Frickley 3 Gresley 0

Teamsheets of the unexpected....

One day when we're old & in our dotage 186 of us will be able to look back & say "I was there on the day Grant Allott played in goal & at the end our back line was Jameel, Jack Burton & Gavin Allott" & our grandkids will look at us with hatred in their eyes & sneer "Yeah I've just downloaded it onto the chip in my iBrain". At that point we need to draw on all our remaining strength, raise our broken, addled, incontinent, skeletal selves & poke these gormless youths in the chest with our boney fingers & say "Yes, but I was there......"

So what on the face of it looks like the dictionary definition of 'regulation 3-0 victory' was anything but due to any number of circumstances. Sebba picked up a late injury which ruled him out & with Stan already unavailable, we were keeperless. Grant Allott had a Kirk Douglas moment & stepped forward & said "I'm keeper(cus)"& so a legend was born. As a result a fair few changes in team, Yatesy went back into the back line & Jack Burton came into the team (more of him later). The bench consisted of Shinner Hopewell, Morgan Armit, Sebba & RPatts.

The Blues looked a little unsettled by the events & as a result the first part of the match was fairly pedestrian by our usual standards. However we clicked through the gears & after 20 minutes Josh Nodder smashed home the first goal. We were directly behind the hit & it was in the minute it left his foot. The lad doesn't do tap ins. We had to wait another 20 mins for the next one - ball up, flick header by Jammer sets up Haze. Haze showed some lovely feet to get into the box & then stuck it in with slide rule accuracy for his 6th of the season.

HALF TIME FRICKLEY 2 GRESLEY 0

Early on the 2nd half the ref & liner missed the most obvious handball in the box you will ever see - imagine Meadowlark Lemons most extravagant bouncing of the basketball & it is still 100% more discreet than that displayed by the Gresley defender yesterday. No penner apparently.

Yatesy came off for Steve Hopewell - & went into the stand to sit with his dad, whilst wearing a 'Birthday boy' sash & balloon - awwwww! Jack Burton moved into the back line & do you know what, he did a cracking job.

We became a bit guilty of trying to walk it in at times & all of the forward line had chances to add to the tally. Best move of the lot was an end-to-end, Allott-to-Allott move. Grant made a good save, got it forward to Gav who machined into the box & pulled a good save out of the visiting keeper.

66 gone & Jammer decided that if the forwards didn't want one, he did & smashed home from close range. A benevolent ref would have stopped the game at that point to save the visitors from more harm. More chances followed for Gav, Stewy & Shinner but to no avail.

Fab Bailey came off & was replaced by Morgan Armit who made his first start for the Blues - this meant that the back line was now Gav, Jammer & Jack Burton.

Not the prettiest game in the world but have a look in the paper, it says 3 nil to Frickley & we move up to 3rd in the table.

WEBMASTER MOTM - the Blues looked a bit disjointed as a result of the late change in line up, but mentions to Jammer who marshalled his ever changing back line well, the front line gave their defence all the bother they could handle & more. Haze was quality in this new role that he plays just behind the forwards. Ultimately it boiled down to 3 players - Jack Burton played well in midfield for 1 half & then even better at centre half in the 2nd half, Josh Nodder gave a great performance in midfield, breaking down their play, starting ours & pinged in the first but this week the Glitterball goes to Grant Allott - a very adept keeping performance, a couple of good saves, a clean sheet & mostly for stepping up to the plate.

Attached photoset courtesy of our good friend Onion Bag - we are grateful for his continued support & advocacy

Next up is Spalding at the Wezziecana on Tuesday night - see you there