Grantham’s final chance of silverware ended when they exited the League cup at the first round stage following a 2-0 defeat to Frickley Athletic at the Meres
Grantham began strongly and Greg Smith saw his 35 yard effort go narrowly wide after 2 minutes and a minute later the same player got onto the end of a Lee Shaw cross but his header back across goal was cleared. Frickleys first chance came after 11 minutes but Tyler Williams shot went wide. Jamie McGhee ran at the Frickley defence a minute later before playing in Danny Meadows and when he crossed the ball Greg Smith volleyed just wide with Frickley keeper Peter Fotko beaten. Frickley went close on 19 minutes but Rhys Lewis’s saving tackle at the expense of a corner prevented Frickleys Chris Wood getting his shot in. Frickley took the lead on 29 minutes when from a free kick on the left hand side found Brad Lucas unmarked in the box and he headed home. Ben Hill saw his shot charged down on 33 minutes as Grantham pushed for an equaliser and Hill had a chance on 39 minutes but he delayed his shot and the chance was gone. The half ended as it started with a Greg smith shot but this time it was too close to the keeper who saved comfortably.
Frickley brought on former Gingerbread Lee Stratford at half time. Grantham continued to push forward with Greg Smith twice caught offside in the opening minutes of the half. Frickley had a chance on49 minutes when Tyler Williams rounded Jake Turner but his goal bound effort was cleared away for a corner by Danny Meadows. Greg Smith again went close for Grantham on 52 minutes when after being played in by Ben Harris he lofted the ball over Fotko but then saw the ball pass narrowly passed the far post. Frickley went two up on 57 minutes when Bradley Dockerty ran through the Grantham defence to fire past Turner. Frickley should have increased their on 63 minutes when Danny Meadows brought down Bradley Grayson in the box but when Grayson took the resultant penalty Jake turner save to his right. Grantham introduced Ben Saunders for Greg Smith and Stefan Bilyk for Lee Shaw and then Jamie Walker for Ben Harris but they could make no real impression on the Frickley defence well marshalled by centre half John Cyrus and the game ended 2-0 to Frickley
Grantham
J Turner, D Meadows, M Emmott, M Hollingsworth, B McGowan, R Lewis, J McGhee, J Beckett, L Shaw (S Bilyk 68), G Smith (B Saunders 68), B Harris (J Walker 71)
Subs not used C Vagoroso

Frickley
P Fotko, L Hornsey, M Parkinson (L Stratford 46), L Hindley, J Cyrus, B Lucas, B Dockerty, B Lenighan, C Wood, B Grayson (J Hazel 86), T Williams
Subs not used K Rose, S Malkowski

Referee M Law

Yellow Cards Grantham 1 Frickley 1
Red Cards 0

Corner Count Grantham 2 Frickley 4

Attendance 115