Normally when we've had the kind of weather that gets amateur Noah's excited, the Seel Park surface is more suited to the growing of rice than playing football, but not only was the pitch playable it looked like it hadn't been touched by a drop of water - no puddles and solid under foot. Could it be that the age of miracles is finally upon us? Or, a trifle more likely I'll admit, has the drainage finally started to work properly?
Despite the numerous heavy showers prior to kick-off the game began under blue skies but it was a start that was anything other than bright for Mossley. Already a goal down after three minutes, Droylsden were knocking the ball around with an abandon that in days gone by would be classed as gay and things were looking ominous for Mossley.
Just as in the Stalybridge match four days earlier though, the Lilywhites scored a goal without ever having looked remotely threatening and then proceeded to run rings around their more senior opponents.
Michael Fish started the Lilywhites scoring spree in the seventh minute when he hooked a cross from a quickly taken free-kick into the net from close range, and this was quickly followed up two minutes later when Danny Dignan capitalised on some shoddy defending to put Mossley ahead.
The home side now looked dangerous everytime they went forward and when a looping shot cannoned of the crossbar, one Droylsden fan behind the goal (20 minutes into his sides first friendly) let loose a prolonged verbal volley at his side, comparing them numerous times to various quantities of excrement, e.g. piles of s**t, loads of s**t, etc.
Thankfully he was cut off in mid-flow when Mossley scored their third of the game. Obviously buoyed by the support being given by the man stood behind them, Droylsden once again cheaply surrendered possession. Dignan was again the beneficiary of the visitors mistake and after taking the ball past Danny Meadowcroft he calmly who calmly slotted it past Kennedy for his second of the game.
The interval saw both sides make a host of changes to their line-ups and in truthfulness the second period was nowhere near as good as the first. There was plenty of effort but little in the way of goalmouth action and the longer the match wore the more it seemed like both sides had settled on 3 - 1 being the final score.
As we all know though in football things can change in a minute, and within the space of two of them Droylsden had drawn level; like Mossley in the first half, the Bloods benefiting greatly from some sloppy passing by their opponents. With five minutes left another defensive slip-up presented Droylsden with the opportunity to win the game and despite the best efforts of a defender on the line, it was one Maguire took.
It would have been nice to have won, especially after being 3 - 1 up for the majority of the match, but you can't have everything. While some elementary mistakes ultimately gave Droylsden the win (which is to be expected from a group of players who've barely met let alone played along side one another) it has to be said that until they occurred Mossley never looked in any kind of trouble. I know it's a cliché but at times you couldn't tell which side was the one that plies their trade at a higher level of football.
Of course Mossley were the recipients themselves of some ridiculous generosity from the opposition but who amongst us cares if Droylsden can't defend properly?
Anyway, here's the bit you've skipped the above carefully constructed paragraphs to see - clips of the game:
So there you have it, a game that will be remembered for a few well taken goals, sloppy passing, nice weather, a Droylsden fan with a lack of perspective and some 'Last of the Summer Wine' style antics from a few of the home supporter's in trying to retrieve a wind displaced hat.
What? You didn't see the latter? Oh you missed a treat...
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