Frickley Athletic 2-2 Stocksbridge park Steels

After taking a 2-0 lead courtesy of 2 goals from Gavin Allott the Blues collapsed in the second half to allow Steels to take a point from the game.

The disappointing result ensures that the Blues finish in the last relegation place in the Premier Division table but now have their work cut out to earn a reprieve from relegation with results going against them in the Ryman League.

Manager Karl Rose brought the fit again Jack Wakefield into midfield at the expense of Jake Picton whilst Luke Hinsley started up front with Fernando Moke moving out wide in place of Leon Osborne. Andy Villermann moved to right full-back with Kasper Amdal picking up a knock on Saturday with Lee Stratford coming in at left back.

Steels’ Chris Hamilton went close in the 2nd minute but the Blues went much closer 4 minutes later when Moke sent over a cross from the right for Hinsley to power a header against the far post from 6 yards.

Villermann burst into the box in the 13th minute but saw his angled shot pushed away by Jack Ward. The Blues got the breakthrough they needed in the 25th minute. A Luke Jeffs corner was only partly cleared and when it was played back into the box Sam Denton flicked the ball into the path of Allott who finished emphatically from 10 yards.

Six minutes later Allott doubled the Blues lead, glancing in a free-kick from Moke from out on the left and the Blues looked to be in total control.

Wakefield was extremely unfortunate not to win a penalty in the 37th minute when he was pushed to the ground from behind by Bret Lucas but the referee was unimpressed.

Allott had a great chance to notch his hat-trick and put the game beyond the visitors when Ward’s clearance was headed forwards by Luke Sharry and missed by Lucas, allowing Allott a clear run at goal but Ward blocked his shot and follow-up effort.

Ben Simpson tipped a 25 yard free-kick from Matt Hamshaw against the post in the 44th minute and then reacted fantastically to tip the follow-up header from James Knowles over the bar.

Less than thirty seconds after half time Stocksbridge found a way back into the game when the Blues failed to cut out a throw in from just inside the Stocksbridge half which left Hamilton to sprint clear of Denton, sidestep substitute Kasper Amdal and steer the ball past Simpson into the net.

Hamshaw put a 25 yard free-kick over the bar for the visitors and Moke sent Hinsley clear down the right of the box for the Blues in the 54th minute but, after going around Ward, Julian Banton cleared Hinsley’s shot from a tight angle off the line.

A minute later disaster struck for the Blues as Andy Ring took a quick throw-in for Steels which released Knowles to beat Simpson from just inside the box.

The Blues responded with Moke putting a 25 yard free-kick over the bar and Moke then cut in from the left before seeing his shot from a very acute angle deflected wide of the near post.

Sharry blasted wide from the edge of the box on 71 minutes and three minutes later a short free-kick to Moke on the edge of the box saw his shot directed towards the opposite corner by the head of Allott but the ball just cleared the bar.

Denton had the Blues last chance in the 83rd minute, heading wide when Jeffs played the ball back into the box after a free-kick had been half cleared.

Frickley Athletic : Ben Simpson, Andy Villermann, Lee Stratford (Kasper Amdal 20 mins), Jack Wakefield (Jake Picton 69 mins), Sam Denton, Luke Jeffs, Luke Hornsey (Jimmy Ghaichem 45 mins), Luke Sharry, Luke Hinsley, Gavin Allott, Fernando Moke. Unused subs. Leon Osborne, Jon Hood.

Stocksbridge Park Steels : Jack Ward, Tom Cazdow, Julian Banton, Bret Lucas, Brett Bowden-Lovell, Matt Telling, Matt Hamshaw, Janni Lipka (Liam Royles 82 mins), Andy Ring, Chris Hamilton (Ben Turner 52 mins), James Knowles. Unused subs. Richard Haigh, Nathan Joynes, Jamie Smith.

Referee : Mr. Colin Whattaker

Attendance : 210