Droylsden Pythons U11s 7 vs 7 Tameside AFC U11 Tameside

Droylsden Pythons hosted Tameside Juniors at Astley Sports Village on 3rd October 2026, with kick-off at 11:30am. The league home match, played over 60 minutes plus added time, ended in a remarkable 7-7 draw in this seven-a-side encounter witnessed by 50 spectators.

Droylsden lined up in a 2-3-1 formation, deploying two central defenders, three midfielders across the left, centre and right, and a lone striker leading the line. Jake Duff returned from injury for his first game of the season was back in goal, while Joshua O’ Reilly and Logan Myerscough formed the central defensive partnership. The midfield trio consisted of Teddy Blunt on the left, Max Higham centrally, and Callum Heaton on the right, with Prince Karim spearheading the attack as the striker. The substitutes available were Muwaffaq Sanusi, Roman Arrandale, and Elliott Walshe. Cole Burrows was unavailable and Hamza Bance was absent due to sickness.

The 2-3-1 setup was designed to provide defensive solidity through the two central defenders, while the midfield trio would be expected to control possession, support both defence and attack, and supply the striker with chances. Karim’s role upfront was to capitalise on opportunities and convert chances into goals.

The match burst into life early on when Prince Karim struck the post in the third minute, signalling the Pythons’ attacking intent. However, Tameside Juniors responded swiftly, taking the lead in the fifth minute with a close-range finish inside the box, expertly struck with the left foot.

Prince continued to press, but his next attempt in the fifth minute went wide. Droylsden’s Teddy Blunt tested the opposition keeper with a shot saved in the ninth minute. Then, at 11 minutes, Joshua O’ Reilly levelled the scores with a stunning long-range deflected strike from outside the box, expertly curled in with his right foot after an assist from Max Higham on the left hand side.

The Pythons’ striker Prince had further attempts at 12 minutes wide of the mark, and Callum Heaton and Max Higham also saw efforts drift wide in quick succession. At 14 minutes, the first substitutions were made as Muwaffaq Sanusi replaced Teddy Blunt, followed by Roman Arrandale coming on for Callum Heaton at 15 minutes. Elliott Walshe also entered the fray at the same time, taking the place of Max Higham, indicating some early tactical adjustments.

Despite these changes, Tameside Juniors regained the lead at 17 minutes, capitalising on a defensive mistake, a pass from Logan Myerscough to Joshua O’Reilly was intercepted by the Tameside striker who scored from close range with their right foot. Droylsden responded positively, and at 21 minutes Prince found the net with a right-footed finish inside the box, following a clever route- one assist from goalkeeper Jake Duff. The ball over the top was perfect for Prince to run on to and a tidy finish.

Elliott Walshe’s shot was saved at 22 minutes, but Prince struck again at 28 minutes, finishing inside the box after a long pass from Joshua O’ Reilly. Remarkably, Prince sealed his second goal just two minutes later with a tight finish from outside the area, showcasing his shooting range.

The first half concluded with Karim’s wide attempt at 30 minutes, and the teams went in level at 4-4 after a pulsating 30 minutes of football.

The second half saw immediate action with Muwaffaq Sanusi’s shot saved at 31 minutes. A flurry of substitutions followed: Max Higham returned to the pitch replacing Sanusi, Teddy Blunt came back on for Roman Arrandale, and Callum Heaton replaced Elliott Walshe, signalling a reshuffle to regain control.

Tameside Juniors struck again at 33 minutes. Quick thinking, the opposition took advantage of the run-in whilst the pythons were trying to get organised. A lovely left-footed effort from outside the box, restoring their lead. Droylsden’s goalkeeper Jake Duff pulled off a full-stretch save at 38 minutes to keep his side in the contest.

Further substitutions took place at 39 minutes, with Sanusi and Arrandale returning to the field, while Elliott Walshe briefly left and re-entered the match. Prince’s wide effort at 40 minutes was followed by another close-range goal from Tameside Juniors at 41 minutes, continuing the seesaw battle.

Droylsden’s Joshua O’ Reilly responded with a direct free-kick goal at 43 minutes, demonstrating his set-piece prowess. A rocket of a strike with the Tameside goalkeeper having no chance.

O’Reilly then added a long-range strike at 46 minutes, more of a hit and hope, it was a poor effort from the goalkeeper. Both goals struck with his right foot, bringing the Pythons back into contention and sealing his first ever hat-trick.

Muwaffaq Sanusi’s wide attempt came at 47 minutes, and shortly after, a tactical substitution saw Teddy Blunt replace Joshua O’ Reilly at 49 minutes. Sanusi then scored his first goal for Droylsden at the same minute, finishing inside the box with a right-footed strike assisted by Karim. Pythons with a 3 goal lead made it 7-4.

Max Higham replaced Logan Myerscough at 49 minutes, and Callum Heaton came on for Karim at 50 minutes. Jake Duff again demonstrated his goalkeeping quality with a full-stretch save at 51 minutes.

Tameside Juniors continued to press and scored again at 52 minutes with a close-range right-footed finish inside the box. They further extended their advantage at 55 minutes with a close-range left-footed goal after Droylsden failed to clear their lines.

Late substitutions at 57 minutes saw Logan Myerscough return for Sanusi, Joshua O’Reilly replace Arrandale replace, and Prince re-enter the field for Heaton, ensuring fresh legs for the closing stages and to tighten up the back line. Pythons were holding on desperately.

The match ended in heartbreaking fashion for the Pythons as Tameside snatched a dramatic last-gasp equaliser in the dying seconds. A frantic goalmouth scramble saw the ball eventually find the back of the net, denying the Pythons a deserved victory after they had worked so hard to maintain their lead. The final whistle brought an extraordinary 7-7 draw — an incredible spectacle packed with attacking flair, goals and resilience, but ultimately a hugely disappointing result for the Pythons, who were agonisingly unable to hold on when victory was within their grasp.

Joshua O’Reilly enjoyed an impressive outing, making his presence felt at both ends of the pitch. His solid defensive work was complemented by a superb attacking contribution as he netted his first-ever hat-trick. Joshua worked hard throughout, showing good determination and helping the Pythons maintain their lead for large periods of the game. His all-round contribution in an entertaining and closely fought encounter earned him the Man of the Match award.