Hinckley Athletic vs Gresley Rovers
Norton’s shock return – Andy Parker – Burton Mail
Monday’s soccer shock of the day was striker Tracey Norton’s entirely unexpected return to Gresley Rovers first team action at Hinckley Athletic.
Norton had played less than two full games for Rovers reserves before turning up for yesterday’s crucial league meeting at Middlefield Lane – expecting to be named as substitute.
But Rovers boss plunged the talented front runner straight in at the deep end and had the satisfaction of seeing him play a leading role in what ended up as a comfortable victory.
Said Norton afterwards: “I couldn’t believe it when the boss told me I was playing. Now I’m delighted that I’ve come through the game – and that we’ve won. I’ve been striking the ball harder and harder in training and my touch was there today. Now I hope to play in every game for the rest of the season. We’ve got a good run-in – plus a couple of cup finals to look forward to at the end of the season.”
It was a delight to see Norton’s classy touches and aerial power illuminating Rovers’ play after a three-month lay off with a serious groin injury. Indeed, his flick was crucial in the build up to Rovers opener, Neil Lovell escaping to cross from the left and Andy Moore heading in at the far post.
That put Gresley on their way after an opening half in which they had bombarded the Athletic goal, doing everything but putting the ball in the net.
There were more missed chances after the break – at both ends of the field – before Graham Jones raced onto Michael Guest’s superb pass beat keeper Paul Bliss with a perfectly judged shot from the left corner of the penalty area that crept in via a post. “A superb goal,” said Northwood.
Hinckley gave up the ghost after that and Jones was given time and space to cross from the right for Kieron Smith to wrap the game up.
But the Moatmen earned a blasting from Northwood afterwards for stepping off the pace in the final ten minutes, allowing defender Paul Lambert to score a barely deserved consolation for Athletic.
Hinckley Athletic (0) 1
Gresley Rovers (0) 3
Scorers: Lambert 85 (Hinckley Athletic); Moore 53, Jones 76, Smith 80 (Gresley Rovers).
Hinckley Athletic: Bliss, Markham, Walsh (Bennett 75), Allen, Lambert, Scoular. Butler, Cox (Coleman 71), Weston, Clark Hill.
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Bottomley, Guest, Denby, Haskins (Astley 69), Page, Moore, Norton, Acklam (Smith 45), Jones, Lovell.
Gresley man-of-the-match: John Bottomley.
Referee: B D Priest (Halesowen).
Attendance: 205
