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Frickley Athletic 0 FC Halifax Town 0: Town have to settle for Frickley stalemate
TOWN'S first away day in the Evo-Stik Premier Division ended in frustration as they were forced to settle for a share of the spoils at Frickley.
It was a really disjointed effort from Halifax in the first half with the gap between strikers and midfield far too big for either to get going.
Consequently, they created few chances and allowed the home side to see far too much of the ball.
It was a different story in the second half with the Shaymen dominating - and creating chances.
But try as they might, their luck was out and they could find no way though the home defence.
Nialle O'Rafferty's early surging run into the Town box suggested it could be an uncomfortable night for the Shaymen.
And Frickley threatened again after five minutes, Richard Dunning firing over, with the help of a deflection, after the Shaymen had only half cleared Charles Fisher's long throw in on the right.
The home side continued to look the more threatening, Dunning firing a free kick straight at Jonathan Hedge after Tom Baker had fouled Danny Walsh on the edge of the box
And Adam Lee cut in from the right before sending a left-footed shot over the bar from the corner of the area.
Town did manage a couple of corners - both the result of good work from Danny Holland - but failed to threaten in the opening 10 minutes.
It was starting to become a frustrating night for Town going forward and the mood in the ground was not helped when decisions started to go against them.
They did not have a real effort on goal until the 20th minute when Baker fired high over the bar after Frickley had cleared an Aaron Hardy cross.
Town had appeals for a penalty waved away on the half hour, the referee deciding the Frickley defender could not get out of the way of the ball after Holland had tried to cross.
And a minute later James Riley slid in to met a Baker corner but sent his effort over the bar.
Frickley went close again six minutes before he break, Dunning sending a 25-yard free kick fizzing past Hedge's right hand post.
And moments later Danny Walsh latched onto a long through ball and stung the Town keeper's hands from a similar distance.
Unsurprisingly, Town made a double change at the break, Scott Metcalfe and Nathan Taylor replacing Simon Garner and Holland.
Both had early touches and it appeared that their pace on either flank could become a major factor in the outcome of the game.
Ironically, it was Nicky Gray on the right who created the first real chance of the half, crossing for Vardy who rose well but could not keep his header down.
And Vardy went close again a minute later when he spotted the keeper off his line, Adam Nicklin recovering in time to tip his shot away for a corner.
Baker showed great determination to regain possession in the 54th minute and split the home defence wide open with a pass.
Vardy raced clear on the left, waited for the keeper to commit himself only to roll his shot inches wide of the far post.
The former Stocksbridge man was proving to be a real menace and he fired narrowly wide again in the 58th minute after dispossessing Steve Heath.
For the second game in a row, Town were awarded an indirect free kick for a back pass but Baker's blast was cleared.
Then Vardy's pace caught out Frickey again and he managed to beat the keeper only for Paddy McGuire to get back and clear off the line.
A Baker free kick whistled past the post as Town continued to press for a breakthrough although their cause was hindered by an injury to Vardy that forced him to leave the field.
The Shaymen should have broken the deadlock in the 73rd minute when Baker got free down the right and crossed for Taylor but, after escaping his marker, he blazed his shot high over the bar.
Richard Marshall tried his luck from distance, the keeper saving comfortably, before Frickley threatened, McGuire having an effort deflected over from a Leon Henry cross.
Town were back on the front foot soon after, Marshall crossing from the right for Taylor whose glancing header bounced across the face of goal.
The Shaymen were given one final chance in the first minute of added time when Taylor was brought down on the edge of the area on the right, but the home side survived.
MATCH FACTS
Frickley Athletic: Nicklin, Fisher, Chapman, Walsh, Heath, Jones, McGuire, Dunning, Adam Lee (Andy Lee 80), O'Rafferty, Henry. Subs (not used): Sturdy, Turner, Nodder, Simpson.
Goals: None
Booked: Chapman (dissent 22), Henry (foul 65),
Sent-off: None
FC Halifax Town: Hedge, Hardy, Bower, Hogan, Riley, Garner (Metcalfe 46), Winter, Baker, Holland (Taylor 46), Vardy (Marshall 65), Gray. Subs (not used): Senior, Plummer.
Goals: None
Booked: Holland (foul 35), Baker (foul 66), Hardy (foul 82)
Sent-off: None
Attendance: 748
Referee: A Tankard (Sheffield)
STARMAN
Midfielder Tom Baker gave a commanding display for Town last night, hustling and harrying when Frickley were in possession and creating plenty of problems when the Shaymen were on the attack.
Countless times he managed to regain the ball when it appeared it had been lost to the home side.
And his eye for a pass meant that he seldom wasted it when it was at his feet.
He takes the three points on offer in our season-long competition, with striker Jamie Vardy taking two.
Along with he rest of the side, he struggled in the first half, but he came alive after the break.
He was only on for 20 minutes before succumbing to injury, but he had four great chances and, with a just bit of luck, would have broken the deadlock.
The final point goes to central defender James Riley.
Sporting a bandage covering the wound he received at the weekend, he was committed to every challenge - on the deck and in the air.
PLAYER POINTS
Jamie Vardy 4, Aaron Hardy 3, Tom Baker 3, Liam Hogan 1, James Riley 1
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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