Worksop Town 1-3 Frickley Athletic

Goals from Jimmy Ghaichem, Gavin Allott and Luke Sharry saw the Blues come from behind to finish the League season with a win at Worksop Town.

Karl Rose was down to the bare bones with Luke Hornsey not fit on top of the enforced absence of Joe Wilcox and Fernando Moke and he shuffled the side slightly with Jake Picton dropping into the centre of defence and Luke Jeffs moving to left back. Leon Osborne came back into the starting line-up.

With one eye on the play-offs Worksop rested their free-scoring front men of Leon Mettam and Tom Denton as several younger players were included in the Tigers’ squad.

The Tigers had the first opening of the game as Jamie Jackson blazed over from 6 yards in the third minute following a cross from the right and shortly afterwards Ben Simpson was forced to dive full length to push a shot from Jack Muldoon past the post.

Sam Denton had the Blues’ first real effort in the 15th minute, glancing a header wide of the far post following a Ghaichem corner.

Worksop took the lead in the 19th minute when Josh Thomas tried his luck with an angled 30 yard shot that flew just inside the right hand post with Simpson largely unsighted.

Craig Clay then saw his angled shot deflected wide as Worksop threatened to take control but the Blues responded with Jeffs seeing his 25 yard free-kick saved by Jonathan Stewart whilst Osborne broke down the left of the box and put an angled shot inches wide of the far post.

The Blues went even closer in the 37th minute when Allott flicked the ball on for Luke Hinsley down the right of the box and he flicked the ball over the advancing Stewart only for the ball to bounce up against the face of the crossbar before being cleared.

Hinsley then shot over from 20 yards after good work from Osborne and Jack Wakefield latched onto a header from Allott to see his angled shot parried by Stewart.

Allott found space on the right in the 40th minute and sent over an inviting cross for Hinsley whose header beat Stewart but for the second time in quick succession struck the crossbar.

The Blues had a let off just before half time when Thomas was left with space inside the box and he lifted the ball over Simpson but it landed safely on the roof of the net.

Hinsley, who had been struggling with an injury late in the first half, was forced off in the 50th minute and was replaced by Andy Villermann with Osborne moving up front.

Tom Elliott forced a good save from Simpson in the 54th minute whilst Jackson headed just wide of the near post for the Tigers a minute later.

After being out of luck in the first half a stroke of luck saw the Blues draw level in the 61st minute when Ghaichem finished off a run down the right with a cross-cum-shot that flew into the top left hand corner with Stewart stranded.

Minutes later Allott sent Villermann bursting into the box and he was brought down in full flight by Tom Burgin with the referee immediately pointing to the spot and dismissing Burgin. Allott stepped up to beat Stewart from the spot in the 64th minute to put the Blues ahead.

Jackson side-footed a close range shot just wide of the near post on 76 minutes as Blues’ fans hearts were in their mouths but the game was put beyond doubt in emphatic style in the 81st minute.

Allott picked up the ball against the right hand touchline on half way and began shielding the ball along the line towards the corner flag. With no real challenge coming in Allott beat the defence as he cut into the box and squared the ball for Sharry to fire into the roof of the net from close range.

By the end of the game numerous Blues’ players were carrying knocks and Osborne was replaced by Jake Drafz.

The win should be enough to see the Blues receive a reprieve from relegation despite wins for Wingate & Finchley and East Thurrock United in the Ryman Premier League. All three teams finish on 49 points from 46 games in their respective divisions with Wingate & Finchley finishing in 21st position in the Ryman Premier but with the Blues having a superior goal difference which should be enough to maintain Evo-Stik Premier Division status.

Worksop Town : Jonathan Stewart, Nick Hague, Harry Johnson (Ellis Wall 67 mins), Craig Clay, Chris Salt (Tom Burgin 41 mins), Warren Burrell, Jack Muldoon (Conor Higginson 45 mins), Tom Elliott, Jamie Jackson, Evan Garnett, Josh Thomas. Unused subs. Leon Mettam, Jake Turner.

Frickley Athletic : Ben Simpson, Kasper Amdal, Luke Jeffs, Jack Wakefield, Sam Denton, Jake Picton, Jimmy Ghaichem, Luke Sharry, Luke Hinsley (Andy Villermann 50 mins), Gavin Allott, Leon Osborne (Jake Drafz). Unused subs. Lee Stratford, Karl Rose.

Referee : Mr. Wayne Grunnill

Attendance : 334