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Saturday 21st August - Frickley Athletic 1-1 Prescot Cables

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The Blues opened their account for the 2004/05 season at the Millennium Worldwide Stadium with a draw against a Prescot Cables side that should have been beaten. Phil Sharpe gave debuts to Graeme Severn, Matthew Plant and Troy Bennett with Gary Hatto and Lee Pugh both giving support to Mark Vickerage as the only recognised striker up front.

After a fairly cagey start from both sides in the opening ten minutes, the Blues slowly started to prise open the visitors' defence. Hatto missed a chance on 15 minutes when Plant flicked on Steve Robinson's long throw and Hatto arrived at the far post but could only turn and shoot over the bar as Phil Priestley came out. However, the visitors came close to snatching the lead on 21minutes when Marc Shackelton's clearance was headed forward from half way and Karl Connolly got half a yard on Phil Lindley to lob Shackelton from a tight angle but the ball came back off the face of the crossbar. Almost immediately Bennett's perfectly weighted through ball found Vickerage clear down the left but as he cut in towards goal he lost control of the ball, allowing Priestley to block at his feet and knock the ball clear but Hatto collected the loose ball and was brought down. Bennett's free-kick was then headed over the bar by Woolford. Minutes later Bennett sent over a free-kick from the right which Pugh knocked in from almost on the line at the back post but the goal was ruled out for pushing. 

The Blues continued to push with Robinson sending over a deep cross from the right which Hatto headed back across goal but Woolford was just unable to connect with the ball in front of an open goal, 6 yards out. Cables went close when Lee Cooper turned just inside the box but his shot flashed just over the bar but on 37 minutes the Blues finally made the breakthrough. Vickerage was fouled some 25 yards out and WAYNE BENN struck a low free-kick which nestled inside the right hand post. However, the joy was short lived as three minutes later a deep free-kick into the Blues' box saw Phil Lindley and Cooper tangle and go over inside the box. The referee initially let play continue but the assistant referee signalled for a penalty. Karl Connolly confidently scored from the spot. Just before the break Adam Flyn truned and shot just wide of Shackelton's right hand post. 

Five minutes after half time Severn thought he had give the Blues the lead when he latched onto a probing ball from Bennett to confidently roll the ball past Priestley but he was judged to be offside and the goal disallowed. Shortly afterwards Prescot's Liam McGuire was lucky to still be on the pitch after twice tangling with Woolford and even swinging a punch, which missed, but he only received a yellow card for his troubles. However, he was substituted shortly afterwards. The second half was lacking the fluency of the first, with much less goal-mouth action, although Pugh did see his 18 yard shot well saved by Priestley on 66 minutes. Dale Rimmington came on to replace Benn on 75 minutes and shortly afterwards Hatto's curling cross was palmed out from under the bar by Priestley at full strecth. James Walker and Craig Fisher replaced Hatto and Vickerage on 83 and 88 minutes respectively as the Blues looked to find a winning goal. With just minutes remaining Prescot's Connolly was sent off for his second bookeable offence after kicking the ball away. The visitors almost snatched a late winner but Shackelton reacted well to push and acrobatic 18 yard overhead kick over the bar.

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