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

YORK CITY 2 – 1 DROYLSDEN

BLUE SQUARE PREMIER – WEDNESDAY 26TH DECEMBER 2007

Report by Gary Owen

The Bloods surrendered an early lead at KitKat Crescent to return empty handed from the ‘first leg' of this festive Battle of the Roses on Boxing Day.

Droylsden stormed in front in the fifth minute to stun the sizeable home support, with Ashley Burbeary opening his account. Jody Banim, who caused problems for the York defence all afternoon before his surprise substitution, made inroads into the box and laid the ball square for Chris Denham. His shot appeared to strike a York arm, but whilst others were appealing for a spot kick, Burbeary turned the loose ball home.

It was then mostly one-way traffic by the hosts, with Craig Farrell screwing wide on 12 minutes before danger-man Onome Sodje beat the offside trap, but Paul Phillips spread himself well on the edge of his box to beat away the striker's effort.

Gareth Morris then curled a free kick from a central position around the York wall, but Tom Evans gathered by his left hand post.

York were on level terms after 24 minutes, when Lee Roche was adjudged to have tripped Martyn Woolford, and Farrell slotted home the resultant penalty.

Emmanuel Panther then shot straight at Phillips just before the break, but there was still time for Phillips to tip a rising drive from Sodje over the bar and Anthony Lloyd's shot went too high, and so honours were even at the turn-around.

Moments after the re-start, Jamie McGuire was inches away from connecting with a cross by Denham from the right, but York forced a corner kick, which was only half cleared. The ball fell to Woolford, who tricked his way past Roche before crossing for Darren Kelly to gratefully nod home from close range.

Dave Pace then shuffled his pack by introducing both Terry Fearns and Gavin Salmon, and the Bloods took the game to their hosts. Fearns flashed the ball across the face of the York goal, but neither Salmon nor Steve Halford could get a defining touch.

In the closing moments, Droylsden forced a number of corners, but the elusive equaliser would not arrive, and York held firm to take all three points, leaving Droylsden at the foot of the Blue Square Premier, some 10 points away from safety.

TEAMS:

DROYLSDEN Phillips, Roche, Murray, Cryan, Halford, Morris (Salmon, 65'), Murphy, McGuire, Burbeary (Tandy, 79'), Banim (Fearns, 65'), Denham.

Subs not used: Warner, Lynch

YORK CITY Evans, Lloyd, Kelly, McGurk, Purkiss, Elliott (Wroe, 62'), Parslow, Panther, Farrell, Woolford, Sodje (Brodie, 80')

Subs not used: Craddock, Beardsley, Mimms.

Referee: Mr. David Webb (County Durham)

Attendance: 3,042