Official Frickley Athletic Website 

www.frickleyafc.co.uk

Saturday 1st March - Frickley Athletic 1-1 Stamford

Fortune dealt Frickley a bitter blow when Stamford snatched an 89th minute equaliser to end a run of five consecutive UniBond Premier Division victories.

The Blues defence appeared capable of dealing with some persistent pressure from the visitors in the second half, and referee James Price didn't appear to see a two-footed tackle from Steve Towers immediately before he headed in to put them level.

A strong wind whipped diagonally across the ground, spoiling attempts by both teams to play constructive football, with Frickley having it in their favour at the start and soon making an impression with a third minute strike.

Neil Towler put a pass through to Chris White whose shot was blocked by Stamford keeper Chris Sanna, but Towler pounced on the rebound to slot it into the net from 20 yards.

Two minutes, Lee Morris put in a looping cross which Jay Bonser managed to head back to Sanna under pressure from Towler, but the visitors responded, Andy Tiday sending in a curling cross in the 12th minute which struck Steve Robinson and forced Jon Hood to make a diving one-handed save to prevent them equalising.

Stamford should have got on terms three minutes later when skipper Garath Pritchard broke clear but, although his shot went past Hood, it was a yard wide of the target.

A 35 yard free-kick from Chris White whistled across the face of the opposing goal in the 22nd minute as the Blues sought to increase their advantage.

There was a mini fracas on the pitch in the 31st minute, leading to Jonathan Groom and Chris Hilton, along with Lee Marshall and Jay Bonser, finishing with yellow cards, but sanity returned and Towler won a ball on the left in the 41st minute, knocking it back to Chris Gowen who put over a drooping cross which Sanna held under the bar.

Lee Morris chased a ball in the 44th minute and pulled it back for White to head down and Chris Davies lashed a first time effort from the edge of the penalty area just over.

Although Towler had a shot blocked on the opposing line in the 47th minute, Stamford signalled their intention to increase the tempo, Bonsor coming up for a free-kick two minutes later, but stabbing his shot straight at Hood.

Robinson deflected an effort from Tyrone Kirk off the line on the hour, and in a quick counter raid five minutes later, Towler picked out Morris who laid the ball inside and Davies fired a 25 yarder past the visiting keeper, only to see the ball come back off the bar.

Ryan Collis raced onto a through pass in the 71st minute and went round Hood but his shot was cleared off the line by Dean Jones.

There were chances for the Blues to improve, a free-kick from White clipping the bar in the 77th minute and, four minutes later, White put over a deep cross which Morris fired into the side netting at the far post.

Jon Hood went full length to palm away a shot from Pritchard in the 82nd minute and then got down again to smother the rebound from Kirk, while Robinson headed a shot from Collis from under the bar before Towers nodded in the equaliser.