Official Frickley Athletic Website 

Despite dominating most of the play the Blues suffered a heavy home defeat to title chasers Lancaster City to bring an end to their recent unbeaten run. New signing from Emley, Rory Prendergast, came in to play down the left whilst Phil Brown continued in place of the injured Rob Hanby.

The visitors got off to a flying start as they took the lead after just 62 seconds following a corner from the left which was headed in at the far post by Whittaker who didn't make the best of contacts with the ball but it still evaded two Blues' players on the line. The Blues slowly started to pull themselves into the game but it was Lancaster who almost scored again on 10 minutes when Whittaker was left on his own on the edge of the box. He lifted the ball over the advancing Kearney and looked odds-on to score into an open net before Steve Price denied him with a brilliant sliding tackle. On 18 minutes the Blues had their first chance of the game as Simon Collins seized on a loose ball outside the Lancaster box and beat two defenders before shooting from just inside the box but Thornley pulled off a great save to deny him. This gave the Blues hope and six minutes later some good play between Andy Evans, Collins and Prendergast saw the latter break down the left of the box and cut the ball back across goal where City defender Kilbane headed just passed his own post. Paul Haddow headed over on 27 minutes following a rare excursion into the Blues half from the visitors before the Blues were back on the offensive. Prendergast shot wide from 20 yards on 32 minutes whilst on 39 minutes Phil Brown brought the ball forward from the half way line before shooting straight at Thornley from 25 yards. On 42 minutes the Blues came the closest yet to an equaliser when Jon Wordsworth played the ball out wide to Prendergast who sent over a dangerous cross which the onrushing Evans met with a powerful header from six yards which shot over the bar. Unfortunately, the inevitable happened just before half time as Lancaster broke and after a couple of balls into the box were only half cleared Lee Clitheroe drilled a low shot passed Kearney from 12 yards. This was rough justice on the Blues who had done everything except score in an entertaining first half.

The start of the second half saw the Blues go straight on the attack. Just a minute after the restart Collins met Price's chipped free-kick with a header across the face of goal which was hacked clear before Oleksewycz could add the finishing touch. A minute later the Blues' luck was out again as Evans met Collins' right wing corner with a goalbound header only for a defender to head off the line with Thornley beaten but two minutes later a goal finally came as EVANS scored with a great header from Collins free-kick. Three minutes later the scores were almost level when Oleksewycz got the luck off the bounce as he challenged Thornley for a through-ball outside the box and shot goalwards but there was not quite enough pace on the shot, allowing Kilbane to clear off the line. Carl Forthergill then came on in place of Oleksewycz up front and City then survived a penalty appeal as Collins was pushed going for a cross from Price from the left. Then on 67 minutes Thornley did well to hold an 18 yard volley from Price after a free-kick had only been half cleared. On 78 minutes Kearney came out of his box to tackle Welch but the ball fell to Martin some 30 yards out only for him to slice his first time shot way over the bar and a minute later Welch had the ball in the net but the Assistant Referee had already signalled for offside. The last ten minutes saw the Blues run out of ideas up front and conceded two goals which gave a rather deceiving look to the final score. First, on 82 minutes, a cross from the right took a slight deflection off a Blues' defender before finding its way to Whittaker at the back post who knocked the ball in despite Kearney's frantic attempts to keep the ball out. Then two minutes later Welch clearly controlled the ball in the box with his arm before being forced outside the box and then turning to hit an unstoppable shot into the top right hand corner.

The finals scoreline by no means gives a fair reflection of play as the Blues gave one of their best 90 minute performances but got no reward whatsoever. But, credit to Lancaster who defended well and rode their luck.

Frickley Athletic : Kearney, Si Collins, Gowan, Brown, Wordsworth, Jones, Myers (Duffty 76), Price, Evans, Oleksewycz (Fothergill 62), Prendergast. Unused sub. Ogley

Lancaster City : Thornley, Rigby, Lyons, L. Clitheroe, Kilbane, Mayers, Martin, Butler (Brown 35), Whittaker, Welch, Haddow. Unused subs. S. Clitheroe, Middleton.

Attendance : 193

Referee : A. Jones