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

DROYLSDEN 0 - 0 BLYTH SPARTANS

Nationwide North, Saturday 13th January 2007

Report by Gary Owen

Droylsden failed to take the opportunity to put significant difference between themselves and the chasing pack due to a very hardworking and hungry Spartans side at a blustery Butcher's Arms.

Although the game was goal-less, this was far from a bore draw as both sides created numerous chacnes, but then, rather frustratingly, spurned them all!

It was the visitors who signalled their early intent when Matthew Moffat cut inside Jamie Vaughan to plant a cross on the head of leading scorer Robbie Dale, only for the big forward to flick his header beyond both Paul Philips and the far post.

Moments later, Dale again found himself in space in front of the Bloods' goal, but this time Phillips denied him with a fine save.

The Bloods struck back through Jamie Tandy, but Adam Bartlett turned away his low drive from the edge of the box.

Just after the half-hour mark, Craig Robinson misjudged the ball, allowing Dale a clear run at goal, but he shot high and wide under pressure from Carl Ruffer.

The best chance of the half, though, fell to Spartans' Scott Bell, who beat Tandy to the ball, held off the attentions of Robinson, before shooting over the bar when well placed.

After the break, Tandy combined with Terry Fearns to set-up midweek hero Jody Banim, but Bartlett was equal to his angled drive.

The deadlock should have been broken just after the hour when Moffat wasted the game's best opportunity. Ruffer's back header was woefully short, and the Spartans' forward pounced with only Phillips to beat, but he lacked composure and showed too much of the ball to the Bloods' custodian, who bravely smothered at his feet.

Droylsden responded immediately through danger-man Tandy, who beat three, but Bartlett threw out his right hand to make a superb stop.

Banim then shot straight at Bartlett from 5 yards out, before Tandy robbed Snowdon of the ball in a dangerous position. He beat three men, and then had Bartlett to beat, but he over-ran the ball when trying to clip it over the advancing keeper, with Fearns and Banim well placed for a square pass in front of goal.

With just nine minutes left on the clock, Fearns lifted the ball over both Bartlett and the bar from Banim's flick when a straightforward volley could have reaped better dividends.

Moments from the end, Dale could have won it for the Northumbrians, but he headed over when unchallenged in a central position.

Although Phillips and his defenders will be pleased with the clean sheet, this is the first time this season that the Bloods have failed to score in a league fixture.

Before the kick-off, Droylsden may have considered a draw as two points dropped. However, after the respective performances of both sides, it will be Spartans who will consider themselves unlucky not to have taken more from the game, but Dave Pace's charges have nevertheless added another point to their tally and now sit six points clear at the top.

DROYLSDEN: Phillips 7, Vaughan 6, Halford 6, Robinson 7, Ruffer 6, Morris 6, Tandy 8, KELLY 8, Fearns 6, Banim 7, Jagielka 6.

SUBS: Burke (not used), Lynch (not used), Daly (not used), Williams J. 6 (for Morris, 69), Rapley (not used).

BLYTH SP.: Bartlett, Hedley, Williams G., Leeson, Snowdon, Forster, Graham, McCabe, Dale, Bell, Moffat.

SUBS: Peacock (not used), Gildea L. (not used), Lowther (not used), Fenton (not used), Hanlon (not used).

ATTENDANCE: 457

REFEREE: Mr. M. Duncan (Warrington, Cheshire)