Droylsden 4-3 Brighouse Town
Two goals from Billy Hasler Cregg helper the Bloods secure a much needed three points against Brighouse Town.
Looking to avenge an eight nil thrashing in the reverse fixture three weeks ago Droylsden made changes to the back four with manager Dave Pace playing skipper Dominic Rouse in the centre of defence and Danny Hewitt at left back.
There was an early scare for the Bloods as a Ben Hampson back pass was intercepted only for Lewis Fielding to smoother the shot in the first few minutes.
The away side,against the run of play took the lead after a Bloods attack broke down with the ball going up the other end and Danny Face scoring with a fine shot from the right hand edge of the area.
Bloods had a lot of the possession but failed to capitalise and looked nervous at the back but the game changer just before the half hour mark. A melee that saw most of the team involved in an incident saw Droylsden full back Shaquille Clarke and Brighouse mid fielder James Pollard both go in the book and just two minutes later Pollard saw red after a heavy tackle on Matt Burke earned him a second yellow.
Against ten men, Bloods soon equalised, Hasler Cregg winning the ball down the right side and crossing for Danny Parkinson to back heal into the Brighouse net.
Hasler Cregg made it two on forty minutes when a great ball from Domaine Rouse found the winger on the edge of the area and struck the ball low into the net.
On the cusp of half time, Bloods made it three when a Shaquille Clarke shot was deflected into the net by Tom Wallace.
Brighouse were back in it on fifty three minutes, substitute Martin Allison’s shot from inside the area finding its way into the Blood’s net.
Droylsden brought on their new Oldham Athletic loan signings Danny Byrnes and Jordan Bove for Mike Pino and Brandon Zibaka and the former was soon in the game driving into the Brighouse defence and keeping the ball to pick out Hasler Cregg on the edge of the area who struck home his second to restore the Bloods two goal advantage.
But the away team weren’t finished, Issac Baldwin rattling the cross bar and deep into injury time Danny Pacey got a second to keep the home fans on tender hooks for four minutes.
But Bloods hung on for the three points to open up a ten point gap from the relegation places.
