Evo-Stik South
SW Jackson Utilities Stadium, Pontefract
Saturday, 16th September 2017, 3.00pm
Gresley Unlucky On The Road
Anyone looking at the result could be forgiven for thinking this was a comfortable win for the home side but anyone made the long trip to South Yorkshire would have seen that it was anything but. Because for most of the match Gresley were the better side and created the better chances.
Unfortunately, the many chances that went begging and two defensive slips handed Frickley the points in what arguably was one of the better performances so far this season.
Frickley's ground is one of the older Northern Premier League grounds with a new changing room over in the top corner. The pitch has a substantial side to side slope and according to one of the locals they had narrowed the pitch, just about within the guide lines, to accommodate a home player who has a good throw. Unfortunately, the player was suspended for this game!
Gresley could or probably should have taken the lead with less than a minute on the clock when a cross from the right from Reece Morris picked out Jason Law who somehow managed to put the ball over the bar from close in.
More pressure from the visitors and another pass from Morris ended with Charlie Woolfe hitting a shot on target which was blocked.
A free kick from the right led to Jamie Barrett heading goalwards and his second chance fizzed past the post.
Against the run of play Frickley took the lead. Fabien Bailey launched a high ball from the right to the far side of Gresley's area. As Matt Roome jumped to attempt to head the ball away from Joshua Nodder, Nodder pushed Roome as he leapt which was ignored by the referee and the defender was free to hit a shot across Gresley keeper Rob Peet and into the bottom far corner.
Morris almost levelled from the re-start as he jinked into the area but his final shot flew just wide of the far post.
Morris went close again five minutes later. After getting the better of his marker he cut into the area but a good chance went begging as his shot hit the near post side netting.
With three minutes of the first half remaining a defensive slip by Josh Egginton was punished by Jacob Hazel dashing forward to beat Peet.
The second half started with Gresley again pressing forward. A long diagonal pass to Law was hit first time by the youngster but home keeper Grant Allott managed to push the ball away for a corner.
Peet was in action at the other end making a good save from Hazell in a rare attack by the home side. Matt Melbourne was causing problems and went close after a move down the right ended with a shot over the bar.
Courtney Meade, on for Law supplied a cross from the right but the glancing header from Woolfe could only help the ball past the far post.
Frickley's tactic of launching a long high ball up field hopefully to their strikers, almost paid dividends on the hour but this time the normally prolific Gavin Allott could only flash his shot wide of the far post.
Gresley handed Frickley their third goal as a result of another defensive mistake allowing Jameel Ible to take advantage and stoke the ball home past Peet.
Melbourne went close again this time putting his shot from Meade's pass, wide while Gavin Allott missed the chance of closing in on his 100th goal by putting the rebound wide after Peet had saved the strikers headed effort.
Another chance for Melbourne went as he struck a low shot straight at the home keeper and Gavin Allott had yet another chance to score but after being put through one-on-one on Peet but launched his shot high over the bar.
The hardworking Melbourne tried to chip the keeper but his effort just cleared the bar. The last action of note came with Peet pushing Nodder's shot away for a corner.
