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A bad finish

30/ 4/2008

Stafford Rangers...........2
Droylsden......................1

THE Bloods unfortunately lost out in this, the battle for the wooden spoon, and collected their 10th red card of the season in the process.

Robbie Talbot and Terry Fearns both had early efforts for Droylsden as the visitors began the brightest, but a calamitous error by Kevin Lynch led to Stafford opening the scoring on 13 minutes.

The Droylsden midfielder dwelt on the ball in his own box, and he was robbed by Nick Wellecomme, who squared for veteran Neil Grayson to score from just eight yards out.

Moments later, Lynch had to be replaced through injury by former Stafford man Ged Murphy, but his return to Marston Road lasted barely 15 minutes when he saw red for an apparent elbow on Jonathan Loukes.

While Murphy was on the pitch though, he saw Ishmale Reid shoot at Paul Phillips before combining with Fearns to create an opportunity for Talbot who scuffed his effort wide of the mark.

The home side had claims for a penalty denied on 20 minutes when Grayson felt he had been fouled, but the referee waved play on, and then awarded a free kick the other way for a foul by the frustrated Grayson.

Jamie McGuire then volleyed over, and Loukes had a shot go off target for the home side, before the man in the middle dismissed Murphy and then brought the first half to a close.

The Bloods drew level on 51 minutes when Sean Newton’s deflected free kick flew into the top corner after Talbot had been fouled, much to the delight of the significant travelling contingent – more than half of whom had marked Droylsden’s final game of the season by wearing fancy dress.

Stafford responded as Grayson shot too high before a great run from man-of-the-match Djoumin Sangare was cleared by Colin Cryan, only as far as Grayson whose attempt was blocked.

On 69 minutes, Stafford scored the winner when a clearance by the Bloods’ defence was charged down and Wellecomme curled the ball beyond Phillips and into the net off the far post.

Droylsden failed to test Danny Allcock any further with Damion Jarrett seeing his shot saved by Phillips and Chris Flynn firing over before the season was brought to a close, leaving both of these sides to consider what might have been before regrouping next term for what will no doubt be another challenging season in the Blue Square North.

Attendance: 685