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

CRAWLEY TOWN 8 – 0 DROYLSDEN

FA TROPHY 3RD ROUND – Saturday 2 February 2008

Report by Gary Owen

There's no hiding from the fact that Dave Pace's boys took one hell of a beating by a rampant Crawley Town side, who bettered their opponents in every department. Crawley were simply quicker in the tackle, swifter moving the ball, and usually clinical in front of goal – yes, this could have been a double-figured defeat. This 0-8 reverse ranks as once of the Bloods' heaviest defeats for decades.

Dave Pace was honourable enough to acknowledge the magnitude of the loss afterwards. "Hands-up, today – we were demolished! Steve Evans and his team have built a fantastic side, and today they steamrollered us!"

So, with the Bloods unceremoniously dumped out of the FA Trophy, Blue Square Premier survival becomes as significant as ever, and Pace continued "I have to pick the players up from this, so that we learn – our aim this year is to stay in the Blue Square Premier, and we've got a mini-league to win to do that."

That objective continues with a Battle Royal versus near neighbours and fellow strugglers Altrincham at the Butcher's Arms on Saturday, where Dave Pace may blood even more new faces in the attempt to survive.

His troops in Sussex, though, were behind just after the quarter-hour mark when Jamie Cook knocked the ball back across the face of goal for Magno Viera to tap in. However, that was not before Kieran Murphy (twice), Mustapha Carayol and Cook had all gone close.

Carayol then saw an effort saved by Paul Phillips and Jon-Paul Pittman volleyed straight at the Droylsden custodian.

The game may have taken a twist on 26 minutes, when the referee only saw fit to show a yellow card to Glenn Wilson after he had hauled down Steve Daly who was clean through. Perhaps the possibility of other covering defenders may have swayed the official's decision. Given the harsh decisions going against Droylsden the last time they visited Broadfield Stadium, this was evidence of further bad luck. Jody Banim fired the resultant free kick two yards over the bar.

Banim then beat two defenders, but his cross just eluded Daly, and so after enjoying a mini-revival, Crawley doubled their lead on 38 minutes, when Cook arrived unmarked to head in Wilson's free kick after Ged Murphy had fouled Pittman.

Moments later the game was effectively over, when Conall Murtagh took Pittman's legs in the box when attempting to clear, and Cook despatched the spot kick. Two minutes before the break, Pittman outstripped Steve Halford, before closing in on Phillips and beating him on his near post.

The Essex official again seemed to favour the home side when he failed to take any action against Pittman for a sickening challenge on Lee Roche – the ball had long gone when the Crawley front-man assaulted the Bloods' full back with his head, leaving Roche concussed and Pittman unconscious on the pitch for twenty minutes before he was stretchered off in an ambulance. Roche was replaced by Danny Ellis, and Pittman by Joseph-Dubois, but there was a case to be made that Pittman should have seen red, thereby denying any replacement for the home side.

Nonetheless, once play recommenced, Crawley picked-up where they left off, with Dannie Bulman slotting under the exposed Phillips to make it 5-0.

Droylsden almost pulled a goal back on 58 minutes, but Ashley Bayes saved from Banim and Halford failed to convert the rebound.

Both Cook and Tyrone Thompson saw efforts go off target before Chris Denham had a shot blocked, and then Joseph-Dubois failed to get a proper connection allowing Phillips to save.

Phillips then saved twice with his legs – from Cook and Viera, but the latter made it six on 77 minutes.

Bayes collected Banim's near post effort, but Crawley made it seven when Ashley Burbeary failed to cut out a cross by Viera, enabling Cook to notch his hat-trick.

Viera himself completed the rout with a hat-trick of his own, from the penalty spot after Phillips had fouled Joseph-Dubois.

Needless to say, it was a long drive home!

TEAMS:

CRAWLEY TOWN: Bayes, Stevens (Krause, 90'), Watson, Murphy, Thompson, Bulman, Wilson (Thomas, 88'), Carayol, Viera, Cook, Pittman (Joseph-Dubois, 53').

Subs. not used: Blackburn, Lovegrove.

DROYLSDEN Phillips, Roche (Ellis, 53'), Murphy, Murray (Denham, 46'), Halford, Murtagh, Mackim, McGuire, Burbeary, Banim, Daly (Fearns, 72').

Subs. not used: Morris, Dugdale.

Referee: Mr. Mike Bull (Chelmsford, Essex)

Attendance: 925