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This was probably Frickley's best performance in the UniBond Premier Division so far this season, and a success fully deserved. The game had everything, a sharpshooting start, a disputed dismissal and a superb rearguard action in which all ten of the Blues players were magnificent.

With a strong wind in their favour, Frickley rocked the opposition with two goals in as many minutes. Martin Thacker swung in a corner kick from the left in the third minute and Richard Tracey darted in at the far post to head the ball into the net. Before Albion could recover, Paul Palmer collected the ball on the left and beat Jon Kennedy with a 15 yard drive to improve the advantage. 

Witton regrouped and reduced the arrears in the 21st minute, a shot from Mike Moseley being only blocked and Chris Gahgan rammed in the rebound from 12 yards, while John Hood denied Griff Jones an equaliser with a point blank save two minutes later. A first time 25 yard shot from Martin Thacker zipped inches wide of the target in the 32nd minute, and Palmer then lobbed Kennedy from 30 yards but the ball finished on the roof of the net. Steve Heath was red-carded by referee Cooke in the 36th minute for allegedly elbowing Griff Jones, resulting in Dean Jones coming on for Tracey.

Frickley employed a 4-4-1 formation as they resumed in the face of a strong wind after the break and succeeded in drawing the sting from the Witton attack. Hood held a curling shot from Rob Lloyd in the 53rd minute, but Chris Hilton rescued the Blues four minutes later when he cleared off the line after the keeper had spilled an effort by Alex Brown.

On the hour, a quick Frickley counter attack saw Palmer whip a ball in from the right and Mark Ward's delicate 15 yard flick came back off the inside of the far post.

Most of the action was at the other end, however, Hood going full stretch to turn away an angled shot from Gahgan in the 65th minute, and diving to his right to divert a strong effort from Alex Brown after 83 minutes as the Blues battled to keep three vital points.

Report by Peter Jordan

Click here for video of all three goals