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

DROYLSDEN 4 - 2 HYDE UNITED

Nationwide North, Saturday 7th October 2006

Report by Gary Owen

Following the hammering meted out to Stalybridge, it was another 'Demolition Derby' for Droylsden, only this time it was Hyde United who suffered a mauling at the hands of Dave Pace's men.

The scoreline flattered Hyde somewhat, but it was an entertaining game with six goals, two penalites (one missed) and a red mist for the Tigers' Danny Caldecott in the second half.

The game started rather slowly, though, but after 15 minutes, veteran David Eyres fired a free kick straight at Paul Phillips in the Droylsden goal, before Gareth Morris saw his 30 yard effort go wide at the other end.

The Bloods took the lead on 27 minutes after they had won the ball in midfield, although it appeared that Morris had fouled Steve Pickford in the process. Daniel Warner found Terry Fearns, who danced around Craig Dootson, and Steve Daly was on hand to steer home.

Hyde retaliated through Dale Johnson, who beat Phillips to the ball, but Carl Ruffer cleared for the Bloods, and Johnson again caused problems for the home defence when he found Nathan Wharton, but his effort from a tight angle was cleared off the line.

Jamie Tandy then headed Steve Jagielka's pass straight at Dootson from 10 yards, but then Caldecott felled Chris Denham to give the hosts a penalty. Up stepped the normally reliable Fearns, but his shot struck the upright and Hyde cleared.

If Hyde thought that could be a turning point, they were sadly mistaken, as within moments of the re-start, Fearns got the beating of Caldecott and laid the ball back to Morris, who's shot was blocked. However, Denham picked up the loose ball, cut inside, and unleashed an unstoppable curler into the far corner.

Five minutes later, Eyres flashed an effort across the Droylsden goal, but the game was essentially sewn up on 54 minutes, when a Jagielka pass eluded Lincoln Adams, and Fearns gave Dootson no chance to make it 3-0.

Just before the hour mark, Tandy played a great ball to Denham, but he was tripped again by Caldecott before he could shoot, which ended the Hyde full-back's torrid afternoon, and Fearns made amends for his earlier miss by beating Dootson to record his brace for the day.

Ironically, as often happens, Hyde then began to create chances despite being a man down. An Eyres goal-bound strike unfortunately hit Johnson.

Droylsden weren't done yet, though, and Warner's effort flew high over the bar after he had left Tigers' defenders in his wake, and then Kevin Lynch shot just wide with Dootson rooted to the spot.

Hyde pulled a goal ack on 68 minutes when a fine interchange of passes was rounded off by Pickford, who slotted home under Phillips' body.

In added time, Warner failed to clear his lines, allowing a cross to come in to the Droylsden box, and the ball went in to the net off the unfortunate Jimmy Williams to give Hyde a second consolation.

DROYLSDEN: Phillips 7, Williams 8, Warner 7, Robinson 8, RUFFER 9, Morris 7, Tandy 6, Jagielka 7, Fearns 7, Daly 6, Denham 8.

SUBS: Burke (not used), Lynch K. 7 (for Morris, 63), Rapley (not used), Wolski 7 (for Jagielka, 75), Howard 8 (for Tandy, 73).

HYDE UNITED: Dootson 7, Adams 6, Caldecott 5, German 6, Flynn 6, Wharton 6, Armstrong 5, Pickford 7, Seddon 6, JOHNSON 8, Eyres 7.

SUBS: Gedman 8 (for Seddon, 60), Davis (not used), Brackenbridge (not used), Lynch C. 8 (for Armstrong, 60), Harrison (not used).

SCORERS:

DROYLSDEN - Daly (27), Denham (47), Fearns (54, 59 (pen.))

HYDE UNITED - Pickford (68), Williams (og) (90+1)

REFEREE: Mr. I. Nolan (Bury, Greater Manchester)

ATTENDANCE: 709