Match Report

Darwen visited the Butchers Arms to face Droyslden in the Second round of the Macron Cup. Droylsden in their comeback season have struggled in the NWCFL First Division South but recently the bloods have had an upturn in form.

Darwen welcomed back Leon Creech and Charlie Lloyd into the starting line-up after defeat in the Edward Case Cup to Euxton Villa.

The opening of the game was a scrappy affair as both teams adjusted to playing on a sodden sticky pitch. The first chance of the contest fell to the visitors in the Fourteenth minute. Ryan Cattermole found space on the left, his exquisite cross found Chris Smalley who headed the ball onto the crossbar. The ball rebounded out to Akim Samms who just couldn’t keep his balance and his follow up was blazed over the goal.

Just Two minutes later, the hosts hit the woodwork. Nellson Van met a dangerous cross in the middle of the Six-Yard box, he diverted the ball onto the post but Darwen keeper, Oliver Lombard managed to reclaim the ball to ensure there was no follow up from the Droylsden attack.

The Droyslden front two of Van and George West started to look dangerous as they had a multitude of half chances continually missing the target. You could feel a goal for the Bloods was coming and it did in the Thirty-Fifth minute. A well-worked move was headed home at close range by Van to open the deadlock. 1-0

Darwen had two chances before the break to restore parity but neither of them were seized efficiently. Akim Samms headed wide from a Cattermole cross and Leon Creech found space on the edge of the area but his shot skidded wide of the post. Droylsden went in with a slender lead at the break.

The hosts came out as the stronger team at the break and seemed to move the ball forward very quickly when on an attack. Oliver Lombard produced a fantastic save to keep in-form George West at bay and Ben Lowe fired over from close range. The Bloods should’ve been further in front.

In the Sixty-Third minute the hosts’ failure to double their lead was punished. Akim Samms beat his man on the left wing, drove into the area and sent a dangerous ball across the Droylsden goal. The ball was cleared to the edge of the penalty area and there was Chris Smalley to smash the ball into the roof of the net for the Salmoners. It was Smalley’s second goal of the season. 1-1

The game became an end-to-end affair after the equaliser with Droyslden carving out the better chances. George West converted a header at the back post but to his dismay it was ruled out for offside by the nearby assistant referee. Oliver Lombard also made a trio of tremendous saves twice denying West and once defying Fuad Kasali.

In the Ninetieth minute, Darwen nearly claimed passage into the next round of the cup. Great work from Ashley Brierley and Kit Lloyd moved Darwen up the pitch. Lloyd played the ball through to Leon Creech who initiated a snapshot at the Droylsden goal but it was parried back out into play by keeper, Morgan Piper. The ball rolled out to Brayden Shaw who steadied himself before unleashing a rasping shot that hit the inside of the post before rolling out to safety. Fine margins.

There was Six Minutes injury time which led to heartbreak for the travelling Salmoners.
In the Ninety-Fourth minute, Droylsden sub and debutant Caelan Kilheeney, managed to scoop a shot into the top corner from a position deep inside the Darwen penalty area leading to jubilation for the hosts. 2-1

The Bloods saw out the remaining embers of injury time and progressed into the Third Round of the Macron Cup. Darwen will now turn their attention back to league action when they entertain Ashton Town at home on Wednesday.