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

DROYLSDEN 2 – 3 F. C. UNITED of MANCHESTER

MANCHESTER COUNTY FA PREMIER CUP – First Round
Tuesday 23 October 2007

Report by Gary Owen

Bloods' boss Dave Pace no doubt had an eye on Saturday's crucial FA Cup final qualifier on Saturday by starting this game with less than half of his first team regulars, one of whom, Steve Daly, suffered a nasty looking ankle injury, possibly involving ligament damage.

And the weakened side proved incapable of surpassing an FC United side who, depsite lying three divisions below The Bloods, showed pace up front and resiliance at the back to record a victory that was perhaps more comfortbale than the scoreline shows.

Droylsden enjoyed more possession over the ninety minutes, but failed to turn their territorial advantage into clear-cut chances, whereas FC United, under the control of former Blood, Karl Margison, displayed some attacking precision, which was ultimately the difference between the two sides.

Indeed, how the rebels only went in at half time just the one goal to the good was a relief to the home side, and the solitary goal of the half came on 12 minutes, when Shaun Roscoe's cross from the left presented Caine Hanley with a simple header to open the scoring.

That was not before Chris Baguley had headed off the line for FC United from Jamie McGuire's shot, and Sam Ashton tipped over a header from Gavin Salmon after the goal, follwoing good work by Daly and McGuire.

On 19 minutes, Baguley missed a great chance to put his team two goals up when he blazed over from an unmarked central position from Rory Patterson's cross.

Goal-scorer Hanley was then cautioned for lodging his studs in Daly's calf, causing an ankle injury, which resulted in the Bloods' striker having to be stretchered from the field to be replaced by Robbie Talbot.

Moments later, though, Aaron Burns was then guilty of another miss for FC United, when he could only shoot wide after springing the offside trap and having only Phil Senior to beat.

Jamie Tandy and Ged Murphy then both gave away possession, presenting Margison's side with further opportunites before the break, before Jerome Wright flashed an effort accross the face of goal on the stroke of half time.

It was Droylsden who welcomed the half-time whistle the most, and after the break it was they who re-appeared the more hungry, and for long spells kept the rebels pressed back into their own half. However, their superiority (in terms of possession only) was cruelly exposed as a break away resulted in the second goal. Aaron Burns was allowed the freedom of the inside right channel to turn inside and fire a speculative shot goalwards, which cannoned into the net off the far post in front of the swathes of vocal visiting fans.

With Droylsden barely able to re-adjust to the two goal deficit, it became 0-3 within two minutes, as the impressive Burns again ran at the Droylsden defence, causing mayhem in the Bloods' defence, and Patterson was able to side-foot home with Senior in no-man's land.

Droylsden never gave up, though, and Salmon pulled a goal back on 72 minutes from Talbot's low cross, but the Bloods continued to contrive to gift chances to their visitors, this time though Gareth Morris, presenting possession to Wright, who beat three before being denied by Senior's legs.

Salmon (twice) and Fearns both went close with shots blocked and cleared off the line in the closing stages, before the latter was bundled-over in the box and he converted the spot kick to reduce the arrears to just one goal with only added time left to play.

Time ran-out for Droylsden, leaving the FC United players and fans to celebrate their victory and to put one hand on the trophy, which now only sits temporarily in the Butcher's Arms trophy collection.

Was this an opportunity for confidence-building missed, or a valued vital rest for the likes of Banim, Denham, Cryan, Phillips, Stephens and Halford ahead of Saturday?

Only time will tell.......

TEAMS

Droylsden: Senior, Murphy, Tandy (Warner, 46), Murray, Burke, Lynch, Morris, McGuire, Smith (Fearns, 60), Salmon, Daly (Talbot, 21).

Subs. not used: Pritchard, Phillips.

FC United of Manchester: Ashton, Foster, Roscoe, Platt, Brown, Nugent, Hanley (Swarbrick, 78), Baguley, Burns, Wright, Patterson (Carden S., 85).

Subs. not used: Carden A., Bell, Lyons.

REFREE: Mr. M. Astley (Denton)

ATTENDANCE: 1048