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

DROYLSDEN 3 – 2 GATESHEAD

F. A. Cup 3rd Qualifying Round – Saturday 11 October 2008

Report by Gary Owen

Carl Lamb stole the show in added time at the end of this gripping cup tie to send Gateshead packing, whom many had thought had done sufficient to warrant a replay.

Lamb rose from nowhere to head past veteran ‘keeper Paul Musselwhite to head home off the bar just after the referee had indicated there would be three further minutes' play.

However, it was the visitors who began better, with Alex Francis twice registering shots on the Droylsden goal before Kevin Townson headed the Bloods in front on 20 minutes, when he steered Liam Brownhill's pin-point cross past Musselwhite with his head from 8 yards.

Musselwhite then had to save from Steve Beck and Lamb as Droylsden looked for a quick second, but Gateshed levelled matters three minutes later when a long free kick by Kris Gate, awarded for a foul by Sean Newton, took a deflection off Francis to beat Craig Mawson into the bottom corner.

Mawson then had to save from Gate and David Southern as the visitors felt they had the upper hand, but just minutes before the break, Mike Byron appeared from a hutch of players to convert from close range after Gateshead had failed to clear a Droylsden corner kick.

The Tynesiders were eager to return to the action in the second half, having to wait for the Bloods to re-appear from Dave Pace's team-talk, and it was on 53 minutes when they levelled matters once more. Stephen Turnbull cut the Droylsden defence in two to find Jamie Harwood, who held off the attentions of Steve Halford to slot past Mawson.

Both sides then felt they could go on and win the tie. Matty Tipton, recently acquired from Hyde United, replaced Townson, and it was not long before he had Musselwhite at full stretch to turn his curling effort around the post.

Dave Pace also introduced the pacy Domaine Rouse as he clearly wished to win the tie at the first attempt, and it was from Rouse's cut-back that Lamb scuffed wide on 80 minutes.

With time running-out, Gate cleared off the line for Gateshead, and Neil Sorvel side-fotted wastefully wide when well placed in what looked Droylsden's last chance to seal the tie.

But then came Lamb's last gasp winner. Sorvel floated the ball into the Gatehsead box and with Musselwhite looking favourite to collect, up popped Lamb to head home off the underside of the bar to put the Bloods in the hat for the final qualifying round.

TEAMS:

Droylsden

Mawson, Brownhill, Newton, Byron, Halford, Sorvel, Pickford, Beck (Brown, 59'), Lamb, Townson (Tipton, 66'), Burbeary (Rouse, 75').

Unused Subs: Roche, Cryan, McGuire Clancy.

Gateshead

Musselwhite, Baxter, Brackstone, Gate, Curtis, Hocking, Southern, Turnbull P., Harwood (Thompson, 79'), Francis, Turnbull S.

Unused Subs: Armstrong, Norton, Steed, McCullum, McNall

Referee: Mr. A. C. Newell (Cleveleys, Lancashire)

ATTENDANCE: 370