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

CHESTERFIELD A – A DROYLSDEN

FA Cup Second Round Replay – Tuesday 16 December 2008
(Match Abandoned due to Floodlight Failure)

Report by Gary Owen

This amazing FA Cup saga between these two sides is set to continue for a fourth time at the Butcher's Arms next Tuesday, when two of the four floodlight towers failed after 73 minutes.

At the time, Chesterfield were two goals to the good, which left Spireites' boss Lee Richardson rather dumbstruck. "I don't want to say too much" was his first comment. "But we can see far more here (pointing to the half-lit pitch) than we could at our place in the fog."

"The referee may have been hiding behind safety reasons" he added, "but we were comfortable and had scored two good goals – so, it's frustrating. I believe we could have finished the game, but we'll just have to go again."

Bloods' boss, Dave Pace, on the other hand remained upbeat. "We were getting on top when the lights went out, and even though we were two goals down, I wanted for us to get back out there and start playing again," he said.

"I'd changed our shape – the full backs were not getting forward enough, so I gave us more width on the flanks, and it began to make a difference – we could have scored two goals in two minutes" described Pace.

On the matter of the electrical failure, he explained "all I can say is this has never happened in 12 years – in fact, we had the floodlights upgraded just last year" (to meet Blue Square Premier standards).

He added "They'll be just as gutted, now, as we were in the fog, but this tie is not won until it's won!"

The game itself was entertaining, with chances being created at both ends. Droylsden began really well, and for the first 15 minutes or so looked like the higher-ranked team. Carl Lamb shot over early on for the hosts, before a great ball by Neil Prince set Matthew Tipton away, but his dangerous low cross was cleared.

In between, Jamie Ward saw a shot deflected away for Chesterfield, but play was soon back at the other end, when Tommy Lee tipped over a stinging free kick from Sean Newton, and Steve Halford headed over from a corner.

However, on 25 minutes, Jack Lester collected a long free kick from Robert Page to turn Colin Cryan and beat Craig Mawson with a shot into the top corner.

Lester then saw two further shots blocked, before Prince headed wide for Droylsden from Alex Brown's cross after he had beaten Dan Gray.

Just before the break, Mawson saved well at his near post after Ward and Lester had exchanged passes to create the chance, and eight minutes after the re-start, Droylsden fell further behind when they failed to deal with a Chesterfield corner routine. The flag kick was slotted to Darren Currie on the edge of the box by means of a simple dummy, and the midfielder was allowed time to measure his shot inside the post past the unsighted Mawson.

Droylsden then began to take the game to Chesterfield, and Liam Brownhill's inviting cross was just too far ahead of both Steve Beck and Lamb.

On 62 minutes, another Newton free kick flew a couple of feet wide, and within minutes a further dead ball from the full back was turned away with a flying save from Lee to prevent a certain goal for the home side.

That was the last of the action, until the floodlight tower in the Butcher's Arms corner failed, and the referee halted the action. Within seconds, the King's Head tower then failed, plunging half of the pitch into darkness.

Under the watching eyes of the FA representatives, an electrician attempted a repair, but it seemed to warrant action from the utility supplier, and so Mr. Webster had little option but to abandon the game.

And so this now legendary cup tie will be attempted to be settled at the fourth attempt 48 hours before Christmas, with reduced admission prices in operation.

TEAMS:

Droylsden

Mawson, Brownhill, Newton, Cryan, Halford, Sorvel (Tandy, 55'), Beck, Brown, Tipton, Lamb, Prince (Townson, 64').

Unused Subs.: Pickford, Byron, Burbeary, Roche, Clancy.

Chesterfield

Lee, Gray, Downes, Austin, Page, Kerry, Currie, Robertson, Ward, Lester.

Unused Subs: Picken, Harsley, Winter, Hall, Boden, Algar, Carson.

Referee: Mr. Colin Webster (Tyne and Wear)

ATTENDANCE: 2,261