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Saturday 15th March - Lincoln United 0-0 Frickley Athletic

Frickley Athletic extended their unbeaten League run to eight matches as they were held to a goalless draw at Lincoln United but the hosts had both goalkeeper Leigh Walker and referee Gary Brittain to thank for preventing Frickley from scoring.

Walker pulled off a couple of great saves to deny Chris White and Lee Morris whilst referee Brittain turned down at least three clear penalty appeals. The most bizarre being in the second half when he waved play on following a foul on White some 25 yards out but as White continued into the box he was brought down from behind by Scott Brough only for the referee to award Frickley a free-kick for the initial foul 25 yards out!

The first half was largely devoid of goalmouth action at both ends with the first real attempt at goal coming from Rob Pell after 18 minutes but he flashed his header narrowly over the bar from 6 yards following Chris Hilton’s cross from the right. A minute later Danny Walsh’s deep free-kick found Jonathan Groome near the penalty spot but his header was straight at Walker. The home side came close after 27 minutes when former Frickley player Carl Colley met a free-kick from the right with a downward header which was deflected wide of the left hand post. Five minutes later Colley was the villain as he lost the ball to Pell inside the box and he chipped the ball to the back post where Lee Morris headed back across goal from 6 yards but the ball flew inches wide of the post with Walker well beaten. On the stroke of half time Groome’s cross-field ball found Hilton who cut into the box ahead of  Gary Walters only to be pushed from behind by the defender but the referee waved away claims for a penalty.

The second half was a marked improvement on the first although it only really sprung to life following the introduction of Neil Towler just after the hour mark. Frickley goalkeeper Jon Hood was troubled for the first time after 55 minutes when Walters chipped the ball over the defence for Leon Wainman but Hood was quickly off his line to collect the ball off Wainman’s feet. On 65 minutes referee Brittain turned down Friockley’s second penalty appeal following Brough bringing down White inside the box when he instead awarded the free-kick for an earlier foul.

Colley was then extremely fortunate to not only avoid a booking but also to stay on the field when he deliberately blocked a through ball for Towler with his arm 20 yards out after 75 minutes. White’s free-kick looked to be destined for the back for the net until Walker flung himself full stretch to tip the ball around his right hand post. Minutes later Morris flicked on a long clearance for Towler to break clear but his angled shot from 15 yards flew over the bar. Lincoln soon responded with Hood being forced to save a low 20 yard shot from another form Frickley player, Neil Ashley whilst on 87 minutes Morris came close to grabbing the winner when he headed Steve Robinson’s cross goalwards only for Walker to tip it over the bar. Groome headed the resulting corner over the bar although Frickley had yet another claim for a penalty as Walker deliberately pushed Morris out of the way as he tried to get to the ball. With a minute remaining the home side had a chance to steal the points but Grahame Epps hacked the ball over the bar after Hood had parried a strong shot from Colley.

The draw keeps the Blues in 13^th place, still four points above the relegation zone but with a home game against Ossett Town on Good Friday (3pm) and a trip to Worksop Town on Easter Monday hopes will be high that Premier Division survival could soon be all but secured.