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

DROYLSDEN 2 - 1 MAINE ROAD

Manchester Premier Challenge Cup Q/F, Monday 8th January 2007

Report by Gary Owen

The Bloods were five minutes from being dumped-out of this season's competition at the first time of asking following an impressive display by their North West Counties League opponents, but were rescued by two bullets by Jody Banim.

Gareth Richards struck for the visitors in the 85th minute with a header than wriggled through Paul Phillips' legs, before substitute Banim forced the tie into extra time just two minutes later, when he hammered home from 12 yards after the Maine Road defence had failed to deal with a cross by Jamie Tandy.

Prior to this, the tie was fairly evenly contested, with the Bloods perhaps shading matters in terms of possession, but without really stretching Greg Hall in the Maine Road goal. The visitors often threatened with pace on the counter-attack on a foul, rain drenched evening, where the pitch held up fairly well.

Steve Daly failed to control Tandy's pass in the opening minutes in front of goal in the third minute, which may have settled the Bloods a little, but Hall was only tested twice further in the first half, from Carl Ruffer's long range effort and by Chris Denham's angled shot at the near post just before the break.

Phillips also had to make saves from Mark Mitchell and the impressive Steve Cheetham, but the half ended goal-less.

After the break, Droylsden survived strong claims for a penalty when Cheetham went down under challenge from Ruffer, but the referee was having none of it. Ruffer then made a last ditch challenge on Jack Halsall after he had outstripped Craig Robinson.

Dave Pace then exchanged the ineffective front pairing of Daly and Kevin Rapley with big guns Banim and Terry Fearns, and it almost paid immediate dividends, as the two combined to set-up Lynch, but he shot straight at Hall. Moments later, Fearns struck the foot of the post, but the deadlock remained.

On 71 minutes, Maine Road didn't fully clear a Droylsden corner, and Robinson turned to shoot towards the top corner, but Hall pulled-off a spectacular save to turn the ball around the post.

With 8 minutes remaining, Droylsden survived second claims for a penalty, when Chris Adams seemed to jump into the back of Luke Mack, but their claims were once again waved away.

However, Maine Road thought they had scored the winner on 85 minutes, when Richards' header squirmed through the legs of Phillips and over the line, but up-stepped Banim to take the tie into extra time.

Four minutes into the added thirty, Richards broke free of the Droylsden defence, but he lacked composure and shot wide with just Phillips to beat.

Banim then began to pose more questions of the Road defence - firstly, he struck the bar with a header from Tandy's cross, before he collected Adams' low cross to turn sweetly and drive home off the foot of the post.

With just a minute of extra time left to play, Maine Road looked like they had sent the tie to the penalty shoot-out, only to be denied by an assistant's offside flag.

And so Droylsden endeavoured this stern test, and will now visit the winners of the Abbey Hey / Hyde United tie in the semi-final.

DROYLSDEN: Phillips 6, Williams 6, Adams 6, Robinson 6, Ruffer 7, Jagielka 7, TANDY 8, Lynch 8, Daly 4, Rapley 5, Denham 7.

SUBS: Halford (not used), Kelly 8 (for Denham, 85), Morris (not used), Banim 8 (for Rapley, 65), Fearns 6 (for Daly, 65).

MAINE ROAD: Hall, Maclean, Mason, Jay, Kennedy, Chappell, Cheetham, Mitchell, Richards, Mack, Halsall.

SUBS: Turner (for Richards, 106), Buckley (not used), McGee (for Halsall, 70), Wadsworth (not used), Halligan (forJay, 47).

SCORERS:

DROYLSDEN - Banim (87 AND 107)

MAINE ROAD - Richards (85)

REFEREE: Mr. M. Astley (Denton, Greater Manchester)

ATTENDANCE: 187