Martyn Woolford turns clock back with record goal for Frickley Athletic
Frickley Athletic showed all the battling qualities they possess this season in back to back draws against top six sides Liversedge and Parkgate in the Macron NCE Premier Division.
Tom Claisse’s men followed up a goalless draw at home to third-placed Liversedge in midweek with a come from behind 2-2 result against Parkgate.
They had looked in trouble in South Yorkshire when trailing 2-0 after 34 minutes following goals from Alex Wonham and Jenson Ridge.
But Martyn Woolford – who has returned to the club where it all began for him before he went on to enjoy a highly successful Football League career – started the Blues’ comeback with a well taken penalty on the stroke of half-time.
It was Woolford’s first for the club for 19 years, giving him a record for the longest time between goals in Frickley’s history.
The goal also gave the team confidence to attack the second half and they equalised when Tom Alngohuru struck with a beauty of a shot from 25 yards out.
The visitors could then count themselves unlucky not to get all three points as chance after chance was created and several other promising positions came to nothing.
Manager Claisse felt his side would have been deserving winners.
He said: “It was definitely two points dropped.
"It’s a tough one to take, the lads are hurting after we absolutely dominated the game.
"Second half they had one chance in our box and we wasted quite a lot, which is frustrating.
"It says a lot that when our dressing room is hurting after being 2-0 down and coming back to draw 2-2 – and their dressing room is buzzing that they gave got a point in the end.
"I can’t fault the lads, their effort, endeavour, the total dominance was second to none.
"On the flip side, come the end of the season it might be a good point and it’s three unbeaten in a week.
"It’s disappointing we only came away with a point, but it’s good we are creating the chances.”
Frickley host Golcar United this Saturday and are away to Campion next Wednesday.
• Glasshoughton Welfare were heavily beaten at home by unbeaten NCE Division One side Harrogate Railway Athletic.
The game was already over as a contest by half-time with the visitors 4-0 up after goals from Dominic Creamer, Harry Atkinson and Harris Eggleston (two).
Welfare tightened up somewhat after the break, but were unable to make any inroads into Harrogate’s lead and conceded again with Alex Burton’s 71st minute effort completing a 5-0 win for the away side.
Glasshoughton face another tough game this Saturday when away to leaders Dearne & District. They are back at home to Louth Town next Tuesday.