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

DROYLSDEN 6 - 1 STALYBRIDGE CELTIC

Nationwide North, Monday 18th September 2006

Report by Gary Owen

Droylsden clearly have the bragging rights following this 6-1 mauling of Tameside rivals Stalybridge, which sees Dave Pace's men lofted into second spot in the Nationwide North, ahead of Saturday's visit of Kettering on goal difference.

Indeed, watching Kettering manager Morrel Maison will have had plenty of food for thought on his long trip home.

However, it was the Celts who could easily have been two up before the Bloods began to assert themselves. Paul Sykes scuffed his shot in front of goal after just two minutes, allowing Paul Phillips to smother, and then a misplaced pass by Jimmy Williams gave Lee Ellington a run on goal, but his effort flew high and wide.

After ten minutes, though, Droylsden forced a series of corners. Jody Banim flicked on at the near post and Gareth Morris rose at the far to head home for the first.

Paul Pettinger twice saved from Jamie Tandy and also clawed away a header from Garry Burke before the latter blocked a Sykes effort for the visitors, as he collected a deep cross from Steve Brodie.

Jody Banim then shot wide from a tight angle against his former team-mates following a great run by Chris Denham, but Denham then drew another foul from Scott Maxfield on 32 minutes, and Tandy curled the resultant free kick inside the post, leaving Pettinger clutching at the woodwork.

Within 60 seconds, the Bloods had made it 3-0 as Banim, looking suspiciously offside, played the ball into Terry Fearns, who lobbed the stranded Pettinger for 3-0.

Five minutes before the break, Celtic created another opening, this time for Neil Prince, but he could only shoot straight at Phillips after being set-up by Sykes and Ellington.

John Reed made two changes at half-time - Jamie Kay taking over from Maxfield, who had been led a merry dance by Denham and was walking a tightrope with the referee having already been cautioned; and Andy Parton being introduced for the out-of-sorts Sykes.

Yet it was the hosts who continued where they had left-off, with Banim's cross being played in behind Denham and Fearns with a fourth goal looking likely.

On 67 minutes, the Bloods were awarded a rather fortuitous penalty when Fearns put Banim through, who got beyond Mark Haran only to be tripped after he had shot wide. Fearns stepped-up to give Pettinger no chance from the spot.

Just two minutes later, Droylsden were in dreamland, when Fearns left the Celtic defence in his wake to poke the ball past Pettinger to record his second hat-trick of the season and make it 5-0, which signalled the exit of the Kettering contingent.

Credit goes to Stalybridge, though, who never stopped trying to reduce the arrears, and their efforts were rewarded with four minutes remaining, when Barrie Keeling forced an error from Daniel Warner and found Lee Ellington, who showed quick feet to shoot past Phillips for what was to be mere consolation for the Stalybridge.

Droylsden rubbed salt into the Celts' wounds, though, when Denham collected the ball from a short corner to cut inside and fire past Pettinger, to cap a fine display from the flying winger.

The Bloods next take on 3rd place Kettering on Saturday, whilst Stalybridge must lick their wounds following this massacre before lining-up against former manager Phil Wilson at Barrow, who also watched the evening's amazing events unfold in the Butcher's Arms crowd.

DROYLSDEN: Phillips 8, Williams 8, Warner 7, Ruffer 8, Burke 8, Morris 7, Tandy 8, Jagielka 6, Fearns 7, Banim 8, DENHAM 9.

SUBS: Daly 6 (for Banim, 68), Lynch 6 (for Morris, 71), Rapley 6 (for Jagielka, 72), Robinson (not used), Adams (not used).

STALYBRIDGE C. Pettinger 7, BLACK 8, Maxfield 6, Hume 8, Haran 7, Winn 7, Brodie 8, Keeling 7, Ellington 7, Sykes 6, Prince 8.

SUBS: Parton 7 (for Sykes, 46), Turley 7 (for Prince, 68), Garvey (not used), Kay 7 (for Maxfield, 46), Smith (not used).

REFEREE: Mr. T. Conway (Preston, Lancashire)

ATTENDANCE: 909