Evo-Stik NPL League East Division
Bigfellas Stadium, Westfield Lane, South Elmsall
Saturday, 2nd March 2019, 3.00pm
Gresley Make A Point At Frickley
If you had been one of the Gresley faithful who have followed their team to Ossett and then to Stamford recently you would have seen an improvement in attitude and performance.
The improvement continued at Frickley but this time the team’s performance was rewarded by Gresley’s first point since the end of December. Indeed, it could have been more but for a superb save from the home keeper and a block on the line.
Gresley manager Gavin Hurren gave debuts to two new signings. Young keeper Aidan Jeyens on loan from Tamworth and left back Joseph Haines signed from Quorn and they both gave a good showing.
Frickley’s ground has a similar feeling to the Moat Ground both long past their best days but with that ramshackle cosyness found only in old non-league grounds. The side to side slope is greater than the end to end slope of the Moat Ground and the pitch was in a similar state.
Gresley kicked off with a very stiff wind blowing into backs and were soon under pressure from the off.
From one of the early couple of corners Frickley went close to opening the scoring when Ben Algar slung the second flag kick into the area and it was met by Greg Young but the looping header floated over the bar.
A long ball using the wind caught the Frickley defence napping and Kane Lee was quick to see his chance and drilled his shot from the edge of the area beating home keeper Hugo Warhurst.
Frickley continued to apply the pressure but their finishing was wayward. Young again headed a corner over the bar followed by heading another corner wide of the far post.
Gresley went close to extending their lead on 32 minutes. Callum Riddell swung in a corner from the right and an effort from Joshua McKenzie was blocked on the line by a home defender. From the resultant corner again taken from the right by Riddell saw Harry Walker rise and head the ball towards the far corner of the net but Warhurst did very well to turn the ball away for yet another corner. This time Walker’s header went wide of the far post.
Within a couple of minutes of the start of the second half Riddell warmed the palms of Warhurst with a shot from distance while at the other end Jeynes had arguably the first save to make comfortably holding on to a shot from Philip Watt.
Lee had Warhurst stretching to hold onto his low shot from the right while the action at the other end saw Jeynes pushing Sam Liversidge’s shot wide.
Frickley equalised on 66 minutes. The unfortunate Albert Lansdowne, who had had a solid game so far, slipped on the soft surface trying to clear a long ball and the ball ricocheted off him to Jacob Hazel who strode forward and beat Jeynes with his shot.
Three minutes after replacing Jacob Sturgess, Cameron Steele made his way to the edge of the area, but his final shot was easily saved by Warhurst. Lee tried his luck with a shot from distance, but it sailed over the bar.
The final few minutes saw Gresley living dangerously and having to defend for all they were worth putting their bodies in the firing line to block any Frickley efforts and their blockade held fast, and the referee blew the final whistle to the joy of management, players and travelling supporters alike as they achieved a fully deserved share of the points.
