Matthew’s cup heroics are an act of fate

Matthew Tipton, hoping to write his name in the headlines

FA CUP

FORMER Athletic striker Matthew Tipton will be aiming to shoot Blue Square North side Droylsden into the third round of the FA Cup for the first time in the club’s history.

Droylsden are at Coca-Cola League Two outfit Chesterfield tomorrow thanks to Tipton’s dramatic winner against Darlington in a first-round replay.

These are heady days for Droylsden, who will be appearing at this stage of the FA Cup for only the second time.

And Tipton admitted: “I have done more interviews in the last two weeks than I had done in the previous 10 years!

“I played for Latics against Chelsea in the third round of the FA Cup, but the goal against Darlington is up there among the highlights of my career.

“At the time I looked upon it as just another goal, but it is only since then that I have realised how important it was for the club.”

Tipton has been at Droylsden – whose manager/owner Dave Pace is based in Grotton – for the past month.

He had been playing for Hyde United, also in Blue Square North, but financial problems forced the club to offload him.

Tipton, whose day job involves selling personal insurance cover, said: “Had Hyde not had troubles I would probably have still been with them.

“It has to be fate. I was injured at Hyde early in the season so I didn’t play in the FA Cup, otherwise I would have been cup-tied.”

Tipton, who twice helped Macclesfield reach the third round in which they played Watford and Chelsea, believes Droylsden can cause another upset.

“We have beaten Darlington, who were top of League Two at the time, and that has given us the confidence we can overcome Chesterfield,” he said.

Tipton has taken Droylsden’s cup success in his stride despite capturing the headlines which followed his match-winning goal against Darlington.

“I simply went home after the game and had something to eat. The partying days have long gone,” he joked.