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

WORKINGTON 3 – 1 DROYLSDEN

Blue Square Bet North – Saturday 27 August 2011

Report by Gary Owen

The Bloods can have few complaints surrounding their first defeat of the season as they returned empty-handed from Borough Park. Droylsden failed to recover from a poor first half showing, when they were fortunate only to trail by the solitary goal.

Droylsden did record the game’s first shot on target, but Aaron Taylor was equal to Dan Gardner’s effort, and Ciaran Kilheeney could not steer the rebound goalwards.

Workington took the lead on 15 minutes when Mark Boyd’s near post corner was met by Gareth Arnison. Paul Phillips got a hand to the ball, but could not prevent it from finding the top corner.

Jonny Wright had a goal ruled out for an offside decision, before the same man struck the Droylsden post a minute later

A Kilheeney header was then held low at the foot of his post by Taylor, and then looked as though Dale Johnson might level matter moments before the break, but he was bundled over just six yards out with the goal at his mercy, although the officials were having none of it.

Only 8 minutes of the second half had passed when The Bloods struck level. Gardner broke free down the inside left channel, and cut inside along the edge of the box before unleashing an unstoppable right footed drive past Taylor.

That could have provided the platform for Droylsden to take something from the game, but, Workington restored parity merely three minutes later. Phillips made a good save, but at the expense of a corner. Another Boyd delivery to the near post was met this time by Jonny Wright, who thundered his header past the helpless Phillips.

This signalled an onslaught from the visitors, and Taylor saved when on-on-one from Rowe, who was under pressure from Phil McLuckie.

A Gardner free kick flew too high, and a Kilheeney header lacked sufficient power to trouble Taylor.

At the other end, Phillips was stretched by Arnison, and thenRowe was then unlucky to see his curled effort go just wide of the far post, and Johnson had another good shout for a penalty turned-down before steering a header wide of the mark in another Droylsden attack.

However, with the pressure mounting, Droylsden were always prone to the counter-attack, and the hosts took perfect advantage when Jonny Wright beat Phillips to make it 3-1 with three minutes remaining.

Over the 90 minutes, though, Droylsden didn’t do enough to warrant any reward from this game.

TEAMS

Harrogate Town:

Taylor, Hewson, Wright A., May, Andrews, Boyd (Hopper, 65’), McLuckie (Wordworth, 73’), Dillon, Wright J., Arnison, Simpson (Smyth, 70’).

Subs. not used: McNiven, Sloan.

Droylsden:

Phillips, Vaughan, Robinson (Langford, 46’), Brown C., Hardiker, Brown P. (Hall, 57’), Gardner (Gerrard, 73’), Killeen, Kilheeney, Johnson, Rowe.

Subs. not used: Poole, Lake.

ATTENDANCE: 308

REFEREE: Mr. Peter Wright (Lancashire)