Steve Richards was dealt a severe blow to his plans in the build up to the game as Northwich Victoria recalled Graham Lewis from his loan spell with their squad was a bit thin on the ground, which left Gary Duffty to partner Leroy Chambers up front. Both Dean Jones and Phil Brown were only considered fit enough for places on the substitutes bench while Alex Willgrass, who played so well at Spennymoor in midweek, was struck down with flu.

The game itself was a rather uninspiring affair with both sides failing to stamp their authority on procedings. Chris Hurst came close to opening the scoring in the 3rd minute when he steered a header into the side netting following a corner from the left by Andy Gregory. Shortly afterwards Rob Hanby played a ball forwards which Chambers flicked on to Duffty but he shot over the bar from just inside the box. Marine then came more into the game and Mark Wilkinson was called upon to make three excellent saves from goalbound shots in and around the box. However, in the 31st minute Chambers ought to have given Frickley the lead when Chris Hilton sent him racing clear of the defence but he allowed Chris Clarke in the Marine goal to block his shot. Just before the interval it was the again the turn of Mark Wilkinson to shine as he did well to save a header on the line following a corner.

The second half continued in the same way with a goalless draw looking odds on. On 53 minutes Gregory found Hilton in a good position on the right. He advanced into the box and turned a defender inside out before having a left footed shot well saved by Clarke. Then on 67 minutes, out of nowhere, Marine took the lead. The Frickley defence failed to challenge leaving a Marine player to thread the ball through to Courtney who found himself in space in the box and he fired low under Wilkinson to give the home side the lead. Frickley struggled to get back into the game until the last ten minutes or so when they really should have salvaged a draw. Hanby went close on 85 minutes but his 20 yard shot went over the bar and the home defence survived a couple of goalmouth scrambles before, in the 90th minute, Chambers was presented with a brilliant chance to level the scores. Lee Stratford played the ball forward, eluding the Marine defence, to leave Chambers clear just 10 yards out but he dragged his shot hopelessly wide of the post as the chance went begging.

In the end the match was one which neither side really deserved to win but credit to Marine who managed to put one of their chances away. The match also highlighted how much the Frickley attack depended on Graham Lewis. It is not yet known whether he will be available to play against Blyth on Tuesday but this looks even less likely as he scored for Northwich at Boston United this afternoon.

Frickley Athletic : Mark Wilkinson, Hilton, Matt. Wilkinson, Gregory (Beckett 74), Ogley, Hanby, Duffty, Stratford, Chambers, Hurst, Edge. Unused Subs. Jones, Brown

Attendance : 267