Frickley 4 Peterborough Sports 2

The subs were sub-lime! (Again!)

It was a rollercoaster ride of a game that at times was more workmanlike than artisan against a hardworking Peterborough Sports side, but the spirit and ‘never-say-die’ attitude of this Frickley team carried them over the line to take all three points to guarantee at least home advantage in any playoff games we might be involved in next week.

Gav, George Milner and Cammy Hough came back into the starting 11, with Duggie and Reece McGinley moving to the bench and Jammer being rested. Otherwise, it was as you were against Gresley on Saturday.

The Blues flew out of the blocks, scoring the first in under 90 seconds. Cammy Hough hit a beautifully flighted diagonal pass from inside his own half to Haze, out wide on the left. Haze strode purposefully into the penalty area before unleashing an unstoppable low shot into the corner of the net for 1-0. That was his 46th goal in all competitions and equalled the club record for the most goals in a season, set in 1920/21 by William Shaw. An amazing achievement, Haze – we salute you!

It all calmed down then until 15 minutes in. In quick succession Haze had a half chance but the ball skidded past him and a decent cross by Haze found Gav but, in the wet conditions, inevitably skidded off the big man’s head and went wide.

The rest of the half saw the Blues largely in the ascendency but without creating any truly outstanding chances against a resolute Peterborough defence. Tyler Walton and Haze both let fly from distance around the half hour mark without troubling the keeper too much and Gav managed a shot that was blocked after the Turbines’ keeper dropped a cross at his feet.

Two minutes before half time, Tyler Walton instigated a sweeping move with a pass to Gav who threaded a ball through to Milner running into the box where he was bundled over, the ref deciding that it wasn’t a foul, much to the crowds’ disappointment. There was still time for Peterborough to send in a free kick that bounced awkwardly before their striker nodded his effort over the bar. Half time – Frickley 1 Peterborough 0.

The second half started with a couple of early chances, Sam Liversidge involved in both, his run creating an opening for Milner who had his shot deflected wide, then Sam headed just wide from the resulting Ben Algar corner. Soon after, Jake Turner tipped a shot onto the bar and the corner lead to a goalmouth scramble before Frickley finally got the ball clear.

In the 52nd and 53rd minutes, Tyler Walton and George Milner were taken off, presumably to get a well-deserved hot bath, and Reece McGinley and Duggie were sent into the fray, which turned out to be a pair of rather good decisions.

On the hour, Duggie fed Haze down the left for Haze to whip in an inviting cross that evaded everyone. Reece was alive to the possibilities and, despite the confusion of the liner flagging whilst the ref waved play on, he retrieved Haze’s cross from somewhere near the corner flag. The flame-haired wing wizard proceeded to go on one of his jinking runs, ending with a precise shot rifled into the bottom corner for his first goal for the club and doubling the Blues’ lead in the process. Reece almost repeated the trick a minute later but the shot went wide.

At this point, like in any good tag wrestling match, Peterborough stormed back into the contest with a sustained period of pressure. In the 69th minute, the Turbines’ right winger turned his man and cut back in near the edge of the box before playing the ball into the six yard box, the attempted clearance slipping to Peterborough’s Avelino Vieira, leaving him the easy task of slotting the ball past Turner into the onion bag from about 5 yards to reduce the arrears.

Six minutes later and Frickley were on the ropes again as the same winger, who gave Sam Liversidge a tricky evening, raced to the touchline before putting a teasing low cross across the goal, Josh McCammon getting the crucial touch to level the scores at two apiece.

Just as the Turbines looked as if they might have enough momentum to get the win, the pendulum of fortune swung back towards the Blues a little, a Jacob Hazel shot forcing the keeper to tip the ball around the post in the 77th minute. Jack Burton replaced Darkenbauer immediately afterwards.

With just 8 minutes to play, the pendulum swung some more, Duggie picked up the ball on the left corner of the penalty box, played the ball in to Gav but it narrowly escaped his boot. Reece McGinley’s reactions were like quicksilver as he nipped in to drag the ball back for Gav to have a second go, Gav unselfishly slid the ball across goal for the onrushing Duggie to sidefoot in from a couple of yards to edge the Blues back into the lead, 3-2.

With all the subs used the Blues looked likely to have a sweaty last few minutes as Patts took a knock in a tackle and went off, leaving Les Bleus down to 10 men (word has it that the Rolls Royce just needs an MoT then he’ll be back on the road soon). But to prove the old adage that attack is the best form of defence, there followed some intricate passing in the area between Haze and Gav, eventually seeing Gav’s shot from eight yards well blocked. Then in the final action of the game Duggie picked up a pass on the right, just outside the area, looked up, spotted a gap and cooler than Steve McQueen he passed the ball into the net from 20 yards out to make the game safe. Final score – Frickley 4 Peterborough 2.

To sum up, we’ve played better this season and gone away with a point or less, so to find a way to win in such atrocious conditions and against one of the other form teams shows the progress we’re making. That’s 10 games unbeaten and the juggernaut rolls on to Stocksbridge on Thursday….

WEBMASTER MOTM – On a tough night, Ben Algar played the conditions better than most and Patts, Darkenbauer, Cammy and Burnsy were tenacious. Haze and Big Gav worked tirelessly for the cause, some of their interplay was wondrous and would have bagged a hatful against less dogged opposition. A special mention must also go to the 4 hardy souls who stood behind the goal in the worst of the rain, superb commitment there. However, the substitutions were inspired, Reece McGinley was a threat every time he got the ball and Duggie was always in the right place at the right time, an object lesson in the value of smart positioning. So even though it’s unusual for subs to get the glitterball, let alone two games on the trot, Duggie just shades it for his vital brace of goals that ensured the win. Very well done sir!
184 through the gate, we thank you for braving the elements to come and support the team.
Pictures courtesy of our good friend Onion Bag.