Marske slip as hosts suffer smash and grab raid

MARSKE United were beaten at home for the first time in over a year as a Jacob Hazel goal helped Frickley Athletic to a narrow win at the GER Stadium, writes MARK CARRUTHERS.

Carl Jarrett’s side dominated the chances in the opening half-hour of yesterday’s clash.

Curtis Round, Josh Rowbotham and Glen Butterworth all went close to putting the Seasiders in front.

The visitors offered little during a lacklustre first half and they almost paid the price for that slow start when Jamie Owens fired narrowly wide on the stroke of half-time.

Marske continued to control the game in the opening stages of the second-half.

However, they were punished for failing to find a reward for their dominance when Hazel put the visitors ahead after 56 minutes.

A corner-kick from the right-hand side caused problems for the hosts’ defence.

And Hazel was on hand to pounce on a loose ball and slot the ball home from close-range to give Frickley the advantage.

Things almost got worse for the Seasiders on the hour mark.

Tyler Walton forced Robert Dean into a smart stop at his near-post to keep the home side in with a chance of fighting back.

Marske rallied in the last ten minutes as they looked to find the equaliser that their performance had deserved.

But they were left frustrated when Craig Gott could only find the post with a well-struck effort from inside the Frickley area.

Moments later Andrew May had a header cleared from the line and James Fairley sent a low cross right across the face of the Frickley goal, with no Marske player able to bundle the ball home for the equaliser.

It was a smash-and-grab win for Frickley, as Marske were left to wonder what might have been.

MARSKE UNITED: Dean, Martin (Fairley), Rowbotham, Butterworth, May, Wheatley, Liddle (Waters), Gott, Round, Owens, O’sullivan Subs: Owen, Brockbank, Hillerby FRICKLEY ATHLETIC: Warhurst, Smith, Algar, Ible, Burgin (Liversedge), Young, Walton, Rowe, Wilson, Burton, Hazel (Wilkinson) Subs: Cable, Carrick, Stancliffe

EVO-STIK EAST MARSKE UNITED FRICKLEY ATHLETIC