Evo Stik Premier Division
Frickley Athletic 3-0 Skelmersdale United
Brad Grayson (right) scored one and set up two in Frickley’s victory over Skelmersdale. Picture: Peter Revitt
Goals from Luke Hinsley, Brad Grayson and Jacob Hazel helped Frickley cruise to a comfortable win over Skelmersdale United.
The Blues also had two goals disallowed, whilst Hazel saw his 45th minute penalty saved by goalkeeper Martin Fearon.
With Jameel Ible serving the third of his three match suspension new loan signing Bailey Gooda started alongside John Cyrus in defence while Grayson moved back up front in place of James Walshaw who’s loan expired last week. Jake Ellam made a welcome return on the substitute’s bench after nearly three months out with a broken foot.
The Blues controlled the majority of the game although Skelmersdale threatened in the sixth minute as Chris Almond sent a 12 yard header wide following a cross from Louis Corrigan, but the Blues took the lead 12 minutes later. Grayson sent over a free-kick from the left which Hinsley met with a header which looped over Fearon and just under the bar from 10 yards out.
A swift break involving Grayson and Tyler Williams down the left saw Williams’ cross deflected for a corner in the 23rd minute. A minute later Sam Akeroyd sent Hazel clear but Fearon sprinted out of his box to clear the danger.
Fearon tipped an angled drive from Williams past the post in the 28th minute after the winger had broke away from half way and Williams was involved just before half time when he was brought down inside the box by Valter Fernandez with the referee immediately pointing to the spot. However, Fearon dived to his right to block Hazel’s spot-kick.
The Blues had two goals disallowed within the space of nine minutes early in the second half. The first when Williams had just run the ball out of play before crossing for Hazel to convert at the near post and the second saw Hazel ruled offside when converting Grayson’s cross from inside the 6 yard box.
Sebastian Malkowski was called upon for the first time in the 63rd minute when Max Hazeldine was sent clear. Malkowski pulled off a great double save to initially block from Hazeldine and then to block again from substitute Shaun Tuck’s follow-up.
This was to prove decisive as three minutes later the Blues extended their lead. Hinsley won the ball 25 yards out before firing in a low shot from 20 yards that Fearon could only parry into the path of Grayson who steered the ball past him into the empty net.
Hazel placed an angled shot just wide of the left hand post from 18 yards before Williams sent Grayson clear on the right on 76 minutes but his angled shot was tipped against the crossbar by Fearon.
The game was finally put out of the visitor’s reach on 80 minutes when Grayson played in Hazel who found ran through the Skelmersdale defence into the box but Fearon stuck out a hand to block Hazel’s initial shot but Hazel followed up to knock in the rebound.
Tuck did have the ball in the net for Skelmersdale on 84 minutes but his close range effort was ruled out for handball. Then, in the 90th minute, the Blues had strong claims for another penalty turned down when Williams was again brought down but this time the referee opted to waive play on.
The win moved the Blues back up to tenth place in the table, ten points adrift of Barwell who occupy the final play off position – with the Blues visiting Barwell next Saturday.
Frickley Athletic: Malkowski, Davie, Jeff, Hinsley, Cryus, Bailey Gooda, Akeroyd (Ellam 87), Lenighan, Hazel, Grayson (Wood 82), Williams. Subs unused: Stratford, Rose, Hood.
Skelmersdale United: Fearon, Fernandez (Tuck 61), Corrigan, McIntosh, Rendell, Booth, Vassallo, Woolcott, Hazeldine, Strickland, Almond. Subs unused: Murphy, Donaldson, Fuso-Mensah, Meredith.
Referee: Mr. S. Mather
Attendance: 202
Thanks to Steve Pennock for this report.