Chester FC 2 Frickley Athletic 2: Two points dropped by wasteful Blues

Oct 29 2011 by Paul Wheelock, Chester Chronicle

MISTAKES at both ends of the field proved costly as Chester missed the chance to move within one point of top spot.

Well-taken goals from Jamie Rainford and Matty McGinn ensured the Blues came from behind to claim a share of the spoils – but Neil Young will view the result as two points dropped given the amount of opportunities his second-placed side created.

The Chester boss will also have been disappointed by the manner in which an organised but fairly ordinary Frickley team were twice allowed to take the lead.

The afternoon could not have got off to a better start as fans showed their support for the second annual ‘Think Pink’ day at the Exacta Stadium, organised to raise funds for the breast care unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

The Blues players got in the spirit by wearing a pink strip specially designed for a match which started brightly but ended in frustration.

The recalled Michael Wilde side-footed against the post in the 10th minute from a pinpoint McGinn cross before Rainford shot wide after Iain Howard and Wilde combined to play him in.

So it came against the run of play when the struggling visitors opened the scoring in the 30th minute after an uncharacteristic error from Michael Taylor.

The centre-back failed to deal with a routine clearance and former Chester trialist Ollie Ryan nipped in before being hauled down in the box by the hesitant John Danby. It was a definite penalty and James Ashmore did the rest from the spot.

The hosts needed a response – and they got one seven minutes later when club record signing Rainford scored his first goal for the club from open play.

The fit-again Jerome Wright escaped down the left and pulled the ball back for the lively striker, who turned his marker before curling a delightful 10-yard effort in off the post.

Rainford was finding space in the holes between defence and midfield and after his cross-shot was palmed away by Adam Billard, the Frickley goalkeeper did brilliantly to keep out McGinn’s fierce follow-up.

That was the way it stayed until the 67th minute when the Yorkshiremen profited from more lacklustre defending.

Taylor missed his header and centre-back George Horan slipped, allowing Brad Grayson to run on and round Danby before firing into the empty net.

Blues boss Young threw caution to the wind, switching from a 4-3-3 to 3-4-3 formation, and his bravery was rewarded six minutes later when McGinn superbly headed in Howard’s right-wing cross for his seventh goal of the season.

From then on Chester piled forward in an attempt to stretch their winning home run to eight games.  

Wilde and Horan headed against the bar, substitute Chris Simm had an effort cleared off the line before Billard produced the save of the match from Wilde’s flying header.

But the best chance came three minutes from time as McGinn somehow managed to shoot over from 10 yards out after Howard rolled the ball back across goal.

Chester: Danby, Baynes, Horan, Taylor, McGinn, Brown (Booth 46), Smith, Howard, Wright (McNeil 72), Wilde, Rainford (Simm 60). Subs: Brownhill, Judge.

Goals: Rainford 37, McGinn 73.

Frickley: Billard, Bleau, Adams, Gray, Cyrus (Callery 63), Mallon, Walsh, Ashmore, Grayson, Ryan (Watts 75), Whitehouse. Subs: Jones, Saynor.

Booked: Walsh.

Goals: Ashmore 30pen, Grayson 67.

Referee: Paul Marsden (Preston).

Attendance: 2,485.