Match Report

FC United recorded our seventh straight victory and kept up the promotion pressure by winning 4-2 at Frickley Athletic on Tuesday night with goals from Lee Neville, Matthew Wolfenden, Michael Norton and Tom Greaves.

The win was slightly tempered by the fact that Adam Jones went off injured, Matthew Tierney was sent off for two bookable offences, and the Reds leaked two goals after being 4-0 up. But that shouldn’t take anything away from another vital three points in the quest for promotion.

Karl Marginson’s side started the match emphatically with two goals inside the first 15 minutes and they were 3-0 up at the break.

United took the lead on 12 minutes when a corner from the left was headed in by Neville. The Reds had already threatened to break the deadlock moments earlier when Jones’ header was cleared from the Frickley line.

Two minutes later, Greaves fired a shot straight at Jamie Green in the home goal but it only looked a matter of time that the lead would be doubled and it was on the quarter hour. Jerome Wright broke free on the left and with Green off his line, it looked like Wright may go for goal himself. But the winger crossed to Matthew Wolfenden who took his time to find his spot and slot home for his seventh goal in six games.

Greaves came close again a minute later, Green again saving but it was 3-0 on 35 minutes when a throw-in from the left found its way to Norton who headed the ball into the net.

The home side should have pulled one back only a minute later when Luke Hinsley found himself one-on-one with James Spencer. The keeper did well to spread himself and Hinsley screwed his shot wide when he should have done better.

The lead was increased inside two minutes of the restart when the ball was played back to Green. The goalkeeper tangled and lost out to Greaves who took the ball from his grasp, rounded him and rolled it into the empty net for 4-0.

This goal spurred Frickley into action and from then on the game was pretty much played in the FC United half. The hosts pulled a goal back on 54 minutes when a cross from the right was headed in by Jake Picton.

Just after the hour mark, the home side were awarded a penalty due to a foul by Tierney. After the official had issued a caution to the United’s young midfielder, Chris Wood sent Spencer the wrong way to half the lead.

The chances still came for the West Yorkshire side, skipper Matty Bloom forcing a great save from Spencer with the rebound going behind for a goal kick.

The game ended on a sour note for FC with Tierney seeing red for a second yellow card but this was a vital victory for the Reds and they will be hoping to continue the great run into the weekend with a difficult trip to Marine.

Report by Steven Wood.