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

DROYLSDEN 2 – 0 BLYTH SPARTANS

Blue Square North – Saturday 1 November 2008

Report by Gary Owen

Bloods boss Dave Pace was pleased with his side's performance after they recorded their seventh successive victory in league and cup competitions. "It was a great all round performance – we're improving all the time after a massive turn-over of players."

"We needed to be patient, today. At half-time, I told the full-backs to bomb on, which they did, and we reaped the rewards."

An inspired substitution by Pace paid dividends for his team in a game that otherwise seemed destined for stalemate.

He introduced Domaine Rouse in the 65th minute, and within a minute he had headed the home side ahead from Sean Newton's corner kick.

The goal seemed to relax the home side and gave incentive to Blyth, which brought some life into the game which had been rather tame up to that point.

The first chance fell to man of the match Jamie McGuire, who blasted over from just 8 yards out after being set-up by Matthew Tipton.

Tipton himself could then only find the side netting from Newton's free kick before the first half came to a close.

Andrew Wright wasted an opportunity to give his side the lead when he placed his free kick well over the bar before Tipton pulled a shot side of the mark at the other end.

Liam Brownhill then ran down the right wing before crossing low for Carl Lamb to steer wide at the near post, before Mark Bell saved from Tipton.

Lamb then ran positively at the Blyth defence to force another save form Bell.

Droylsden exchanged Tipton for Rouse, and he made an immediate impact by directing his header downward to beat Bell from Newton's corner to break the deadlock.

The home side continued to take the game to their visitors, buoyed by the goal, with McGuire and Brownhill both being denied by Bell.

However, with just over ten minutes remaining, a mix-up on the edge of the Droylsden box presented a golden opportunity for an equaliser, but Blyth's recent signing Shaun Reay blasted over with just Craig Mawson to beat.

Robert Dale twice went close in the closing stages as Blyth looked to get something from the game, but with just seconds of added time remaining, Alex Brown settled matters when he converted from close ranger after Lamb had turned Rouse's low cross into his path just 8 yards out.

On his side's prospects in Saturday's FA Cup tie at Coca Cola League Two leaders, Darlington, Pace added "it's a massive game for us, and the lads will gain good experience from it, but if they under-estimate us, they may do so at their peril – I just hope we can get some sort of result there."

Midfielder, Jamie McGuire added "we will go there with confidence and play our football. It's going to be a big day for the team, the fans, and the gaffer as well."

TEAMS:

Droylsden

Mawson, Brownhill, Newton, Byron, Cryan, Sorvel, Beck (Brown A., 38'), McGuire, Lamb, Tipton (Rouse, 65'), Prince (Tandy, 78').

Unused Subs: Dugdale, Roche.

Blyth Spartans Bell, Leeson, Boyle, Brown G., Gildea, Watson, Todd, Reay, Dalton (Dale, 72'), Wright, Gladwin (Poole, 57').

Unused Subs: Fenton, Farman.

Referee: Mr. D. R. Street (Normanton, West Yorkshire)

ATTENDANCE: 337