Frickley Athletic 1-2 Stamford A.F.C.
Stamford Stun Frickley To Advance To The Play-off Final
Stamford netted twice in the opening thirty-five minutes to put themselves in a great position for the rest of the game. Frickley sent wave upon waves of attacks but, despite pulling a goal back, Frickley just couldn’t find that clinical finish they desired and Stamford advanced.
The first major opportunity fell to Stamford in the fifteenth minute of the game. Rob Morgan weaved his way past Ible and Burns before seeing his shot towards the front post pushed wide by Jake Turner.
Stamford opened the scoring twenty-one minutes in to the playoff tie. Eliot Putman over-hit his cross which landed at the feet of Ben George. The right-back curled a beautiful ball into the middle where Rob Morgan rose highest to glance the ball beyond the keepers grasp and into the top corner.
Minutes later, Stamford thought they had doubled their lead as they had the ball in the back of the net again. Eliot Putman volleyed Jordan Smith’s knock down past the keeper and into the net but the referee blew for a push on Burns as Smith won the header.
However ten minutes later, Stamford were awarded a penalty after Daniel Burns was judged to have handled the ball in the area. Kieran Wells stepped up and hammered the ball straight down the middle and into the back of the net.
Stamford were inches away from extending their lead. A corner caused a scramble in the box. The ball popped out to the edge of the area where Ben George drove his shot just wide of the post.
Frickley finally broke the dominance of the away side to have a chance of their own. A long throw in by Nicky Darker was headed towards the back post by opposition player Henry Eze. Miscommunication between Morgan and Haystead allowed Allott to get to the ball first but he saw his shot saved by Haystead.
Frickley had three chances to pull a goal back on the stroke of half-time. Firstly, Algars free-kick was headed out only to Walton who saw his rifled effort towards goal blocked by the head of Eze. Walton then switched the ball out to Algar who swung the ball back into the middle. The keeper fumbled the cross into the path of Burns who chested it down before volleying towards goal however keeper Haystead raced back and somehow tipped the effort over the bar. From the corner, Daniel Burns headed the ball back across the box for Gavin Allott who saw his header cannon off the bar and wide.
The half-time whistle went to settle the nerves of the travelling support…for now anyway.
Algar produced two accurate free-kicks in a matter of minutes which Frickley failed to capitalise on. The Blues’ left-back floated in a ball which was flicked on by Burns and then headed towards goal by his defensive counterpart Jameel Ible but yet again the keeper managed to get to it and parry it wide of the target. Moments later, he whipped a free-kick towards the penalty spot for Hazel whose downwards header was saved by the feet of Haystead.
It was end to end attacks as we approached the hour mark. Jordan Smith latched onto Duffy’s through ball before pulling the ball back to Kieran Wells. The pass was slightly behind him so Wells dropped the shoulder before turning and firing across the face of goal and wide. Hazel then dispossessed Duffy in the middle and played through McGinley. McGinley carried the ball ten yards before taking aim for the bottom left however the keeper got down quickly to tip it wide. Hazel pounced on the loose ball and flashed his shot across the face of goal and off the far post. ‘The Daniels’ cleared the ball over halfway to Wells who raced towards goal. Sam Liversidge closed him down and pushed the striker out wide. Wells then teed up Smith for a first time shot which curled across goal and wide.
Stamford were then reduced to ten men with twenty-five minutes remaining. Kieran Wells chased down a cross over the top but the keeper came out to claim the ball. Wells stuck out a leg to nick the ball however he caught the keeper in the face. Frickley erupted with frustration and the referee dismissed the Stamford number ten.
The blues were pushing for that important goal they needed to get back into the game. McGinley broke down the right channel before he chipped the ball into the centre for Hazel who saw his tame header caught comfortably by Haystead.
Several minutes later, substitute Brad Wells won a free-kick while holding up the ball on the left-hand side. Jake Duffy swung in a curling effort which almost caught out the keeper as he stretched to push it over the bar.
The final ten minutes were dominated by Athletic. Algar saw his deep set-piece flicked just wide of the upright by Richard Patterson. Minutes later, Nicky Darker saw his header ricochet off the woodwork and over the bar.
Frickley did eventually pull a goal back in the fifth minute of injury time. Algars corner was headed out to Jacob Hazel who struck a volley towards goal which was sliced by Putman into his own net.
Frickley pressed and lumped balls into the box to try and take the game to extra time however Stamford defended in numbers and saw the game out to earn a spot in the final.
Attendance: 536
Goals: Morgan (21’), Wells (34’); Hazel (90+5’)
FAFC: Jake Turner, Sam Liversidge, Ben Algar, Richard Patterson, Jameel Ible, Daniel Burns, Reece McGinley, Nicky Darker, Jacob Hazel, Gavin Allott, Tyler Walton
Subs: Thomas Dugdale, Cameron Hough, George Milner, Jack Burton, Paul Stancliffe
SAFC: Danny Haystead, Ben George, Eliot Putman, Michael Armstrong, Delroy Gordon, Henry Eze, Rob Morgan, Jake Duffy, Jordan Smith, Kieran Wells, Jon Challinor
Subs: Brad Wells, Ollie Brown-Hill, Callum Ball, Bradley Fortnam-Tomlinson, Joe Burgess
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