Official Frickley Athletic Website 

The Blues notched up only their second League win of 2002 courtesy of Chris Gowan's excellent 25 yard strike on 22 minutes. Gary Marrow gave debuts to goalkeeper Dan Taylor, full-back Gary Reece and right midfielder Matt Russell with the end result being a much more committed performance than last week's at Marine. Rob Hanby and Mark Wilkinson were both missing through suspension.

Almost straight from the kick off the Blues had a chance to take the lead when Russell pushed the ball forward to Andy Evans who forced his way through two challenges inside the box before having his close range shot blocked by keeper Holmes. The rebound came out to Rory Prendergast whose first time shot from the edge of the box grazed the outside of the right hand post. Vauxhall responded on 9 minutes with Young firing in a shot which clipped the side netting from six yards but the Blues were soon back on the attack. On 20 minutes a brilliant flowing move was started on the right by Russell and Reece before the ball was played to Simon Collins in the middle. He immediately played it first time out wide to Prendergast whose cross took a slight deflection which was enough to take the ball away from Evans who was just beaten to the ball by Holmes. A minute later Leroy Chambers headed wide following s cross by Reece from the right but the Blues pressure finally told on 22 minutes when Vauxhall could only clear their lines as far as CHRIS GOWAN who hit a screaming 25 yard volley just inside the right hand post. The goal was nothing less than the Blues deserved and they went close to extending their lead on 28 minutes when Russell picked up a miss-hit shot by Collins to fire goalwards from 16 yards but Holmes was equal to it. Then, right on half time, the blues had string claims for a penalty turned down when Aspinall flattened Evans but the referee waved away the protests.

At the start of the second half Chambers ought to have increased the Blues lead when a mistake by a defender saw him on his own about 10 yards out but he shot straight at the onrushing Holmes. Collins then saw his deflected 20 yard shot spin away from Chambers and out for a corner. At the other end Vauxhall's Spellman headed tamely into the hands of Taylor from close range before Collins had a goal disallowed for offside on 63 minutes after he had seized on a flick on from Evans. On 72 minutes a long throw from the left by Steve Price was flicked on by Evans to substitute Pete Myers on the right of the box whose mis-cued left foot shot fell to Collins who put his overhead kick narrowly over the bar. A minute later Prendergast got away down the left to send over a great cross which Evans met just before Holmes but Holmes got enough on it to block. On 75 minutes Vauxhall's Young tried to claim a penalty under pressure from Dean Jones but the referee again was not impressed. The visitors started to pour forward for the last 15 minutes with the Blues relying on the break to try and score again. Graham Lewis was brought on to replace Evans whilst Scott Collins replaced Prendergast to help Gowan out down the left. For all their efforts in the last 15 minutes the only chance Vauxhall had came on 85 minutes when a cross from the right was flicked on to Cumiskey who volleyed into the side netting from 12 yards, as the Blues defended well in the closing stages.

Frickley Athletic : Taylor, Simon Collins, Gowan, Reece, Place, Jones, Russell (Myers 68), Price, Evans (Lewis 76), Chambers, Prendergast (Scott Collins 85)

Vauxhall Motors : Holmes, Spellman (Lawton 64), Thompson, Brazier, Haddrell, Lynch, Nesbitt, Aspinall, Fearns, Young, Cumiskey. Unused subs. Rigby, Cullen

Attendance : 160

Referee : Mr P.R. Cottam (Nottingham)