Returning Walker inspires Drayton
Market Drayton Town host Haughmond in a crucial FA Cup replay tomorrow buoyed by beating Droylsden with their best display of the season.
Inspired by a rampant Stefan Walker in a surprise return from Redditch, Drayton made light of a long injury list by registering a well deserved 3-1 scoreline in a thoroughly entertaining Evo-Stik Northern Premier League West encounter.
They were two up in nine minutes with Matthew Ballard cashing in on a great run by Walker and an already limping Will Wells then calmly converting an equally impressive burst down the right by Desean Martin.
Left unmarked at the back post, Domaine Rouse headed Droylsden back into contention in the 27th minute but that only sparked man-of-the-match Walker to greater heights.
Dropping back to help block a Droylsden attack, he took a short pass from hard-working Glyn Coney in what was virtually the right-back position.
Ball at feet, he set off down the touchline, alternately battering and tricking his way through assorted tackles and assaults until veering left along the dead ball line, holding off still more opposition and then squeezing the ball under onrushing keeper Chris Thompson into the far corner from five yards and the acutest of angles.
All at a blistering pace – a really astonishing strike; Roy of the Rovers writ large in remarkable reality.
At that point anything seemed possible. Both sides were obviously up for it and, with an emphasis on attack, the potential for a goal-fest loomed large.
But when Ballard scooped the still runaway Walker’s unselfish pass over the visitors’ bar from five yards and then his dangerous Droylsden counterpart, Sefton Gonzales, blasted a penalty straight at Town keeper Ash Rawlins, the writing was on the wall – and it read 3-1.
Overall, Town’s two-goal edge was about right, which poses selection problems for boss Martyn Davies against Haughmond as defenders Andy Hartlebury and Simon Gregory, midfielder Daniel Beddows and striker Charlie Knowles are all expected to be back in contention.
“At the moment, we’ve a lot of walking wounded with lads playing with niggling injuries so I think I’ll have to wait for some late checks and go for fitness above all else,” he said.
“Haughmond gave us a real test in the first game and deserved this replay."
