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

DROYLSDEN 2 – 1 SOLIHULL MOORS

Blue Square North – Saturday 4 April 2009

Report by Gary Owen

A late wonder strike from Jake Speight lit up this otherwise scrappy affair, which keeps Droylsden in touch with the play-off places, but leaves Solihull still looking over their shoulder at the other end of the table.

The first real opportunity fell to Speight on1 6 minutes, but he lifted the ball over both Daniel Crane and the frame of the goal from Steve Beck's pass.

Just after the half-hour, Speight presented Jody Banim with a chance, but Crane tipped over his deflected shot.

Seconds before the half-time whistle, a nod down from Jake Edwards provided James McPike with a great opportunity, but he pulled his shot wide with only Craig Mawson to beat.

However, he made-up for his misdemeanour minutes after the re-start by firing the Moors into the lead. A splendid counter-attack saw Simon Travis put McPike in space, and he drilled past Mawson from just outside the box.

Less than ten minutes later, and The Bloods were level. Banim won a free kick on the right flank, and Byron played the ball back across the face of Moors' goal for Jamie McGuire to convert from close range.

Banim then saw a volley blocked and a weak effort saved by Crane, before Carl Motteram almost restored Moors' lead, but he couldn't quite connect to Travis' cross

Junior English then almost punished a short back-pass from Liam Brownhill, but Brownhill turned hero on 80 minutes when he headed Jake Sedgemore's shot off the line.

Speight cruelly punished Theo Streete's only error of the afternoon after he had misjudged Steve Beck's pass, allowing the Droylsden forward a clear run at goal. His first touch seemed to have taken him too wide, but he shot powerfully across Crane into the opposite corner for a stunning winner.

TEAMS:

Droylsden

Mawson, Brownhill, Newton, Byron, Ruffer, Beck, Brown, McGuire, Gray (Patterson, 76'), Speight, Banim (Fitzpatrick, 76')

Unused Subs: Sorvel, Pickford, Cryan

Solihull Moors

Crane, Sedgemore, Bonner, Downes, Streete, Collins, Travis (Faulds, 81'), English, Edwards (Gardner, 84'), McPike, Motteram (Rickards, 46')

Unused Subs.: Middleton, Rachel.

Referee: Mr. A. J. Scregg (Liverpool)

ATTENDANCE: 280