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

KIDDERMINSTER HARRIERS 5 - 1 DROYLSDEN

FA Cup (sponsored by E-On) 4th Qualifying Rd., Sat. 28th October 2006

Report by Gary Owen

Despite the confidence of many Bloods' fans going in to this final qualifier for this season's competition, the Bloods' FA Cup campaign was, in effect, concluded by 3:15pm on Saturday, primarily due to a bizzare 3 minute spell which saw the Harriers breach the Bloods' rearguard in as many minutes.

Droylsden's task was made much harder by the dismissal of Carl Ruffer just before the break, but by that stage they were four goals in arrears in any event.

The opening ten minutes or so were fairly evenly contested, with neither side really expressing themselves nor creating any chances, but on 11 minutes, Ruffer failed to deal with a ball into the Droylsden box, and Iyesden Christie took advantage to lob the stranded Paul Phillips.

Harriers' spirits were hightened even more just a moment later when, from the re-start, Kiddy won the ball and Andy White found himself in a 50:50 with Phillips. Fortunately for White, and unfortunately for the Bloods, the ball fell to White who then duly rolled it into the empty net.

Less than two minutes later, however, Droylsden's afternoon turned into disaster when White turned provider for home debutante Craig Nelthorpe to steer home with the Droylsden defence vainly appealing for offside.

On 24 minutes, Phillips was forced into a headed clearance outside his box, and Simon Russell took the ball first time on the volley from almost the half-way line, but Garry Burke headed clear from under his own crossbar.

It was 35 minutes before the Bloods recorded a shot on target, when Jody Banim stung Bevan's palms from a tight angle. The ball fell to Kevin Lynch on the edge of the box, but he woefully screwed high and wide with a clear strike on goal.

Kidderminster cruelly punished that miss almost immediately, when Russell cut inside Daniel Warner to set-up White for his second.

A melee ensued when Ruffer took objection to a late challenge from White, and the Bloods' skipper was lucky to escape with just a caution after he appeared to throw a punch in retaliation. White was also cautioned for his intial foul.

However, just three minutes later, Ruffer hauled down the tricky Christie out wide on the edge of the box. With the home fans baying for a penalty, Mr. Smedley only awarded a free kick, but showed a second yellow to Ruffer, reducing the Bloods to ten men for the third game in succession. The foul itself probably did not warrant a caution, given where it was on the pitch, but with the skipper's significant altercation just moments earlier, he can have few complaints. White headed wide at the far post from the resultant free kick, before the Bloods welcomed the half-time whistle.

The second half was much less eventful than the first, but given that the home side were four-up and against ten men, this was perhaps not unsurprising.

Phillips tipped away Michael Blackwood's free kick, before Chris Denham became the second name taken by Mr. Smedley for dissent - just the sort of uneccesary caution he has been accumulating all season, resulting in him sitting out last week's encounter at Harrogate.

Banim then forced Bevan into action, before Kidderminster survived strong claims for handball with Steve Jagielka about to pounce.

Then a spell of pressure from the home side saw them hit the fifth. Christie crossed for White, who fluffed his lines in front of goal, but Kiddy kept the ball alive with Russell mis-cuing from 4 yards. However, Russell Penn kept his compsoure to steer past Phillips.

Droylsden's consolation came a minutes later, when Jagielka stooped to head across Bevan from Denham's cross.

Gareth Morris had Bevan at full stretch before Jagielka saw his header saved as the Bloods looked to get back into the contest, but the Harriers were always dangerous on the attack with Reynolds shooting straight at Phillips and then Russell pulling his shot just wide after cutting inside stand-in left back, Kevin Rapley.

Christie picked-out Russell, but he could again only shoot straight at Phillips, and then Banim saw an effort fly wide and a free kick sail just over the bar, before Mr. Smedley brought Droylsden's enduring afternoon to an end.

Bloods boss Dave Pace had no complaints afterwards. 'We were outplayed both physically and mentally - in fact, we were completely battered from start to finish' he said.

However, what must also be of concern to him will be if his side can finish next Saturday's crucial home fixture with Scarborough with a full complement of players. With Saturday's league results being kind to the Bloods, three points now becomes the priority as they will look to concentrate all of their efforts onto the league campaign, and putting this dismal display and what might have been behind them for another year.

KIDDERMINSTER: Bevan, Hurren, Creighton, Whitehead, White, Blackwood, Russell, Penn, Smikle, Christie, Nelthorpe.

SUBS: Kenna (for Smikle, 79), Taylor S. (not used), Reynolds (for White, 62), McGrath (for Nelthorpe, 68), Eaton (not used).

DROYLSDEN: Phillips 7, ROBINSON 8, Warner 6, Ruffer 5, Burke 7, Morris 7, Tandy 6, Jagielka 8, Fearns 7, Banim 8, Denham 7.

SUBS: Lynch 6 (for Tandy, 26), Rapley 5 (for Warner, 45), Daly 4 (for Morris, 73), Howard (not used), Westhead (not used).

ATTENDANCE: 1,424

REFEREE: Mr. Ian Smedley (Derby)