PRESCOT CABLES 3 – 2 DROYLSDEN

EvoStik NPL Division One (North)

Saturday 27 February 2016

By Gary Owen

Droylsden’s run of poor form continued on Merseyside, leaving the Butcher’s Arms outfit just eight points above the drop zone.  However, this time, the defeat was of the narrowest of margins, and Dave Pace’s men even took the lead for the first time in a month, when Carlos Rouse-Edmondson poked home after good work by Billy Hasler-Cregg and Domain Rouse.

However, that was not before the hosts had struck the woodwork, when Sam Staunton-Turner saw his drive from Josh Nicholson’s cross palmed onto the bar by Steve James in the Droylsden goal.

Droylsden’s lead was short-lived, though, as The Bloods were caught in possession, enabling Lloyd Dean to curl a beauty over James for the leveller just two minutes later.

Ex-Blood, Rob Doran, was twice denied by James, as was Joe Nicholson, who also struck the post for Cables, but the first-half ended all square.

Rouse-Edmondson had Marcus Burgess at full stretch to tip away for a corner shortly after the re-start, and Dean shot over from a good position at the other end.  Doran put Cables into a 2-1 lead just before the hour mark, latching on to a ball behind the Droylsden defence before slotting past James.

Once again the lead lasted barely minutes, as Rouse-Edmondson expertly volleyed home Ben Barber’s cross at the first time of asking, but a wayward defensive header from Lee O’Brien gifted the ball to Dean, who kept his cool to restore Prescot’s lead on 69 minutes.

James made an excellent save to deny Doran, who later struck a post, as Prescot ran out deserved winners in the end, their copy-book only blighted by the antics of sub Charlie Duke, who goaded Dan Grimshaw into an affray which saw Duke booked and Grimshaw dismissed in the final seconds of the match.

PRESCOT CABLES:          Burgess, Shinks, Johnstone, O’Reilly, Herbert, Joe Nicholson (Evans, 78’), Bannister (Edgar, 61’), Staunton-Turner, Doran, Dean, Josh Nicholson (Duke, 83’).  Subs. not used – McDonald, Mason.

DROYLSDEN:                      James, Clarke-Adams (Pino, 58’), Barber, Wood, O’Brien, Burke (Daly, 75’), Grimshaw, Rouse, Zibaka (Hampson, J., 75’), Rouse-Edmondson, Hasler-Cregg.  Subs. not used – Howe, Hewitt.

Referee:                                 Mr. S. Mohan

Attendance:                          242

Category: Match Reports