Soccer: Unlucky Boro pay price

THE 3-0 scoreline suggests Boro were on the wrong end of a drubbing at Frickley but the scoreline flattered the home side.

In fact, the story could have been so different with a little luck and more clinical finishing.

Boro must be wondering how they came to go in 1-0 down at half-time after dominating the opening 45 minutes but the second half was a different story with Boro showing little appetite for a scrap.

The visitors were technically better than Frickley but the very dry pitch meant the ball bounced high and Boro were not combative enough in the aerial battle.

Boro dominated the early proceedings and were unlucky not to grab a fifth minute lead. Chris Denham spotted Athletic goalkeeper Mark Samways off his line but his clever lob came back off the crossbar.

Denham was causing the home defence all sorts of problems and got behind the defence again but couldn't find the finishing touch.

Denham again spurned a chance on ten minutes when he volleyed over from close range after Sanways failed to hold an inswinging corner.

Frickley's first chance didn't come until the 15th minute when Danny Hurst had to be out quickly after being sold short by Steve Spencer.

It seemed only a matter of time before Borough scored and Denham did find the net in the 19th minute but the effort was ruled out for handball.

However, it was Frickley who took an undeserved lead in the 27th minute and the ground conditions played a cruel part.

An aimless through ball bounced so high that it was all Hurst could when he turned it over for a corner.

From the resulting flag-kick, Lee Morris found himself unmarked and his header eluded the despairing Hurst.

Boro made vehement claims for a penalty when Denham was brought down but referee Chapman turned them down, but awarded a free kick a minute later when Denham was brought down outside the area in identical circumstances.

Frickley's efforts centred around the use of the long ball which nearly paid dividends when Lee Pugh hit the bar with a header.

Boro's approach was more patient and Neill Hardy volleyed over from a neat Jody Banim cross.

Banim got through himself just before the break but his low angled shot was somehow scooped over the bar by Sanways.

The second-half started as brightly as the first for Boro but Denham headed over from point blank range after being given a simple chance by Banim.

From then on, it was all downhill for the visitors.

Frickley began to exert their physical presence and Boro found it increasingly difficult to keep and pass the ball.

The introduction of Mark Vickerage for the home side posed a new threat and it was he who grabbed the second goal on 74 minutes. He dispossessed Davey Luker and picked his spot beyond the diving Hurst.

Frickley were now in the ascendency and Morris added to Boro's woes with a third goal, scoring from the spot after Hurst was harshly adjudged to have brought him down.

There was no way back now and only a couple of fine blocks by Hurst denied Frickley further goals.

Any further score would have been a travesty. As it was, Frickley were not three goals better than Radcliffe but there must be a more competitive streak to the Boro if they are to make their skills count.

The difference in the Unibond League is the standard of finishing. Boro were made to pay for missing their chances by a ruthless Frickley side.

BORO: Hurst 6, Battersby 6 (Landon), Spencer 6, Kelly 6, Luker 6, Sampson 6 (McMahon), Banim 6, Carden 6, Hardy 6, Denham 7, Marginson 6. Att: 211.