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

DROYLSDEN 0 - 3 STEVENAGE BOROUGH

BLUE SQUARE PREMIER - Tuesday 4 September 2007

Report by Dave Leach

The season continues to be a steep learning curve for Droylsden, as despite some resolute defending, they succumbed to three second half strikes from ten-man Stevenage to condemn the Bloods to their fifth straight defeat and the prospect of a hard winter ahead.

It is no surprise to find that the men from Broadhall Way are among the favourites for the championship as they produced a display of speed, guile and creativity that had the home side chasing shadows at times. Indeed, during the first half, it was akin to the Alamo as the Bloods fended off wave after wave of attacks as Stevenage sought to assert their authority.

All credit to Droylsden though, who never gave up and continued to take the fight to Borough right to the end. It was the visitors who took the initiative from the off, with Morison and McMahon both making inroads into the Droylsden box, only to be blocked off by Liam Murray and Colin Cryan. Then, Martin fired a pacey ball into the area from the right that Phillips just about got to ahead of the extremely talented Dobson.

Fifteen minutes in, a fine attacking move involving Miller and Nutter resulted in the ball being fired across the Bloods box, only for Dobson to completely miss-kick when he should really have scored.

At the other end, Jody Banim sent in a low cross form the right but the stretching Steve Daly could not quite get his foot to the ball and it rolled out for a goal kick. To the casual observer, this was a fine game of football played out on a magnificent pitch, with end to end attacking but the referee, one Mr R Metcalfe of Preston, continually perplexed both sets of supporters with his bizarre decisions throughout the ninety minutes, not least when he sent off the unfortunate Lewis on the stroke of half time for an innocuous looking challenge on Gareth Morris. It did seem a very harsh call by the ref, but judging by the way he brandished his yellow cards like confetti, he obviously enjoyed being the centre of attention.

As the second half started, it was with a sense of optimism on the Bloods part as they looked to make the most of their extra man advantage. On 51 minutes, Daly was adjudged to have been offside after being played through on goal by Banim, yet there were two Stevenage defenders playing him on as he raced through to a one-on-one with Julian in the visitor’s goal. He was duly booked for his protestations.

However, Stevenage showed their class when they took the lead three minutes later with a well worked team goal. After Chris Denham had lost possession to Nutter just outside the Borough box, the full back played a superb thirty yard ball into the path of Miller who then fed it through to McMahon inside the area and he clinically placed his shot across Phillips and into the far corner of the net.

Things went from bad to worse ten minutes later when Stevenage increased their lead with another swift counter attack to leave the Bloods shell shocked. Martin won the ball in the Borough left back position and was allowed to advance fifty yards down the left flank before crossing to the unmarked Dobson who volleyed a first time shot beyond the helpless Phillips from close range.

The Bloods tried hard to respond, and the irrepressible Banim went desperately close twice in the space of a few moments. On both occasions he showed brilliantly quick feet to fashion the chances for himself, first striking the upright with Julian well beaten, and then forcing the keeper to make a fine arching save to tip over his delightful twenty yard chipped effort.

Despite this, it was Stevenage who had the final say when Nutter converted a penalty with five minutes remaining when the referee ruled that Phillips had brought down the slippery Miller, even though he appeared to have got to the ball first. The Stevenage forward simply fell over him, but his theatrics earned the spot kick from the hapless official and it was goodnight Bloods.

DROYLSDEN Phillips, Halford (Gibson 75), Cryan, Murray, Warner, Murphy, Morris, McGuire, Denham (Fearns 75), Daly (Salmon 75), Banim

Subs not used Burke, Senior (G/K)

STEVENAGE Julian, Fuller, Nutter, Miller, McMahon, Martin, Arber, Lewis, Morison, Dobson, Henry

Subs not used Gaia, Wilson, Russell, Allen, John

ATTENDENCE 671

REFEREE Mr R L Metcalfe