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Saturday 3rd April - Vauxhall Motors 2-1 Frickley Athletic

With Paul Marquis and Simon Brooker unavailable through work and other commitments and Dan Sheriffe serving the last of his 3-match suspension Phil Sharpe was forced to name youngsters Rob Nelthorpe and Aaron Downes on the subs. bench. Phil Lindley and Nick Richardson formed the central defensive partnership with Remo Nesa starting on the right of midfield.

In blustery conditions the home side started well and could perhaps count themselves unfortunate not to be at least a goal to the good within the first twenty minutes. With just 5 minutes on the clock the UniBond League's leading goalscorer Terry Fearns found himself unmarked at the far post following a left-wing cross but he steered his header into the side netting. Minutes later Fearns was again the culprit as he sliced the ball over the bar from 10 yards following a good run down the left by Peter Cumiskey. Fearns failed to hit the target again on 19 minutes when the ball fell kindly to him in front of goal but Marc Shackleton pulled off a great one-handed save to deny him. The Blues finally started to impose themselves on the game and took the lead with their first serious attempt at goal on 35 minutes. Lee Morris was fouled on the left hand edge of the box, about 10 yards in from the touch-line and, using the wind to his advantage, WAYNE BENN curled the free-kick just under the bar.

Vauxhall grabbed an equaliser 10 minutes after half time when the Blues defence stood appealing for offside (probably justifiably so) against Cumiskey as he was sent clear and he made no mistake in beating Shackleton at his near post from 15 yards. On 69 minutes Shackleton pushed Fearns' close range shot against the post but the ball fell kindly to a Vauxhall player who played the ball across goal for Mark Roberts to tap in at the far post from almost on the line.  Blythen then saw his 12 yard shot blocked following a long throw from Steve Robinson. Sharpe then brought on Nelthorpe and Downes, with the latter moving into  central defence with Richardson pushing up front alongside Morris. This seemed to give the Blues a new lease of life and they should have equalised on 75 minutes when a Vauxhall defender sliced the ball into the path of Morris inside the box but he shot well wide of the right hand post. Two minutes later Benn saw his low 22 yard shot saved by Tim Dittmar at full stretch, whilst shortly afterwards Nelthorpe chipped over Dittmar from a very tight angle but the ball drifted inches wide of the far post.

Frickley Athletic : Shackleton, Richards, Hatto, Lindley, Richardson, Pugh, Robinson (Nelthorpe 74), Benn, Morris, Nesa (Blythen 35), Smith (Downes 74).

Attendance : 196

Referee : Mr C. Buxton

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