Official Frickley Athletic Website

A defensive nightmare saw Frickley suffer their heaviest UniBond Premier Division of the season and the first home League defeat since Billy Heath took charge when they entertained Mossley.

The Blues were generous in the third minute, allowing Chris Ward to get to the edge of the penalty area on the left and chip a pass over to an unmarked James Turley who knocked it in at the far post to give the visitors a flying start.

Martin Thacker had two free-kicks in as many minutes, the first in the eighth falling to Dean Jones, who had a shot blocked, while the second sent Danny Walsh down the left and he crossed for debutant Wayne Wallace to put a diving header just over the target.

Turley was allowed to dribble into the penalty area by Jones in the 24th minute and then hit a deflected shot which looped over Jon Hood and just under the bar to improve Mossley's advantage.

There was little pattern in the home side's play and, on the stroke of half-time, Hood punched away a free-kick by Turley but it fell to Ward who crossed and the ball was deflected into his own goal by Carl Giblin.

Paul Palmer lashed an angled 20 yarder into the side netting while Steve Kennedy got up to head down a corner kick but the ball bounced over the bar - which epitomised the Blues' luck.

Three minutes after the interval, Wallace grazed a post with a header, and Neil Ashley then had a first time shot blocked on the line as Frickley tried to reduce the arrears.

Ashley started a move involving Martin Thacker and Lee Morris in the 55th minute before running onto a pass and firing inches wide from 18 yards.

The home cover was undone again in the 61st minute, Ward knocking the ball inside for Peter Wright to stab in from two yards.

After Hood had punched away a strong shot by Wright in the 69th minute, Frickley began to press, Richard Tracey crossing for Ben Eastwood to head just wide in the 73rd minute, while Morris lobbed goalkeeper Steve Wilson from 40 yards but the ball landed on the roof of the net four minutes later.

Wilson could only parry a 25 yard scorcher from Kennedy in the 87th minute, and the ball dropped to Ashley but he lifted his shot over the bar.

Report by Peter Jordan

Official Frickley Athletic Website

www.frickleyafc.co.uk