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

DROYLSDEN 4 - 2 NUNEATON BOROUGH

Nationwide North, Saturday 19th August 2006

Report by Gary Owen

Droylsden's promotion credentials were put to the test at a damp Butcher's Arms, and they came through with flying colours, putting Nuneaton to the sword thanks mainly to a Terry Fearns hat-trick.

Chances were at a premium in the first half, but it was Droylsden who struck first 'Blood' when Chris Denham received a pass from Carl Ruffer, cut inside his man, and played a reverse pass to Terry Fearns, who rounded Darren Acton to make it 1-0.

Both sides began to ask questions of each other, but without really creating any clear cut chances, and the half began to become somewhat of a drab midfield battle.

Droylsden could have doubled their lead on 18 minutes when Steve Daly, on his home debut, beat Rob Oddy to the ball, but his lob over Acton was well wide.

Two minutes before the break, however, Nuneaton struck level. A cross from the left caused uncertainity in the Droylsden box, and when the ball fell to Gez Murphy ten yards out he made no mistake with his left foot.

This gave Nuneaton the psycholoigcal advantage, and they almost sneaked a half-time lead, but a poor clearance from Paul Phillips was volleyed over by Murphy before the same man was denied by a last ditch tackle from the impressive Ruffer.

The second half, however, was virtually one-way traffic towards the Nuneaton goal. The Bloods regained the lead on 51 minutes when Borough failed to clear their lines and Denham's deflected cross found Fearns unmarked at the far post to head home with Acton helpless.

On 64 minutes, Denham saw two shots blocked for corner kicks, and from the second flag kick he shot past the unsighted Acton to make Nuneaton's task even more difficult.

Despite their comfortable lead, Droylsden still took the game to their close rivals of last season and looked capable of adding to their tally, with Roger Ashby's side clearly having a bad day at the office.

The fourth goal arrived on 73 minutes when Denham ran at Bonner, but was tripped in the box, and Fearns sent Acton the wrong way from the spot to seal his hat-trick.

The final name on the scoresheet, though, was Scott Rickards for Nuneaton from a free kick with a minute of the regulation 90 remaining, which was mere consolation for the Warwickshire side.

Roger Ashby had almost an hour's worth of talking to do to his side after the game as his team remain searching for their first win, whereas Dave Pace's charges sit proudly at the top in the Nationwide North with a maximum haul.

DROYLSDEN: Phillips 7, Williams 8, Warner 7, Halford 8, RUFFER 9, Morris 7, Banim 6, Lynch 7, Fearns 7, Daly 7, Denham 8.

SUBS: Talbot 7 (for Fearns, 77), Jagielka 7 (for Lynch, 68), Fitzpatrick 6 (for Banim, 59), Robinson C. (not used), Rapley (not used).

NUNEATON B.: Acton, Oddy, Bonner, Reeves, Moore, Brown, Collins, Noon, McPhee, Murphy, Chapman.

SUBS: Darby (for McPhee, 59), Burgess O. (for Bonner, 77), Burgess D. (not used), Rickards (for Noon, 77), Staff (not used).

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

ATTENDANCE: 470