Sep 24, 2009
Rushall Olympic 1 Market Drayton Town 3
Striker Martyn Davies has scored some vital goals for Drayton down the years - but his big contribution in this match was to prevent them.
Martyn was Town's goalkeeper for 80 minutes of this UniBond League Challenge Cup clash after Andrew Pryce was injured, limiting the high flying opposition to just one successful strike, from Mark Lowe in the first half.
But he passed off a performance manager Simon Line described as great by insisting: "I was lucky. The lads protected me all the way; Rushell were never really allowed to take advantage of my inexperience.
"I picked off a lot of crosses and suchlike but I didn't have to cope with anything like a one-on-one or a shot from someone coming through at an angle.
"That's the bit people don't always appreciate. Specialist keepers spend hours and hours working out their positioning - the best do it so well that they make almost every shot look easy.
"I enjoy going in goal in training - which is why the boss put me in when Prycie was injured - but positioning isn't something I've really worked on much."
Martyn's can-do approach typified another against-all-odds success that are becoming Town's stock in trade this season.
Ten minutes into the tie, any thoughts of their eventual 3-1 scoreline were a bad joke.
A side showing sweeping changes from Saturday's 4-2 home win over Quorn looked in deep trouble as key defender Grant Goodhead and reserve keeper Andy Spooner were injured in the pre-match warm-up and then Pryce limped off with just 10 minutes gone.
That view was reinforced when, after battling well for most of the first half, Drayton found themselves trailing at the break to Lowe's goal.
But, true to their growing reputation for besting the bookies, Town turned everything around with three goals in a tremendous 15 minute spell at the start of the second half.
Duncan Horler edged ahead of Davies as this season's top scorer thus far with his seventh in eight outings - one as sub - by heading a cracking equaliser.
Tom Ward marked his long awaited return from injury with a sharp spin turn and snap shot from the edge of the box to send them ahead and when a scurrying Stuart Timmis was upended in the penalty area, Jamie Haynes stepped up to hammer home their third.
Rushall couldn't believe it - and they had even more difficulty coming to terms with the closing half hour when, despite constant, sometimes desperate pressure, they were denied any chance of a comeback.
"It was a great performance," said manager Line afterwards. "Martyn Davies was great in goal and all the lads who came into the side did themselves proud.
"Everything seemed to conspire against us early on but it appears that the harder it gets, the better we become."
Martyn was Town's goalkeeper for 80 minutes of this UniBond League Challenge Cup clash after Andrew Pryce was injured, limiting the high flying opposition to just one successful strike, from Mark Lowe in the first half.
But he passed off a performance manager Simon Line described as great by insisting: "I was lucky. The lads protected me all the way; Rushell were never really allowed to take advantage of my inexperience.
"I picked off a lot of crosses and suchlike but I didn't have to cope with anything like a one-on-one or a shot from someone coming through at an angle.
"That's the bit people don't always appreciate. Specialist keepers spend hours and hours working out their positioning - the best do it so well that they make almost every shot look easy.
"I enjoy going in goal in training - which is why the boss put me in when Prycie was injured - but positioning isn't something I've really worked on much."
Martyn's can-do approach typified another against-all-odds success that are becoming Town's stock in trade this season.
Ten minutes into the tie, any thoughts of their eventual 3-1 scoreline were a bad joke.
A side showing sweeping changes from Saturday's 4-2 home win over Quorn looked in deep trouble as key defender Grant Goodhead and reserve keeper Andy Spooner were injured in the pre-match warm-up and then Pryce limped off with just 10 minutes gone.
That view was reinforced when, after battling well for most of the first half, Drayton found themselves trailing at the break to Lowe's goal.
But, true to their growing reputation for besting the bookies, Town turned everything around with three goals in a tremendous 15 minute spell at the start of the second half.
Duncan Horler edged ahead of Davies as this season's top scorer thus far with his seventh in eight outings - one as sub - by heading a cracking equaliser.
Tom Ward marked his long awaited return from injury with a sharp spin turn and snap shot from the edge of the box to send them ahead and when a scurrying Stuart Timmis was upended in the penalty area, Jamie Haynes stepped up to hammer home their third.
Rushall couldn't believe it - and they had even more difficulty coming to terms with the closing half hour when, despite constant, sometimes desperate pressure, they were denied any chance of a comeback.
"It was a great performance," said manager Line afterwards. "Martyn Davies was great in goal and all the lads who came into the side did themselves proud.
"Everything seemed to conspire against us early on but it appears that the harder it gets, the better we become."
