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

DROYLSDEN 0 – 1 STAFFORD RANGERS

Blue Square North – Saturday 20 September 2008

Report by Gary Owen

Stafford stole the three points 8 minutes from time in this otherwise turgid affair, played in unusually hot conditions, which was frustrating to watch for fans and management teams alike.

The game started well, with both sides hitting the woodwork in the opening 12 minutes, but it went gradually downhill thereafter.

The first chance fell to the visitors on 5 minutes when Nick Wellecombe connected with a lofted ball forwards. His looping header beat Craig Mawson, who was caught in no-man's-land, but unfortunately for Rangers it hit the crossbar, and Colin Cryan then cleared the danger for the home side.

Then, on 12 minutes, Damian Rouse saw his header from a Droylsden corner pushed onto the post by Tim Sandercombe.

Rangers were then forced into a reshuffle as Nick Amos was forced to retire through injury, with Bobby Wilson taking over at centre half and Alex Morris slotting in to central midfield.

Ashley Burbeary tried to beat Sandercombe with a curling effort, but it was wide of the mark, and then on the half-hour mark Aaron Burns bore down on goal, but Sandercombe blocked at his feet as the Droylsden striker was put under pressure by Jonathan Loukes.

Little improvement was forthcoming in the second half, meaning that chances were at a premium. Droylsden enjoyed some long spells of possession, but without testing Sandercombe.

Kevin Townson benefited from a neat chest down from Neil Sorvel, but his overhead bicycle kick was wide of the mark.

Townson then went looking for a penalty from Colin Cryan's pass, but the referee was having none of it, and then a long range effort from the otherwise impressive Mike Byron was so wide that it summed-up the game to that point.

Carl Palmer won possession for Stafford in midfield as they sniffed an opportunity, and he fed Nick Wellcombe, but he had strayed well offside.

However, just two minutes later Palmer again ran at the Droylsden defence, but he stood on the ball and the chance appeared to be lost. Jimmy Phillips was alive to the loose ball, though, and took a touch before beating Craig Mawson from the edge of the box to inflict the Bloods' first defeat of the season.

TEAMS:

Droylsden

Mawson, Roche (Brownhill, 42'), Newton, Byron, Cryan, Sorvel, Burbeary (Brown, 75'), McGuire, Rouse (Lamb, 51'), Burns, Townson.

Unused Subs: Pickford, Dugdale.

Stafford Rangers

Sandercombe, Pierpoint, Loukes, Macpherson, Daniel, Amos (Morris, 14'), Palmer, Wilson, Wellecombe (McNiven, 90'), Phillips, Thorley.

Unused Subs: Francis, McMahon, Allen.

Referee: Mr. P. R. Marsden (Preston, Lancashire)

ATTENDANCE: 443