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

DROYLSDEN 1 – 2 CRAWLEY TWON

BLUE SQUARE PREMIER – Saturday 5 January 2008

Report by Gary Owen

Dave Pace blamed the officials for not helping his side's cause, after watching yet another defeat by the odd goal. "We should have been three up at half-time – why would Jody (Banim) go to down when he's about to knock it in the net?! – that was a nailed-on penalty! We totally dominated the first half, but then sat too deep."

He remained, positive, though. "Everyone's saying that we're too good to be down there, but we are where we are. We need to start winning sooner rather than later, and I mean sooner, and I will strenghten the team. We're playing some good football, and are improving every game, but today we had six players out. We will not go down – I firmly believe that."

Reds' boss Steve Evans was a happy man at ten to five on Saturday, but that was far from the case at half time, when his team trailed 0-1.

"I was not happy with the first half, and we weren't happy with one or two individuals, but we were much better in the second half."

The first half was a rather uneventful affair, with neither side really creating any meaningful chances. Crawley could have taken the lead after 13 minutes, but Tyrone Thompson couldn't convert the rebound after home ‘keeper Paul Phillips had palmed-away an angled shot from Pierre Joseph-Dubois.

Droylsden had a goal ruled out for use of an arm on 32 minutes, and Cooke headed straight at Phillips from Paul Watson's cross at the other end.

Dannie Bulman then blocked Robbie Talbot's goal-bound effort in front of his face with both arms raised, but the referee waved away all appeals for a penalty – probably believing that the Crawley man was protecting his face.

Droylsden took the lead on 39 minutes when a Gareth Morris free-kick from the left flank was turned into his own goal by the unfortunate Ronnie Bull, who was attempting to steer the ball away for a corner.

Jody Banim thought he had won a spot kick for the home side on the stroke of half-time, but the referee booked the Bloods forward for diving after he had jinked past two defenders and appeared to be tripped as he was about to pull the trigger.

A double substitution at half-time meant that Crawley were much more of an attacking force after the break with the introduction of Jon-Paul Pitman and Mustapha Carayol.

Cooke and Watson both saw efforts from free kicks go off target, and Crawley almost struck kevel on 65 minutes when Watson turned a punch by Phillips back into the box for Cooke to volley first time, but the Bloods' ‘keeper recovered his ground to save.

On 71 minutes, Carayol crossed into the Droylsden box and Pitman rose with the defenders – the ball flew off a head and struck the post before being cleared by the home side.

Moments later, though, the equaliser arrived, when Carayol's corner kick was steered home by Cooke from close range.

Banim almost restored Droylsden's lead on 83 minutes after Kyle Wilson and Terry Fearns had combined well, but the Bloods' leading scorer curled his effort just off target.

With six minutes remaining, Pitman held off the attentions of Colin Cryan on the edge of the box to fire in a shot, which Phillips saved well at the expense of a corner.

From the flag kick, Ashley Burbeary was adjudged to have fouled Carayol at the far post, and Cooke slammed the spot kick down the centre of the goal giving Phillips no chance.

TEAMS

Droylsden (3-5-2): Phillips, Halford, Dugdale, Murray, Warner (Salmon, 88'), Burbeary (Daly, 88'), Morris, Lynch, Banim, Fearns, Talbot (Wilson K. 72')

Subs. (not used): Roche, Tandy

Crawley Town (4-4-2): Bayes, Bull (Viera, 72'), Watson, Wilson G., Stevens, Pinault, Thompson, Bulman, Blackburn (Carayol, 46'), Cooke, Joseph-Dubois (Pitman, 46').

Subs not used: Evans, Murphy

REFEREE: Mr. A. R. Hendley (Bromsgrove, Worcestershire)

ATTENDANCE: 423