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Saturday 21st January - Prescot Cables  0-2  Frickley Athletic

Second half goals from Simon Collins and Rob Pell earned the Blues their third successive UniBond Premier Division win as they overcame Prescot Cables 2-0 at Valerie Park. With Marine drawing at home the Blues move back up to second place as they made it six games unbeaten in all competitions.

With Lee Pugh serving a one-match suspension for accumulating 5 bookings Gary Marrow drafted Neil Ashley into the midfield as the one change to the starting line-up. Phil Lindley joined James Stansfield and Chris Adam on the subs. bench.

The Blues made a positive start on a difficult pitch and went close with less than 60 seconds on the clock but Rob Pell's 20 yard shot just cleared the crossbar. However, the home side responded immediately with Steve McEwan heading just over the bar following a free-kick. A good flowing move after 16 minutes saw Alex Callery play the ball into the path of the overlapping Simon Collins as he broke into the box but Collins' left foot shot was comfortably dealt with by Ryan McMahon in the Prescot goal. Shortly afterwards McMahon did well to palm a Callery free-kick off the head of Steve Kennedy as he looked certain to score. Just before half time Pell played a great ball in for Callery who found himself in space in the box. Unfortunately, the pitch forced a strange bounce from the ball preventing Callery from getting in a shot and he was forced away from goal with McMahon closing him down. As Callery tried to turn on the edge of the box he was clumsily brought down by McMahon for what should have been a penalty but, after looking to his assistant, the referee decided not to award the spot-kick.

Three minutes after half time the Blues got the break they were denied just before half time when Pell's 20 yard shot was fumbled by McMahon and COLLINS followed up to bundle the ball over the line from close range. The Blues were forced to defend deeply for a while as Prescot pushed for an equaliser. Gary Ingham made a rare error as he dropped a high cross from the left but he redeemed himself by recovering to collect the shot from Paul Prescott. The Blues were still looking dangerous on the break and they almost scored a second on 72 minutes when Andy Evans teed up Martyn Woolford but his powerful shot from 15 yards was pushed onto the post by McMahon. However, two minutes later Evans picked out PELL at the far post with an excellent cross from the left and the big striker confidently beat McMahon with a volley at his near post. Evans was immediately replaced by Chris Adam who came on down the left with Woolford moving up front with Pell. Minutes later Prescot substitute Eddie Taylor was forced off with a broken collar bone with the home side being reduced to ten men having used all their substitutes. However, Steve O Hara forced Ingham to save at the foot of his near post on 79 minutes and, in stoppage time, Adam Flynn saw his 25 yard free-kick fly straight at Ingham.