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

DROYLSDEN 7 – 1 STAFFORD RANGERS

Blue Square North - Saturday 5th September 2009

Report by Dave Leach

Droylsden laid down a marker on Saturday, and issued a statement of intent to the rest of the division that they intend to have a real go at winning the title this year. The squad that Dave Pace has assembled is possibly the strongest he has ever had at his disposal and he utilised it to its fullest against a spirited Stafford Rangers side.

Despite the heavy rain that had lashed the borough over the preceding few days, the Butchers Arms pitch was in truly marvellous condition, testimony to the skills of groundsman Tony Durose, and this allowed the Bloods to play the type of free flowing football that simply cut their visitors to ribbons.

Tony Gray set the ball rolling in the 13th minute when, after collecting the first of many fine through balls from Liam Brownhill, he cut inside the Rangers defence and lashed his shot beyond Evans for his fifth goal of the season.

Minutes later, Kasiama replied for Stafford but his shot was easily saved by Craig Mawson. Shortly after, a corner from the left went right across the face of the Bloods goal as the visitors looked to get back into the game. However, the home side increased their lead when Neil Sorvel scored from 6 yards out following fine play from Gray and Simon Yeo.

And on 36 minutes, they scored again and effectively killed off the game when Yeo broke the offside trap to meet a ball in from Brownhill and, facing Evans in a one-on-one, calmly slotted the ball home for his first Bloods goal.

The second half was virtually one-way traffic as Droylsden went to town and significantly increased their goal difference in the process. On 65 minutes they struck again when Gray showed superb skill to pluck a high ball out of the sky and jink it over Wilson to find substitute Paul Brown, who advanced to the edge of the area and slotted the ball into the far corner of the net beyond an unsighted Evans.

Nick Wellecomme reduced the deficit on 79 minutes when he held off the attentions of Steve Halford and drove his shot past Mawson from ten yards. This was just a token response however, and normal service was soon resumed when the Bloods scored their fifth goal on 83 minutes when Alex Meechan converted a penalty after Brown had been felled in the area by Patrick.

Droylsden emphasised their superiority with two further strikes in the final few moments, firstly when Sorvel tapped home after Evans had parried Brown's initial effort, and then in the final minute when Brown slammed the ball home from inside the 6-yard box.

At the end, Stafford were grateful to hear the final whistle, whilst the Bloods look ahead to another home game on Monday night against Harrogate Town, where victory would see them go top of the table. With confidence sky high and goals flowing from all over the pitch, there is no reason why they cannot stay at the summit, provided they continue to put in the hard ground work that allows their silky football to shine through.

Teams:

Droyslden:

Mawson, Roche, Brownhill, Byron, Halford, Sorvel, Beck, Lloyd (Williams, 69), Gray, Yeo (Brown, 56), Whalley (Meechan, 56)

Subs not used: Cryan, Woodyatt

Stafford Rangers:

Evans, Francis (Brunt, 78), Vauls (Patrick 56), Thorley, Wilson, Alexander, Kasiama (Hulme, 73), Moult, Thompson, Wellecomme, Reid

Subs not used: Rogers, Allen

REFEREE: Mr M Duncan (Warrington

ATTENDANCE: 419

GOALS:

Droylsden: Tony Gray 13 Neil Sorvel 27, 85 Simon Yeo 36 Paul Brown 65, 89 Alex Meechan 83 (pen)

Stafford: Nick Wellecomme 79