Marine 1 Frickley Athletic 0

Unibond Premier League, Saturday 24th February 2001

A 67th minute goal from the influential Gerard Courtney was enough to give Marine the three points, in this evenly fought Unibond relegation encounter.

Frickley, after a woeful start to the season, have been showing a reversal fortunes of late, in their bid to avert relegation from the Unibond league. This was highlighted by the five-nil away victory in midweek at bottom of the table Spenymoor United. Marine were in the midst of another one their indifferent patches that have blighted their season. They also went into the game on the back of an embarrassing five-nil reverse, to neighbours Southport, in midweek in the Lancashire cup.

As you would expect in a game with so much at stake, the game got of to a slow start. The first real chance of the game fell to the visitors, when after six minutes, Frickleys, Gary Duffty found himself through on goal on the right hand corner of the box but he could only steer his shot into the terrace behind the Marine goal.

Such was the nature of the play both sides were restricted to half chances. Marine’s first meaningful attack of the game saw Courtney send a looping header over the bar that did not have the pace to trouble the Frickley goalkeeper. This attack was a prelude to concerted spell of pressure for Marine.

Under pressure from the home side, the Frickley defence stood firm restricting Marine to speculative long-range efforts. An invitation that Marine’s top scorer and long-range specialist Dave Gamble does not normally shirk and on nineteen minutes he sent a shot wide of the Frickley goalkeeper’s upright. Four minutes later, Gamble tried another shot from a similar distance, on this occasion he went closer.

Gamble, showed that he was also adept to something a little more subtle on the half hour, when in front of his own box, with the Frickley attackers baring down on him rolled his foot over the ball and with space and time he had created, he found Randles who then played in Courtney. Who could only steer his shot straight at the Frickley goalkeeper.

Again, five minutes later the same combination of Randles and Courtney carved out another chance, but Courtney’s effort did not have enough power to beat the keeper.
Anton Lally then went close with a long-range effort that curled over the bar. Three minutes later Lally was ready to unleash a shot but was denied by the interventions of the Frickley defender.

With a minute to go before half-time Marine, had their best chance of the game so far. Dave Gamble's in swinging corner evaded the Frickey defence and even the Frickley goalkeeper, who was left sprawling by the Marine forward’s challenge, but he managed to recover himself sufficiently to save from Courtney on the goal-line.

Marine were certainly the better side in the first period, but after the interval they took some time to get back into their stride and Frickley started the better side. The Mariner’s back line had to be as equally resolute as their Frickley counterparts had been in the first period. On 52 minutes, goalkeeper Clarke had to be alert when he gathered the ball at his feet from a Leroy Chambers shot, with Gary Duffty close at hand, waiting for a slip from the Marine goalkeeper.

Frickley were enjoying their best spell of the game and Marine’s manager Roly Howard had obviously seen enough. After 58 minutes He decided to introduce the combative central defender Mark Schofield, although only half fit, in a bid to stem Frickley’s spell of pressure.

Ten minutes later, as the game looked to have been heading towards a draw. A through ball by David Gamble, found Gerard Courtney one on one with the goalkeeper, with great composure Courtney fired Marine into the lead

The result was almost put beyond doubt three minutes later, but Gary Randles fired across the face of goal and wide. Frickley tried in vain to get back into the game, but try as they might, they found it hard to break down a resolute Marine back line and they had to make do with half chances.

With game in injury time and with Marine seemingly set to take the three points. Frickley’s number nine spurned a guilt edge chance that could have given Frickley a share of the points. Gamble was dispossessed in midfield and Duffty threaded the ball through to Leroy Chambers who with the keeper to beat placed his shot wide of the post.

Marine fans can now breathe a little easier after this result. A result that, gives them an eight-point cushion between themselves and Frickley who occupy the second from bottom relegation position.

ATT - 267

* This report previously appeared on the now defunct website Pyramid Football