Droylsden F.C.-The bloods on the net!

DROYLSDEN 1 - 1 KETTERING TOWN

Nationwide North, Saturday 23rd September 2006

Report by Gary Owen

It was second versus third as these two title contenders locked horns, and the spoils were shared after an evenly fought contest.

The Poppies probably shaded matters in terms of possession, and it was they who began looking the better side, with Craig Westcarr and Andre Boucaud both going close.

From a fifth minute corner, the Poppies had Droylsden on the back foot, forcing the hosts into two goal-line clearances.

Then Rene Howe held off the attentions of two Bloods' defenders before finding Boucard, who's snap shot flew just a yard wide.

The Bloods' first effort on target came after fifteen minutes when Terry Fearns' cross found Chris Denham but his header from distance was no problem for Mark Osborn.

However, on 19 minutes, the hosts almost stole the lead, when a low cross from Denham found Fearns, and his first time effort cannoned off the foot of Osborn's right hand post before being cleared for a corner.

On the half hour, a partially cleared corner from Droylsden saw Denham shoot accross Osborn, but the ball was also wide of the mark as the hosts finally began to get a foothold in the game.

A speculative volley from Boucaud dipped just over the bar on 35 minutes, before Fearns shot straight at Osborn from Denham's pass at the other end.

Five minutes before the break, Liam Nicell chased a long ball by Darren Caskey and cut inside Jimmy Williams, but his reverse shot was just wide of the near post.

After the break, Andy Hall could have opened the scoring, but the Poppies' winger fluffed his cross with team mates waiting when a shot at goal was also an option.

Moments later, though, Denham's cross found Steve Daly, who's first time effort brought a great point blank save out of Osborn.

Kettering then had the best chance of the game to take the lead when Hall found Westcarr ghosting in at the far post, but he poked his effort wide with only Paul Phillips to beat.

That miss was punished just moments later when Fearns beat Osborn all ends up with a looping near post header from Denham's cross to put the Bloods one up.

Kettering responded immediately with Nicell's effort being saved at the foot of the post by Phillips from Hall's excellent pass.

Jean-Paul Marma was then inches wide with a header from Westcarr's cross as the Poppies looked to get back on level terms, which looked likely on 77 minutes when Daniel Warner failed to cut out a pass. Marma latched on to the loose ball and almost ripped the goals from their footings when his volley crashed against the upright.

The pressure from the visitors finally told with seven minutes remaining, when Koo-Boothe of all people found himself on the end of Marna's free kick to lash the ball past the helpless Phillips.

Marma had two late efforts go straight at Phillips, as they finished the stornger, but a share of the spoils was probably a fair reflection of the day's events by both sides.

Droylsden were clearly mssing the influential Jody Banim up front, who is still injured from the Stalybridge game. However, Kettering could also point to their missing leading scorer, Zema Abbey.

DROYLSDEN: Phillips 8, Williams 7, Warner 7, Ruffer 8, Burke 8, Morris 7, Tandy 5, JAGIELKA 8, Fearns 6, Daly 5, Denham 8.

SUBS: Lynch 6 (for Tandy, 54), Rapley 6 (for Morris, 79), Robinson (not used), Adams (not used), Westhead (not used).

KETTERING TN.: Osborn, Koo-Boothe, Graham, Nicell, McIlwain, Solkhon, Boucaud, Caskey, Howe, Westcarr, Hall.

SUBS: Marna (for Howe, 62), Midgley (not used), Makofo (not used), Olaleye (not used), Linford (for Caskey, 77)

REFEREE: Mr. M. A. Powell (Halifax, West Yorkshire)

ATTENDANCE: 517

GOALS: Droylsden - Fearns (61) Kettering T - Koo-Boothe (83)