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

AFC TELFORD UNITED 2 – 0 DROYLSDEN

Blue Square North, Saturday 28 March 2009

Report by Gary Owen

Droylsden's promotion credentials were subjected to scrutiny at the New Buck's Head, and the scoreline fairly reflects the outcome, although The Bloods will point to a number of key squad members who were stricken by a bug and unable to play.

With further away fixtures against some of the teams above them, Droylsden will have to improve on this performance if they are to achieve promotion this term.

The Bloods did have chances, and will point to the conditions playing a part in the first goal, with the second conceded at a bad time straight after half-time.

The home side were quickly out of the blocks, though, with on-loan striker Ricky Sappleton shooting over before the Leicester City man struck the foot of a post with a header with Craig Mawson beaten.

Just a minute later, Mawson produced the first of a number of good saves, this time to deny Phil Trainer from Lee Vaughan's cross.

Droylsden broke free from their early shackles with Rory Patterson's sweetly-struck half-volley flying wide of the mark from Carl Lamb's knock down.

However, play quickly reverted back to the other end when Mawson had to be out quickly to deny Jon Adams, who had latched onto a short back-header.

The Bucks took the lead on 28 minutes when Andy Brown chased a long punt upfield. Mawson had to come out of his area to head clear, but the ball held up in the wind and fell to Telford's leading scorer, who rolled the ball into the empty net.

Sean Newton fired a free kick just over the bar from 25 yards, but again Mawson was in action at the other end attempting to prevent Sappleton in a one-on-one. Sappleton seemed to have gained the upper hand, but Steve Halford came to The Bloods' rescue.

Liam Blakeman was allowed time and space, but he shot well wide before Lamb landed a header on top of Ryan Young's goal. Steve Pickford then fired a 20 yard volley just wide as The Bloods finished the half well looking to get back on level terms.

However, any plans of a second half revival suffered a major set-back when a good run down the left flank by Sappleton resulted in the ball falling to Andy Brown, who notched his second despite the vain attempts of Newton on the line.

Liam Brownhill tried to reduce the arrears for Droylsden, but his left-footed strike was into Young's midriff after he had cut inside to beat two defenders.

Patterson then connected with a blocked shot, but the ball ran agonisingly along the face of goal, before Lamb flashed a header wide of the mark.

Then a good move involving Matthew Tipton and Newton saw a Patterson volley fly over the bar, which seemed to stimulate the home side, with Mawson saving twice from Danny Carey-Bertram, and from the resultant corner Andy Brown's shot was blocked on the line.

Brownhill was then rather fortunate to see his clearance from Sappleton's cross clear the bar before former Blood Steve Jagielka shot straight at Mawson.

Lamb again managed to get a header towards goal, but it flew over before Brownhill forced Young into his first real save on the stroke of full time.

In added time, Young saved from Alex Brown, but The Bucks were good value for the three points overall.

TEAMS

AFC Telford United: Young, Vaughan, Meredith, Cowan, Whitehead, Blakeman (Carey-Bertram, 63'), Adams, Rodgers, Sappleton (Danks, 81'), Andy Brown (Jagielka, 72'), Trainer.

Subs. not used Khela, Edwards.

Droylsden: Mawson, Brownhill, Newton, Halford, Ruffer, Sorvel, Pickford, McGuire (Alex Brown, 58'), Banim (Tipton, 46'), Patterson (Morris, 79'), Lamb.

Subs. not used Roche, Byron.

REFEREE: Mr. M. S. Perry (Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands)

ATTENDANCE: 1,819