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

DROYLSDEN 2 – 0 FARSLEY CELTIC

Blue Square North – Saturday 21 February 2009

Report by Gary Owen

Farsley will consider themselves unfortunate not to have taken anything from this match, as Droylsden continued with their push for a play-off place.

The Bloods looked the better side early on, but it was not until two minutes before the break that they finally took the lead through a deflected Sean Newton free kick. Nathan D'Laryea was harshly adjudged to have fouled Kevin Townson on the edge of the box, but that mattered not to Newton, who beat Curtis Aspden with the benefit of a cruel deflection.

However, that was not before Kevin Townson had twice gone close, with Aspden saving both efforts, the second of which was a speculative over-the-shoulder volley from fully 35 yards.

Colin Cryan also went close for the hosts with a near post header which flew too high.

On the half-hour mark, OliverHotchkiss had a decent opportunity for the Celts, but his volley from the edge of the box was a yard wide of the mark.

Jake Speight then got the better of Mike Byron to force a fine save from Criag Mawson, as the visitors finally began to find their rhythm. Mawson also had to save from Chris Ovington as Farsley began to create chances, but Newton's strike ensured the hosts led at half-time.

Celtic began well after the re-start, with Luke Malcher unlucky to see his drive hit the ground to enable Mawson to save, before the former Halifax stopper also had to save an angled drive from Hotchkiss, before the impressive Celtic midfielder fired a free kick just over the bar.

Droylsden fought back, though, with Aspden having to turn a curling effort from Gray around the post, with McGuire hooking wide from the resultant flag kick.

McGuire saw another effort go over, before Droylsden made the points safe on 77 minutes. Aspden could only parry a Neil prince shot into the path of the onrushing Alex Brown, who made no mistake from 12 yards.

Late efforts from Matthew Tipton and Tony Gray failed to add any gloss to Droylsden's winning margin, and Celtic ran out of time to make any further impact.

TEAMS:

Droylsden

Mawson, Roche, Newton, Cryan, Byron, Sorvel (Beck, 74'), Brown, McGuire, Gray, Lamb, (Prince, 60'), Townson (Tipton, 78').

Unused Subs: Brownhill, Halford.

Farsley Celtic

Aspden, Downes, Serrant, Iqbal Jackson, 80'), D'Laryea, Bentham, Tuck, Hotchkiss, Malcher (Forrest, 80'), Speight, Ovington.

Unused Subs: Penford, Driscoll, Saynor

Referee: Mr. P. Bankes (Bootle, Merseyside)

ATTENDANCE: 326