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

DROYLSDEN 1 – 4 RUSHDEN and DIAMONDS

BLUE SQUARE PREMIER – Saturday 8 December 2007

Report by Gary Owen

Bloods' boss Dave Pace was not best pleased after seeing his side's mini-revival come to an abrupt end in atrocious conditions. "It's not sour grapes, but the referee should have had the bottle to call the game – the ball wasn't rolling and it became dangerous. Having said that, it was the same for both sides and credit to Rushden, who played the conditions better by taking one touch and then turning us."

It took a while for both sides to adopt to the standing water and driving rain, and the pitch itself held-up remarkably well, but an incident-packed afternoon soon manifested.

The Northamptonshire side took the lead on 36 minutes when the game's first corner was bundled in at the far post by Wayne Hatswell, but Droylsden will feel aggrieved about the clear foul on Colin Cryan by Simeon Jackson leading up to the award of the flag kick.

Controversy arose just a minute later when Jackson burst through and, despite looking a yard offside, lashed a shot past Paul Phillips and it seemed that the ball went into the goal and through the netting, but after consulting with his assistant, nor taking the opportunity to examine the nettting, Mr, Joyce awarded a goal kick to the dismay of the visitors.

Gareth Morris struck a free kick straight at Paul Bastock, but Rushden doubled their lead just before the break when Phillips underhit a free kick, which Martin Foster turned goalwards. The ball struck the foot of the post, and Michael Rankine reacted quickest, beating Phillips to the loose ball.

The hosts were given a mountain to climb on 49 minutes when Lee Roche was dismissed for upending Jackson in the box, who then converted the spot kick.

Moments later Phillips brilliantly plamed away a Rankine strike and Curtis Woodhouse returned the ball but it again struck the woodwork, and the follow-up shot went wide.

Droylsden began to show some urgency, and a dangferous ball in by Chris Denham was helped-on by Kevin Lynch, and the ball eluded Steve Daly, but Bastock saved well from the sliding Jamie Tandy at the far post. From the corner kick, though, the hosts won a spot kick of their own when Jon Challinor was adjudged to have tripped Jody Banim. Banim himself beat Bastock from 12 yards to reduce the arrears.

However, almost immediately, Droylsden commited suicide when Gareth Morris, believing he had been fouled in his own box, picked the ball up, but Mr. Joyce saw nothing wrong, and so Rankine netted his second from the spot.

In the dying moments, Cryan headed off the line from Woodhouse and Bastock saved in one-on-one with Banim before the bizarre events were drawn to a close.

"I've never seen anything like it" reflected Rushden assistan boss Kevin Hales afterwards. "The game should not have gone ahead, but both sets of players gave it their all." Given their recent poor run he added "This was a massive test for us today, and we've come up against very bizarre conditions, but full credit to the players. We thought Simeon Jackson's shot went in, so he will be disappointed, but there really should be no queries about those types of goal – over the line or not, yes, but through the netting?! But these things happen, and Michael Rankine showed terrific attitude – he's big and he battled well, and he'll be delighted with his two goals. We just now need some consistency – we believe this squad is good enough to do well in this league."

"I know where we need to improve" concluded Dave Pace. "We're good going forward, but we concede too many goals." Clearly, defenders will be on his New Year shopping list.

TEAMS

Droylsden: Phillips, Roche, Warner (Halford, 53), Cryan, Murray, Morris, Lynch, Burbeary, Denham (Tandy 53), Banim, Daly (Talbot, 60).

Subs. (not used): Murphy, Senior.

Rushden and Diamonds: Bastock, Osano, Howell, Gulliver, Hatswell, Challinor, Woodhouse, Burgess, Foster, Rankine, Jackson.

REFEREE: Mr. R. Joyce (Middlesbrough, Cleveland) 2/5

ATTENDANCE: 417