Antony Jackson has been hit with a month's ban following offences committed last season whilst playing for South Kirkby Colliery. Also, Kieran Darlow was left out due to a breach of club discipline and may not even return to the squad. On the plus side, central defender Paul Marquis made a competent debut and Mark Hancock was fit to return.

Lancaster took the game to the Blues from the outset and went close in the first minute when a 22 yard free-kick was deflected into the side netting. Four minutes later Lancaster's Paul Sparrow headed back across goal into the path of Brian Butler who failed to make a clean contact just two yards out which enabled Marquis to clear off the line. Brian Welch then had a goal disallowed for offside whilst a well-worked free-kick on 9 minutes resulted in Andy Whittaker shooting narrowly wide. Gradually, the Blues began to weather the storm but it was 26 minutes before they managed to test the visiting 'keeper when mark Thornley comfortably saved Mark Hine's 25 yard shot. On 37 minutes Hancock picked out Chris Gowen down the left with a quick free-kick. he cut inside well but his cross was disappointing as it drifted out of play with several Blues' players unmarked at the far post. Hancock then shot over from 25 yards whilst on 40 minutes Pete Myers blazed wide when in a good position just inside the box. A minute later the visitors were inches away from taking the lead when Farrell Kilbane's powerful header from a left wing corner just passed the left hand post.

The second half took a while to come to life but when it did it was Lancaster who went close with Michael Yates shooting narrowly over from 20 yards. Two minutes later the inevitable happened as the Blues failed to deal with a corner from the right which was headed back across goal to Whittaker who had the easy task of heading in from close range. On 71 minutes they almost increased their lead but Myers pulled off a great tackle to prevent Paul Rigby from having a shooting chance after Whittaker had spotted his overlap. Mark Wilkinson then pulled off a good save to deny Chris Bennett whilst in the last minute Gowen cleared off the line following a Lancaster corner.     

Frickley Athletic : Wilkinson, Myers, Gowen, Hine, Marsh, Marquis, Hancock, Jones (Peel 90), Burke, Morris (Sharpe 77), Williams (Nesa 27). 

Lancaster City : Thornley, Fensome, Rigby, Sparrow, Kilbane, Alkinson, Yates (Haddow 72), Butler, Whittaker (Bennett 81), Welch, Perkins (Clitheroe 87)

Attendance : 178   

Main Club Sponsor Required for 2002/03. If interested, please contact us...

Click on the 'vote' banner to vote for this site in Yorkshire's Top 100 Football Sites...