Droylsden

2

Glossop North End

1

HT: 2 - 1

After a third of the league season – 14 games – unbeaten, football philosophers might have pontificated that the team was bound to lose sooner rather than later, such is the nature of the game at the level. Even so, not many of them would have predicted it happening in this match.

Glossop North End had beaten the Bloods 6-0 earlier in the season and the clubs were at opposite ends of the table, but on the night Droylsden wanted it more. Every player from 1 to 11 played their part and they were worth their win.

The disappointing aspect for Glossop was how they reacted to being behind at half time. Supporters were confident at the break, because they had played well enough to regularly trouble the home side, although they had made plenty of errors. However in the second period they seemed to panic, and tried to force the play. They attempted a game that was not their natural one, and as a result put in a disjointed effort at getting back in the game.

It could have been very different though had Glossop North End taken the 7th minute chance that came their way. Jamie Rainford won a race with the keeper Craig Eliison to a ball at the edge of the area and knocked it over his head and ran onto his own ball. There was a tap in remaining, but rather than tap in with his left, Rainford tried to touch it on to his right foot. In the time this took Ellison had recovered and made a terrific save at Rainford’s feet to deflect the ball wide.

Droylsden took the lead in the 15th minute when Andy Fitzgerald was robbed by Ben Barber, trying to shepherd the ball out of play. Barber crossed and whilst Greg Hall came to catch it, a punch may have been better as Dominic Rouse beat his two hands to it and headed home.

Glossop replied within 5 minutes. Matt Russell played the ball inside from the left wing to Eddie Moran who in turn threaded a ball to Jamie Rainford, behind the back line. Rainford’s first touch was terrific, placing the ball into his path for a perfect stroked shot past Ellison into the net.

The game was open, with both sides exerting pressure thanks to an inability to keep possession for any great length of time, and it was Droylsden who took advantage with a peach of a goal on 39 minutes. A loose ball was bouncing around in the area, about 15 yards out, to the right of the goal. Dominic Smith picked it up, swivelled on a sixpence and lashed a fearsome shot past Hall, off the underside of the bar and over the line. It was hit at such a velocity Hall would barely have had time to register the ball was on its way.

Glossop created a couple of opportunities before half time. Kieran Lugsden just couldn’t wait for the ball to drop to his feet when Eddie Moran put a dinked ball to him clear in the box. He was being crowded out and as a result his shot was weak. Then a minute later Russell swung in a superb cross to the far post and Lugdsen again met it 6 yards out, but Ellison pulled off a magnificent save from close range to push the ball up, and recovered to save the follow up effort.

Glossop’s second half play was less composed than the first, and they tried too hard to score too early. As a result, as well as the anxious thinking clouding their decision making, they left themselves open at the back and the home side had plenty of chances. Substitute Billy Cregg in particular caused anxious moments with his pace and direct running down the left.

Brandon Zibaka missed a good chance for the Bloods when set up by Smith and Hall had to be off his line quickly on a number of occasions. He also denied another fierce Smith efforts from 35 yards that was curling into the corner.

Rainford had the best Glossop North End chance, but again Ellison did enough to deny him. The leading scorer had latched onto a mistake and opened up an angle for a shot on the edge of the area, one-on-one. However Ellison was off his line quickly and his body caught enough of the ball to slow it to a trickle, and as it dribbled towards goal the defence could recover and clear. Then in the dying seconds, Ellison capped his excellent performance with a save from Joe Shaw’s poked shot at the far post.