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

DROYLSDEN 2 - 0 HARROGATE TOWN

Nationwide North, Saturday 21st April 2007

Report by Gary Owen

Droylsden were crowned champions of the Nationwide North after disposing of Harrogate Town, whilst Kettering failed to take all three points up the road at Stalybridge.

Bloods' boss Dave Pace was, for once, stunned for words "I'll just let the football do the talking" was all he could say at the after-match celebrations.

The result, of course, does little to help Harrogate's play-off aspirations seeing as Hinckley defeated the other Tameside team, Hyde United, thereby leap-frogging the Wetherby Road outfit into the final play-off position.

The game itself was a rather nervy affair, with a lot at stake for both clubs in the race for promotion to the Football Conference, so it was perhaps unsurprisng that it didn't flow as it might otherwise have done between these two good footballing sides.

Early on, Gareth Morris twice played in his strikers with neat passes, but Terry Fearns showed too much of the ball, and Steve Daly's lob cleared both James Lindley and the bar.

Kevin Lynch was presetned with a half chance, but although he didn't make a clean contact, Lindely was taking no chances and conceded a corner, from which Steve Halford headed over.

Chris Bettney and Danny Holland both went close for the visitors, before Bettney fired a free kick straight at Paul Phillips.

At the other end, Garry Burke alomost connected with a Morris corner, but on 35 minutes, Halford glanced a near post header from Morris' free kick past Lindley to open the scoring.

Fearns twice went close either side of the break, and Burke saw an effort ruled-out for handball.

Harrogate then had a goal of their own chalked off for offside after Chris Ellerker had converted a header when a deep corner kick had been headed back accross the face of goal.

The visitors looked the more likely at this stage, and Daniel Warner had to clear with Colin Hunter about to pounce. James McGarry headed over from the resultant flag kick.

On 69 minutes, Fearns beat two defenders and crossed for Daly, but Lindley held frim onto the striker's snap shot.

With nine minutes reamining, Colin Hunter was presented with a good chance to equalise, but he curled his effort high and wide after controlling the ball well in the box.

Fearns then should have punished Harrogate when a slip by Chris Timons put him one-on-one with Lindley, but the division's top scorer shot wide.

However, moments later, Droylsden settled their nerves and Fearns atoned for his earlier miss when he converted a penalty kick. Steve Daly appeared to lose his footing in the box, but the referree was well placed and ordered a spot kick.

The Bloods ran down the clock to spark on-pitch celebrations as they finally took the Nationwide North crown following last season's heart-breaking play-off final defeat to Stafford Rangers.

DROYLSDEN: Phillips 7, Halford 8, Warner 7, Ruffer 8, BURKE 8, Morris 7, Tandy 8, Kelly 7, Fearns 6, Daly 7, Lynch 6.

SUBS: Robinson (not used), Norton 6 (for Tandy, 72), Jagielka 6 (for Lynch, 77), Fowler 6 (for Daly, 87), Fitzpatrick (not used).

HARROGATE T.: Lindley, Wood, Merris, Ellerker, Timons, Dunning, Bettney, Hunter R., Hunter C., Holland, Philpott

SUBS: McGarry (for Hoilland, 46), Webster (not used), Thomas (for Hunter C, 81), Wood (not used).

SCORERS: DROYLSDEN - Halford (35), Fearns (Pen 83)

REFEREE: Mr. B. J. Tattan (Liverpool, Merseyside)

ATTENDANCE: 1,027