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

DROYLSDEN 1 – 2 TORQUAY UNITED

BLUE SQUARE PREMIER – Tuesday 1 April 2008

Report by Gary Owen

The Bloods' mini revival came to a halt against this well organised Torquay United side, although Droylsden made life difficult for themselves by conceding a goal in the first minute!

Paul Buckle's side won possession from Droylsden's kick-off and Tony Bedeau mad progress down the right flank. His cross seemed to hold-up in the wind, and with the Bloods' defence stood watching, Tim Sills gladly converted past a bemused Paul Phillips.

The Bloods responded well, though, with Adam Dugdale, being despatched as an emergency centre forward (givenTerry Fearns reporting as ill) seeing his header cleared off the line, with Simon Rayner holding on to Kevin Lynch's follow-up.

Chris Denham then volleyed wide, but Torquay were back on the attack through Bedeau, but Phillips was off his line quickly to save.

Droylsden then comitted suicide a second time as they played the ball square across the back four. This meant that Steve Halford was caught in possesion by Sills, and the Bloods' defender conceded a free kick, from which Roscoe D'Sane was allowed the freedom of the box to nod past Phillips from 6 yards.

D'Sane threatened again, but he showed too much of the ball to Phillips after Halford's slip had let the United front man in on goal.

At the start of second half, Chris Zebroski went close for the visitors, and Denham's shot was well fielded by Rayner at the other end.

With 20 minutes remaining, Droylsden gave themselves a lifeline as a thunderbolt from Levi Mackin swerved and dipped visciously under the bar from fully 25 yards, to give Rayner no chance, and set-up a tense finish.

Chris Hargreaves did well to roll the ball accross the face of the Droylsden goal, but there was no team-mate on hand to convert. Meanwhile, at the other end, a series of free kicks by Sean Newton caused problmed for the visiting defence, and Halford was unlcuky to see his header from one of those sail just over the bar.

Lynch managed to get in a shot, albeit off target, but the ball ended-up at the feet of Robbie Talbot, who couldn't adjust his body to convert in time, and at the death D'Sane almost made it safe for Torquay, but once again he made Phillips favourite when through one-on-one, and the U's held-out to secure victory in their promotion push.

Nevertheless, this was still another encouraging perfomance from Dave Pace's men against one of the league's top sides, and this was achieved without the suspended Steve Daly and Jamie McGuire, nor the injured Terry Fearns and Dale Johnson.

TEAMS:

Droylsden Phillips P., Roche, Newton, Halford, Cryan, Mackin, Lynch (Munroe, 80'), Burbeary (Murphy, 61'), Denham, Dugdale, Ellis (Talbot, 62').

Subs. not used Strong, Williams.

Torquay United: Rayner, Mansell, Nicholson, Robertson, Todd, Hargreaves, Adams, Bedeau, Zebroski (Hill, 84'), Sills, D'Sane.

Subs. not used: Mullings, Rice, Phillips L., Ellis

REFEREE: Mr. Russell Fletcher (Melbourne, Derbyshire)

ATTENDANCE: 476