Match-off blow hits Droylsden

DROYLSDEN’S Grotton-based owner/manager Dave Pace was incandescent with rage after seeing his side’s hopes of pulling off another FA Cup giantkilling act dashed.

The Bloods, from Blue Square North, were 1-0 ahead when their second-round tie at Coca-Cola League Two Chesterfield was abandoned due to fog.

Droylsden, who defeated League Two team Darlington in the first round replay thanks to a goal from former Athletic striker Matthew Tipton, stunned the Spireites with a 35th minute headed goal from front man Carl Lamb.

Pace blasted: “If the roles had been reversed and Chesterfield had been 1-0 up there is no way on earth this game would have been called off.

“To come here and take the lead, but then have it taken off us, is disgusting.

“The conditions were iffy at the start so if the referee was going to call off the game it ought to have been done at the beginning when there would have been no arguments.

“To try and pick up the lads after this is going to be difficult because it so deflating. It is disheartening, but we have to move on and hopefully we will get our just rewards.”

Former Athletic player Lee Richardson, the under-fire Chesterfield manager, believed the decision was correct, but felt it ought to have been taken far earlier.

He said: “Nobody can tell me they could see what was happening on the far side of the side. I was pitchside and I couldn’t.

“I thought the referee gave himself a problem by abandoning the game after Droylsden had taken the lead, but I don’t think anybody can say the game wasn’t affected by the fog.

“The referee’s assistants could not see across the pitch, nor could the players, but that is not as excuse as we were awful - what I saw of us.”

Referee Steve Cook explained that he abandoned the game as he was unable to see into the corners of the pitch from the centre spot, the criteria for staging a game.

If Droylsden win at Saltergate when the game is replayed a week tomorrow, they will travel to Championship club Ipswich Town in the third round.


CURZON ASHTON’S great cup adventure came to an end after a marathon eight games as the local side lost 2-0 at Kidderminster Harriers.

The tie was goalless when Curzon’s former Oldham Town goalkeeper Dave Carnell was sent off after half an hour for handling the ball outside the area.

Kidderminster’s goals came from former Aston Villa striker Stefan Moore and Mark Creighton.


ROCHDALE were victims of a giantkilling act as they lost 2-0 at Forest Green Rovers whose second goal came from former Athletic winger Josh Low, who is on loan at the Blue Square Premier club from Cheltenham.
The reward for the Gloucestershire village side from Nailsworth is a home tie against Derby County.


BARROW’S joint manager Darren Sheridan, the former Athletic player and brother of the current Boundary Park manager, helped mastermind the Blue Square Premier side’s 2-1 home win against League Two side Brentford.

One-time Athletic schoolboy and former Manchester United trainee David Brown scored the Cumbrian club’s first goal from the penalty spot.

Barrow’s reward is a glamour third-round tie at Premier League Middlesbrough.


HISTON, the tiny village team from Cambridgeshire, caused the upset of the second round yesterday by defeating high-flying League One side Leeds United 1-0 to earn a third-round time at home to Swansea City.

Histon had earlier defeated League One side Swindon Town in the first round.


EASTWOOD TOWN, from the UniBond League premier division, are the lowest ranked team through to the third round.
They did something no team in League Two has done this season as they defeated previously unbeaten Wycombe Wanderers.

The Nottinghamshire side, which is from the seventh tier of English football, included former Athletic trialist Andy Todd in their line-up.

Sadly, there is no glamour third-round tie for them as they have been drawn away to the winners of the Notts County/Kettering Town replay. 


BLYTH SPARTANS’ fairtytale continues as they were involved in a goalless draw at Bournemouth.

Blyth, who defeated Shrewsbury Town in the first round, will be favourites to claim a second league scalp in the replay when victory would secure a home game against Blackburn.