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Saturday 24th January - Radcliffe Borough 4-2 Frickley Athletic

The Blues never really recovered after gifting the home side three simple goals in the first 23 minutes which left a mountain to climb to get anything out of the game.

With Phil Lindley serving a 1-match suspension due to an accumulation of bookings Phil Sharpe dropped Steve Robinson back into the defence with new signing Wayne Benn starting in midfield. Sharpe was forced to name himself as substitute due to injuries to Michael Blythen and Antony Jackson.

The home side took the lead with just over 2 minutes on the clock when the unmarked Steve Foster met a right wing cross with a looping header which sailed over Jon Hood. The blues responded by forcing two corners from the second of which Nick Richardson headed narrowly over the bar. Radcliffe's next serious attack after 19 minutes saw Robinson fail to cut out a through ball, allowing Josh Mitten to take the ball around Hood and slot into the empty net. This prompted Sharpe to push Robinson back into midfield and drop Benn back into centre defence. However, just 4 minutes later Mitten was again left unmarked as seized on a cross from the right to pick his spot and fire past Hood. On the half hour Lee Morris was fouled just a yard outside the box and he stepped up to take the free-kick himself (photo left) but home 'keeper Danny Hurst did well to push his shot over the bar. Duncan Richards was then Fortunate not to receive more than a yellow card for a bad late foul just over half-way on Simon Carden, who exacted his revenge on 34 minutes by brining down Richards some 25 yards out. This time Dan Sheriffe took the kick and Hurst did even better to push his shot around he post. Richardson took the right wing corner from which PAUL MARQUIS powered a header into the net. Just before the break Hood did well to block Foster's low angled shot after the Blues' defence was again carved wide open.

Within a minute of the second half kicking off the Blues had a chance to pull another goal back when Morris took advantage of some indecision in the Radcliffe defence to pick up a loose ball and advance into the box but his angled shot zipped inches wide of the right hand post with Hurst beaten. On 52 minutes Robinson's long throw was flicked on by Marquis towards Mark Vickerage who was clearly held but the ball dropped to Morris whose shot on the turn smashed against the crossbar from 10 yards. At the other end the impressive Mitten continued to cause problems for the Blues' defence and Hood had to be alert to block Mitten's angled shot with his legs on 57 minutes. Gary Hatto then replaced Mark Vickerage and within minutes the move paid off as the Blues reduced the arrears. On 65 minutes a good move which started with Richardson down the right saw the ball worked out to Hatto on the left who whipped in a great cross which SHERIFFE headed into the roof of the net. Seven minutes later the Blues came close to grabbing a dramatic equaliser when Richardson (who had moved up front alongside Morris) got his foot to a bouncing through ball to lob the advancing Hurst but for the second time in the game the ball struck the crossbar and rebounded to safety. Salt was rubbed into the wounds on 78 minutes when Foster got away from Marquis to cut inside and easily score Radcliffe's fourth goal. A minute later the Blues had another claim for a penalty turned down when Morris' cross appeared to strike a defender's arm in the box. The ball was then cleared to Lee Pugh who hit a powerful shot from 25 yards which Hurst did well to catch at the second attempt. Minutes later Foster missed a great chance to grab his hat-trick when he blasted over an open goal from 6 yards whilst at the other end  Hatto blasted into the side netting from close range and Sheriffe flicked a Hatto cross wide from just yards out.

Frickley Athletic : Hood, Richards, Fawcus, Benn, Pugh, Marquis, Robinson, Richardson, Morris, Sheriffe, Vickerage (Hatto 59). Unused subs. Rimmington, Jackson

Att: 263

Ref : Mr D. Whitby

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