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Saturday 19th January - Frickley Athletic 1-2 Wakefield-Emley

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The Blues suffered their first defeat in seven games as they went down to a 2-1 home defeat to neighbours Wakfield-Emley. The visitors took the lead after just 8 minutes when Adam Muller took full advantage of Steve Kennedy's sliced clearance to fire an angled shot past Gary Ingham. Twenty minutes later Anthony Tansley took advantage of some non-existent marking in the Blues box to improve Wakefield's lead before substitute Simon Collins pulled a goal back with seven minutes left to set up a frantic finish.

Gary Marrow was able to welcome Wael Nazha back into the side after injury with Simon Collins dropping to the bench, although Matt Daly still wasn't fit enough to play. 

Andy Evans had the Blues' first opportunity after just 3 minutes, picking up a chipped pass from Steve Woolford but he fired well over the bar from 15 yards. Nazha then had a tame 18 yard shot which Paul Cuss easily gathered before Wakefield took the lead on 8 minutes. Former Frickley player Wayne Benn headed the ball aimlessly forward but Kennedy sliced his clearance into the path of Adam Muller who did well to hold off Phil Lindley before looping an angled shot over Ingahm and just under the bar. Three minutes later it could have been 2-0 as Muller sized on a through ball to go past Ingham but his weak shot from a tight angle was cleared off the line by Steve Robinson. The Blues' three-man midfield were frequently being muscled out of the game by Wakefield's five in midfield, although the Blues did have a half chance on 22 minutes when Lindley headed Selby's free-kick on to Evans whose hooked shot on the turn sailed over the bar from 12 yards. Shortly afterwards Nazha headed the ball on to Leroy Chambers whose 18 yard shot rolled harmlessly past the left hand post. From Cuss' goalkick Rob Pell had the luck of the bounce of the ball to beat Lindley before releasing Muller down the right. His cross was miss-kicked by Pell, who had continued his run into the box, which allowed Tansley to fire in unmarked from 8 yards at the back post after 28 minutes. Five minutes later Christian Fox saw his 20 yard volley tipped over the bar by Ingham. The Blues then went deperatley close to equalising when Calum Selby's deep free-kick somehow founced through a crowded box to Chambers whose shot from 8 yards was well blocked by Cuss who closed him down quickly. Just before half time Muller got the better of Robinson before cutting inside and firing well over the bar.

Gary Marrow made two changes at half time, bringing on Dean Foley and Simon Collins in place of Calum Selby and Andy Evans, and reverted to a 4-4-2 formation which bolstered the Blues' midfield. Foley went into central defence with Lindley moving to left-back. The Blues started the second half positively and forced a couple of corners, neither of which really threatend Cuss' goal. On 55 minutes Nazha forced Wakefield's Marc Thompson to force another corner and, having already been booked, he was extremely fortunate not to be sent off after deliberately kicking the ball away to prevent a quick corner being taken. Chambers then sent over a good cross from the right which was met on the volley by Collins but the ball flew wide of the right hand post. Adam Russell replaced Nazha on 72 minutes and two minutes later he played the ball into the path of the advancing Collins but his shot from the edge of the box was well blocked by Cuss. With 83 minutes gone Robinson's long throw was headed back to him and he sent over a well flighted cross for COLLINS to head in to reduce the arrears. With just minutes left another Robinson long throw was flicked on by Chambers and punched off the line by Cuss. The loose ball fell to Ashley whose powerful volley was brilliantly pushed away by the unsighted Cuss