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Saturday 20th August - Runcorn FC Halton  1-1  Frickley Athletic

The Blues were forced to settle for a point in their opening game of the season at Runcorn FC Halton this afternoon but they only had themselves to blame after missing numerous chances and conceding a soft equalising goal. Leroy Chambers put the Blues ahead with a controversial headed goal which bounced down off the crossbar after 59 minutes but a misunderstanding between Matt Daly and Gary Ingham on 70 minutes saw Lee Furlong equalise.

With Mark Ogley taking charge of team affairs in the absence of Gary Marrow, who is also serving a two match touchline suspension for his sending off at Gateshead last season, the Blues started with the same side that faced Winterton Rangers in last week's final friendly. Simon Collins, Richard Tracey and Andy Evans were the substitutes.

The Blues came close to taking an early lead with just nine minutes gone when Martyn Woolford and Calum Selby combined well down the left for Woolford to cut inside and fire in a low 18 yard shot which beat home 'keeper Robbie Holcroft but came back off the left hand post. Ashley Scothern was the quickest to react but his chip towards the unmarked Leroy Chambers at the far post drifted inches over the bar. The home side struck back and went close as Jason Van-Blerk's 25 yard free-kick clipped the top of the bar but the Blues' defence were generally keeping keeping Runcorn away from the goal. However, the Blues suffered a blow on 39 minutes when the referee harshly adjudged Matt Daly to have committed a foul in the box and awarded a penalty, but Tommy Taylor's spot-kick was well saved by Gary Ingham. This spurred Runcorn into action and they went close again a minute alter but Ingham brilliantly pushed Paul Scott's 18 yard shot around the post.

Frickley took the lead following their first meaningful attack of the second half which forced a corner after 59 minutes. When Selby sent over his right wing flag-kick CHAMBERS met the ball with a header which came down off the crossbar and was cleared. However, despite the assistant referee indicating the ball hadn't crossed the line the referee, Mr Hilton, was adamant that the ball had crossed the line and awarded the goal. Minutes later Lee Pugh saw his 25 yard shot deflect off a defender and loop towards the top right hand corner but Holcroft tipped the ball round the post. Unfortunately, disaster struck for the Blues on 70 minutes when a misunderstanding between Daly and Ingham led to Ingham missing a high bouncing ball in the box, enabling Lee Furlong to tap in the equaliser. Within five minutes the Blues had a half chance to regain the lead when Steve Robinson's long throw from the right found its way through to Woolford but his close range stab at goal was kept out bay Holcroft's outstretched leg on the line. The Blues missed a good chance shortly afterwards when Pugh sent Chambers away shoulder to shoulder with Jimmy Potter with Chambers' strength enabling to get the better of Potter but, with just Holcroft to beat, Chambers delayed just long enough to enable a defender to block his shot for a corner. Selby's corner was met at the back post by Chambers who headed it back across the face of goal to the opposite post where the ball struck Woolford and bounced just the wrong side of the post off his knee. Then, as the game entered stoppage time substitute Richard Tracey played the ball forward for Woolford who was left clear in the box after the last defender missed his attempted clearance but Woolford rushed his shot and fired just over the bar.