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

Hucknall Town 1 Droylsden 1

Blue Square North – Monday 25th August 2008

Report by Colin Donald

It was an opportunity missed for Droylsden to close the gap on the leagues front runners in a game that subsequently never lived up to expectations for all concerned from the Butchers Arms contingent.

A disappointed Dave Pace felt it was a game the Bloods should have won overall , but a combination of a poor final ball, after good build up play, and a difficult playing surface, ultimately cost them all three points.

Several changes were made to the squad that featured in Saturdays home defeat of Hyde, the most significant being the return of forward Neil Prince.

In a tight opening period it was Carl Lamb who went close with a rasping shot from 12 yards on the turn and minutes later Prince tried chipping Town keeper James Lindley from the edge of the box, but it was Town who went closest when a Danny Bacon cross was headed powerfully by the unmarked Gary Ricketts against the crossbar. Droylsden replied when Lindley smartly cleared his lines as Jamie McGuire was about to head home after a pinpoint cross into the 6 yard box by Lamb.

Hucknall went close with a free kick struck just over by Laurie Wilson on 22 minutes and 2 minutes later they took the lead.

A long ball by Lindley was headed down by Ricketts and as the Droylsden defence hesitated, Bacon pounced to steer the ball home from close in.

It was the fifth successive game the Bloods had gone a goal down but they came close to getting back on level terms almost immediately when a Lamb cross was headed just wide of the upright by Prince. Then on 37 minutes Droylsden struck back.. After patient build up play, Neil Sorvel floated in a superb 30 yard cross field pass, finding Prince, who controlled and turned inside his marker rifling a low angled shot past Lindley for the equaliser.

H/T Hucknall Town 1 Droylsden 1

Droylsden started the second half brightly as first Sorvel teed up McGuire who’s goal bound strike was blocked by the Town defence. Then a neat move involving Sorvel and Ashley Burbeary culminated in a dangerous cross being intercepted by Lindley.

All too often though the Bloods flattered to deceive as their good build up play lacked the quality pass in the final third.

Hucknall were just as guilty at times as neither side really took a hold of the game.

As of the first half both teams did have their moments. Ricketts was played in by Nathan Winder just inside the area but he lost his footing, under pressure, when ready to shoot on goal.

McGuire and Burbeary then combined nicely to set up a Prince volley but the Town defence blocked the resulting effort.

Substitute Kevin Townson saw a curling shot cleared from sneaking in the bottom corner of goal and, Alex Brown had a goal bound snap shot charged down.

Hucknall defender Wilson then tried a speculative volley following a long clearance but the effort was well wide and Peter Knox missed a great opportunity when put through on goal but he somehow contrived to miss, dragging his shot across the face of goal as Craig Mawson narrowed the angle.

In added time Townson opted for placement rather than power and Lindley collected easily. Lamb might have done better with a chance but he tried to turn away from his marker in the box when receiving the ball when a first time shot might have seen the winner.

A disappointing draw maybe, but Droylsden remain undefeated thus far.

The acid test of their League ambitions arrives in the form of Telford to the Butchers Arms this coming Saturday, in what promises to be an intriguing game, with ex - Bloods striker Terry Fearns now leading the Bucks forward line.

F/T 1 – 1

COLIN DONALD

HUCKNALL TOWN

Lindley, Smedley, Cullingworth, Wilson, Winder, Sucharewycz, Ward (M Smith 69), Galloway, Ricketts (Knox 76), Bacon, Marlow.

UNUSED SUBS Mitchell, L Smith, Stevenson.

DROYLSDEN

Mawson, Brownhill, Newton, Byron, Meadowcroft, Sorvel c Burbeary (Brown 63’) McGuire, Lamb, Prince (Townson 63’) Burns (Gedman 76’)

UNUSED SUBS Cryan and Ellis

GOALS

Danny Bacon -24’ Neil Prince 37’

REFEREE - Mr Chris Akers

ATTENDANCE - 314

M O M - Carl Lamb