Toolstation NCEL Premier Division
Frickley Athletic 1-1 Barton Town
Super-sub Sam Cable denied his old club Frickley Athletic a precious win as he headed the the equaliser to claim a point for Barton Town.
Frickley were on course to end three games without a win as Alhassane Keita’s hour-mark finish gave Wayne Benn’s men something to cling onto.
It wasn’t to be for the Blues as they were powerless when Cable leapt like a salmon in the 75th minute to set up a frantic finale that ultimately failed to deliver a winning goal for either side.
A draw, perhaps, was a fair result.
The first half was a drag. Several low grade dust-ups made it a nauseating watch from the side-lines.
Only towards the interval did the game show some life.
Frickley’s new goalkeeper Harrison Davison-Hale displayed why he will be a key signing as he made two saves from goal-bound attempts – one from a header another from a Ben Hinchliffe effort.
The hosts’ goal was pretty against the run of play.
Barton’s defence switched off and Frickley captain Richard Collier’s deft header on the edge of the penalty area enabled Keita to get in behind.
The ex-Brighouse Town striker bared down on goalkeeper Ryan Musselwhite before firing a low and hard effort into the net.
Frickley looked assured at the back – a defence containing Brandon Murillo was back in the side after recovering from a bad injury sustained earlier in the campaign – and they were comfortable for a long period.
It took a superb Scott Matthews cross from the left that Cable turned into a goal to rescue Barton.
Danger followed at both ends as the teams probed for the winner.
Cable forced a good save from Davison-Hale while Frickley caused problems without testing Musselwhite.
What They Said
Frickley Athletic manager Wayne Benn
“I’m a little disappointed we didn’t get three points.
“I thought we managed the game really well.
“We played a different system and shape which we literally worked on for half-an-hour on Thursday.
“I thought the lads stuck to the game-plan and executed the game-plan really well.
“Other than a bit of sloppiness, I think we might have nicked a 1-0 win.
“Listen, I know our ‘keeper has had a couple of saves to make in the first half to keep it at 0-0 but we had opportunities when we have gone forward.
“Barton are one of the better sides in the Division and our performance was much better which is a positive.”
The Teams
Frickley Athletic: Davison-Hale, Hall, Haigh, Owen, Binns, Murillo, Appiah, Collier (captain), Smith, Keita, Jeffreys. Subs: Ripley, Fletcher, Clegg, Hemingway, Moss.
Barton Town: Musselwhite, Tait, Matthews, Cook, Hotte (captain), Papprill, T Waudby, Coley, Hinchliffe, Agnew, W Waudby. Subs: Cable, King, Davie, Parr, Lacey.
Who Was In Charge
Sam Bragg (6/10)
How Many Were There
172