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

TRAFFORD 1 - 5 DROYLSDEN

Manchester Premier Challenge Cup Quarter-Final
Tuesday 13 January 2009

Report by Gary Owen

The Bloods cruised into this year's semi-finals thanks mainly to a splendid hat-trick from midfielder Steve Beck. He opened the scoring on 27 minutes when he rifled home from the edge of the box from Tony Gray's neat pass. That was not before he had already forced a finger-tip save from Damien Rooney ten minutes earlier.

The first chance of the game, however, fell to experienced striker Matthew Tipton, but he pulled his shot wide from just 8 yards out on 14 minutes.

After taking the lead, Droylsden forced another save from Rooney through Sean Newton, and then Trafford's leading scorer Scott Barlow did likewise for the hosts from Craig Mawson.

Beck saw another effort fly wide before Droylsden made it 2-0 on 43 minutes, when Beck returned the favour for Gray to score.

Just a minute later and Tipton rattled the Trafford crossbar with a speculative volley from 25 yards, leaving Rooney beaten all ends up, and Barlow forced another save from Mawson on the stroke of half-time.

It was 3-0 and into cruise control for Dave Pace's men on 53 minutes when Beck's deflected shot from Neil Prince's pass beat the unfortunate Rooney.

Gray and Prince (twice) then went close for The Bloods before Mawson was again worked by a Trafford side that never gave up, and again it was Barlow who was denied.

Rooney again saved from Prince, but Gray notched his brace on 65 minutes to make it 4-0 when he converted from close range after a Prince shot hit a defender and fell kindly for the centre forward.

Trafford reduced the arrears six minutes later when Billy McCartney thumped home a header from a free kick, but within a minute the four goal lead was restored when Beck cut inside his man to curl a beautiful left-footed effort into the far corner.

Gray saw two further shots blocked, and Trafford had a couple of late efforts, too, but much of the remainder of the game was played out with The Bloods playing keep-ball, despite being down to ten men following the precautionary withdrawal of Newton with a tight hamstring.

TEAMS:

Droylsden

Mawson, Roche, Halford, Cryan (Prince, 52'), Ruffer, Sorvel, Beck, McGuire (Brown, 66'), Tipton (Lamb, 57'), Gray.

Unused Subs: Byron, Brownhill

Trafford

Rooney, Woodford, Hallinge (Taylor, 66'), Whitehead, Southwold (McCartney, 62'), Barnes, Mackay, Thomas, Lundy, Barlow, Metcalfe (Coppin, 46').

Unused Subs: Coyne, Tyrer

Referee: Mr. D. J. Salford

ATTENDANCE: 115