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

DROYLSDEN 3 - 2 SKELMERSDALE UNITED

FA Cup Third Qualifying Round, Saturday 14th October 2006

Report by Gary Owen

Droylsden made the final qualifying round of this season's tournament, but were made to fight all the way by their visitors from Merseyside, who belied their league position to produce a fine, spirited display their high-flying hosts. The Bloods chalked-up a 3-0 lead, only to be pegged back to 3-2 to create a nail-biting final 25 minutes.

The hosts ought to have taken the lead after just 2 minutes, but Jody Banim screwed wide from 16 yards after receiving Jamie Tandy's clever cross.

Paul Phillips in the home goal was then twice forced into action, first from Paul McChally's towering header and then from a John Cass lofted effort.

At the other end, though, Terry Fearns headed wide when unchallenged from Jimmy Williams' cross, but Steve Jagielka broke the dealock on 14 minutes, when he beat Robbie Holcroft from the edge of the box despite claims of handball from the Skem players.

Craig Noone then fired wide before Phillips produced a great stop to deny Dave Standley as Skelmersdale looked to level matters.

On 27 minutes, Fearns latched on to a long ball, but as he lifted the ball over Holcroft, he also lifted it over the bar, and the chance was lost.

Referee, Mr. Hughes, then decided to dismiss Williams from Droylsden's ranks for dissent, which turned-out to be one of a number of strange decisions on a poor afternoon for the man in the middle.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, the Bloods immeditaley made it 2-0 as Tandy found Jagielka, who again beat Holcroft with another fine strike.

Just before the break, a goalbound volley by Skem's Cass struck Craig Robinson, and so the score remained at 2-0 at the interval.

On 56 minutes, Fearns chased a long ball down the right flank, cut inside his defender, and gave Holcroft no chance to clock-up a 3-0 advantage.

However, within minutes, Noone saw his deflected effort strike the Droylsden cross bar after Phillips had failed to gather under pressure, and on 61 minutes, Chris Denham left a leg raised in the box to trip a Skem forward, and Carl Osman displayed great composure to beat Phillips from the spot.

Fearns and Banim both saw efforts come to nothing before Skem made a real contest of it by reducing the arrears to just one goal when Cass beat Phillips to make it 3-2.

Droylsden continued to threaten, though, and Kevin Lynch was tripped on the edge of the box, but the ball fell to Fearns with just Holcroft to beat. However, Mr. Hughes saw fit to pull the ball back for the free kick with Fearns about to pull the trigger.

Noone saw an effort zip over the Droylsden bar, before he found his strike partner, Cass, who beat Warner to the ball and lifted it over the advancing Phillips. Droylsden hearts were in their mouths, before the ball drifted just agonisingly of the right upright.

Jagielka almost notched his hat-trick for the Bloods with a lung-busting run, beating Holcroft to the ball, but finding Standley on hand to clear his effort of the line with just 6 minutes remaining.

With Droylsden hanging-on to go into the hat for the final qualifier, Skelmersdale returned home hoping that similar displays can see them challenging at the top end of the UniBond First Division.

DROYLSDEN: Phillips 7, Williams 7, Warner 7, Robinson 6, Ruffer 7, Morris 7, Tandy 7, JAGIELKA 9, Fearns 6, Banim 7, Denham 7.

SUBS: Burke 6 (for Banim, 68), Lynch 6 (for Morris, 61, Rapley 6 (for Fearns, 82), Wolski (not used), Westhead (not used).

SKELMERSDALE: Holcroft, Homles, Hardwick, Gelndenning, Standley, Barlow, Birchall, McChally, Noone, Cass, Osman.

SUBS: Omidudo (for Osman, 90+2), Rogers (for Holmes, 57), Price (not used), Turner (not used), Boyd (not used).

SCORERS: DROYLSDEN - Jagielka (14 & 38), Fearns (56)

SKELMSERSDALE UTD. - Osman (pen., 61), Cass (68)

REFEREE: Mr. M. A. P. Hughes (Preston, Lancashire)

ATTENDANCE: 409