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Fracas completes a miserable day out

John Hyde
17/12/2002

SOCCER: Frickley Athletic 0 Hyde United 0

With the mist and freezing wind swirling round West Yorkshire, it was no surprise that despite the Tigers' superiority, they were forced to settle for a point on a miserable aftrernoon.

A poor crowd of just 119 reflected the fact that when the Frickley Colliery closed, so did the town.

The match was only just playable but the home side should have gone ahead on 20 minutes when Lee Morris missed a great chance.

From the re-start a wonderful run ended with Steve Foster's shot whistling past the upright.

The first half had been played almost totally in midfield and with the interval approaching the only serious chance fell to Hyde's Foster who blasted over the crossbar.

On the re-start a great chance for Foster was ruined by the conditions as he mis-kicked in the penalty area, but the Tigers almost fell behind when keeper Peter Crookes mis-judged but fortunately the immaculate Martin Diggle was on hand to tidy up.

Hyde's luck was still out when a great run by Foster forced a corner from which Troy Hayder rattled the woodwork.

The game closed controversially when almost all the players were involved in an almighty fracas as Andy Shelton fouled Athletic's Lee Morris. When tempers eventually died down, amazingly referee Mr Blackburn only booked innocent by-stander Phil Lockett.