Lights go out as FA Cup saga goes on

AFP - 16 December 2008 23:50

The FA Cup trophy. Non-league Droylsden were still in the FA Cup on Tuesday as their second round tie with League Two Chesterfield failed to produce a winner for the third time.

LONDON (AFP) - Non-league Droylsden were still in the FA Cup on Tuesday as their second round tie with League Two Chesterfield failed to produce a winner for the third time.

Chesterfield, who play in English football's fourth tier, were leading 2-0 thanks to goals from Jack Lester and Darren Currie when the floodlights at Manchester side Droylsden's ground went out with under 20 minutes left to play.

It was the latest twist in a tie extraordinary even by the standards of the FA Cup.

The original encounter was abandoned at half-time due to fog with Droylsden, two divisions below their opponents, leading 1-0.

But that match was overshadowed by the bizarre events 12 minutes from time last week at Midlands club Chesterfield's Saltergate ground.

The game was all square at 1-1 in the 78th minute when Droylsden put the ball into touch deliberately following an injury to Chesterfield's Carl Lamb.

But, after Lamb got back on his feet, the ball was thrown to Lester who, instead of just passing back to the Droylsden goalkeeper, as is the convention in such circumstances, lobbed Craig Mawson for a goal.

Chaotic scenes ensued with rival players squaring up to one another and stewards having to intervene to prevent a confrontation between the rival benches on the touchline.

But when the game eventually got underway again Chesterfield, seemingly embarrassed by Lester's goal, allowed Droylsden's Steve Halford to run through unopposed from the kick-off to make it 2-2, which is how the match ended.

Tuesday's other second round replay saw Blyth Spartans, who like Droylsden play in the Conference North, beat League Two Bournemouth 1-0.

Substitute Ged Dalton's 89th minute goal saw Spartans secure a tie against managerless Blackburn Rovers, the struggling Premier League side currently without a boss after announcing on Tuesday that Paul Ince had been sacked.