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

DROYLSDEN 6 - 1 LANCASTER CITY

Nationwide North, Saturday 17th February 2007

Report by Gary Owen

A hat-trick from Terry Fearns, along with a red card for Lancaster's Paul Rigby allowed Droylsden to extend their lead at the top of the table.

However, the scoreline flattered the hosts somewhat, and nerves were jingling at half-time as Lee Sparks cancelled out Steve Halford's 12th minute opener.

With the Bloods in the lead from the early stages, both sides created, and then wasted chances to add to the scoring.

A Fearns header was blocked by team-mate Steve Daly, and then James Brindle saved from Blake Norton.

Lee Sparks then fluffed his lines in front of goal on 19 minutes, shotoing woefully wide with a great opportunity to equalise.

Sparks threatened again moments later, but was denied by a last ditch tackle from Halford.

There was then a lengthy delay to allow treatment for Brindle, who seemed to be concussed after suffering a blow to the head, but he played on bravely, and made some super saves, particularly from Fearns.

Daly and Norton failed to convert with the goal at their mercy, and in the fifth minute of added time, Sparks slotted Jamie Vaughan's misplaced header beyond Paul Phillips.

After the break, Rob Henry hooked off the line after Brindle had dropped the ball, but the Bloods took the lead with a fine goal, Daniel Warner picked-out Norton, and his cross was headed home by Fearns.

Paul Rigby then handled on the line, preventing a certain goal for Daly, and Mr. Handley had no alternative but to dismiss the Dolly Blues' defender. Fearns crashed the spot kick home off the bar to make it 3-1, leaving Lancaster with a mountain to climb.

That was made significantly worse as they lost possession from the re-start. Fearns broke through, but was adjudged to have been fouled by Brindle, and Fearns notched his hat-trick from the spot.

Daly added a fifth five minutes from time after great wing play by Jody Banim, and Banim himself ended a miserable day for the Lancastrians with a goal on 90 minutes after Warner had made a great run into the box.

DROYLSDEN: Phillips 7, Vaughan 6, Warner 8, Robinson 8, HALFORD 8, Jagielka 6, Tandy 7, Kelly 8, Fearns 7, Daly 7, Norton 7.

SUBS: Banim 8 (for Norton, 63), Burke (not used), Lynch 5 (for Tandy, 63), Williams (not used), Fowler 7 (for Jagielka, 71).

LANCASTER CITY: Brindle, Galley, Marshall, Henry, Rigby, Williams, Elderton, Uberscher, Gierke, Sparks, Lee Foxtrot.

SUBS: Connerton (for Gierke, 66), Doherty (not used), Durnan (for Lee Foxtrot, 79), Luke Foxtrot (for Sparks, 87), Helliwell (not used).

SCORERS:

DROYLSDEN - Halford (12), Fearns (62, Pen 68 and Pen 70), Daly (85), Banim (90)

LANCASTER CITY - Sparks (45 and 5)

REFEREE: Mr. D. Handley (Wigan, Greater Manchester)

ATTENDANCE: 450