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

DROYLSDEN 3 - 1 HINCKLEY UNITED

Nationwide North, Monday 26th January 2007

Report by Gary Owen

A much improved performance from the Bloods on a better playing surface enabled them to extend their lead at the top of the Nationwide North to 6 points.

This was a thrilling encounter, played at a frantic pace, with chances created at both ends, and the game could have easily gone either way.

The first chance fell to Terry Fearns, but when clean through he showed far too much of the ball to Sean Bowles, who stooped to collect.

However, another moment of genius from Jody Banim came on 9 minutes, when he brought down Daniel Warner's free kick with a deft touch, flicked the ball over his shoulder to lose the defender, and unleashed an unstoppable effort into the top corner from an acute angle.

Jermaine Palmer then twice asked questions of the Bloods' defence, and Owen Story volleyed wide for the Knitters.

Fearns was again thwarted by good goalkeeping from Bowles in another one-on-one situation, and Garry Burke headed straight at Bowles from a Gareth Morris free kick.

After the re-start, Carl Ruffer mopped-up following an error by Burke, but once again Fearns then found himself clean through, only to make Bowles favourite with another heavy touch.

Hinckley pressed the Bloods and sent many dangerous crosses into the box, but the home side weathered the storm to take a two-goal lead by means of a strike that would have grace the world stage. It was scored by man-of-the match Banim, who beautifully chipped Bowles from 20 yards.

However, just two minutes later, Hinckley made a real game of it and set the home nerves jangling by striking back. Leon Jackson converted at the far post from a deep cross by the impressive Story.

Morris then had Bowles back-peddling to turn over his effort from 25 yards out, before Paul Phillips in the Droylsden goal had to be off his line smartly to deny Andy Brown, who had sprung the offside trap.

Banim then had strong claims for a penalty turned-down as he appeared to be upended by Michael Love when he was looking for his hat-trick after a mazy run, but Chris Denham put matters to rest on 80 minutes when he benefited from a loose pass to Tony Butler to bear down on goal and shoot under Bowles.

But that was not before Palmer saw a shot blocked by Morris from Story's cross, and in the dying moments a snap shot by Brown flew just over the bar from yet more ammunition provided by Story.

The Bloods welcome Worcester City to the Butcher's Arms on Saturday, before entering a crucial period with four consecutive away games, when their title credentials will no doubt be given a significant examination.

DROYLSDEN: Phillips 7, Halford 7, Warner 7, Ruffer 8, Burke 7, Morris 7, Norton 6, Kelly J. 8, Fearns 6, BANIM 9, Denham 8.

SUBS: Daly (not used), Lynch (for Denham, 90), Robinson (not used), Fowler (not used), Williams (not used).

HINCKLEY UTD.: Bowles, Story, Shilton, Cooper, Love, Butler, Cartwright, Jackson, Palmer, Kelly L., Nurse.

SUBS: Wykes (not used), Gundelach (for Cooper 90), Brown (for Kelly, 64), Bradshaw (not used).

SCORERS:

DROYLSDEN - Banim (9 and 63), Denham (80)

HINCKLEY UNITED - Jackson (65)

REFEREE: Mr. M. A. Naylor (Sheffield, South Yorkshire)

ATTENDANCE: 582