A FEW years ago DROYLSDEN were never out of the headlines. Their achievements on the field — let alone the controversial comments of manager/chairman Dave Pace — guaranteed they were always in the news.
Since then they have tumbled down the tables and Pace has taken a low profile. Yet this season they have managed to creep up the BetVictor NPL north-west division with hardly a murmur. They go into tomorrow (Saturday’s) game at the Butchers Arms lying third and unbeaten since August 24. They have lost only one league match out of seven played.
The clash with midtable Pontefract Collieries poses an interesting challenge for the Bloods. Pace is known for his love of an attacking game based on passing. The Yorkshiremen, on the other hand, employed a much more direct approach to beat Glossop in the FA Cup last week. Surrey Street co-managers Peter Band and Lloyd Morrison were deeply disappointed to have failed to overcome their visitors’ long ball game.
Midfielder Kane Hickman, signed from Buxton, comes into the Droylsden squad. Lee Neville and Shaq Clarke are injured but otherwise Pace has a full complement to choose from.
Hickman, 22, played youth football at Avro and was part of the Manchester County Youth team before joining Abbey Hey as well as turning out for Hyde United reserves and Rochdale Under-21s. He has also played for Glossop.
Dave Wild has plenty to think about as MOSSLEY prepare to entertain Workington at Seel Park.
The Lilywhites, who were among the promotion contenders last season, have made a stuttering start to the new campaign. On Tuesday they became the first club to lose to promoted Pickering who were bottom of the table having lost all five of their previous league matches.
To tighten things up at the back, Wild has signed James Baillie from Curzon Ashton.
Ben Halfacre and Ryan Brooke are still suspended, and Steve Mason is unavailable because of work.
Godwin Abadake should return within the next week or so and will be included in tomorrow’s warm-up. Broken-leg victim Astley Mulholland has started jogging and is expected to be back in contention soon.
In the south-east division, GLOSSOP NORTH END visit Kidsgrove having secured the services of Stockport County forward Szymon Czubik for a further month. Devon Matthews comes back after missing Tuesday’s draw with Loughborough.
CURZON ASHTON, who have plummeted down the National League North table after failing to win any of their last six matches might feature a new face for their clash with Brackley at the Tameside Stadium.
Manager Mark Bradshaw said: “Injuries have piled up. We’ve tried to bring someone in on loan but it hasn’t proved easy so far.”
HYDE UNITED, who went top of the BetVictor NPL premier division after their midweek victory over Nantwich, face the long journey to Whitby.
Joel Logan has a thigh strain which is expected to keep him out for two weeks. Dan O’Brien is unavailable. Defender Bailey Gooda has signed for Matlock Town.
Dave Farnell keeps the goalkeeper’s shirt for ASHTON UNITED’s game at Mickleover. Aaron Chalmers has followed Kyle Harrison in moving to Buxton on loan.
Manager Jody Banim described himself as very relieved after the Robins recorded their first win of the season by beating Tadcaster in the FA Cup. He added: “Our replay performance followed on from the Matlock game where we had seen a bit of a difference.
“It was just the game in between, the original tie at Tadcaster, where we were awful. I made one or two changes on Tuesday and they appear to have had the desired effect. Dave played very well.”
STALYBRIDGE CELTIC will be looking to bounce back from a double disappointment when they take on promoted Atherton Collieries at Bower Fold.
Manager Simon Haworth is again missing leading scorer Craig Hobson who will be serving the final instalment of a three-match ban. Otherwise he has a fully fit squad.