Gresley Rovers vs Lye Town
Gresley keep the pot boiling – Andy Parker – Burton Mail
Sidelined striker Graham Jones produced exactly the response required when he rose from the substitute’ bench at the Moat Ground on Saturday afternoon.
Jones, dropped for the first time in his Gresley career as part of the shake-up by Moat Ground boss Frank Northwood, had watched his in-favour teammates toil in front of the Lye goal for 54 minutes before replacing the ineffective Andy Maddocks.
Within three minutes he turned up on the end of Rovers’ most penetrating move of a generally frustrating afternoon to thrash in the goal that kept Gresley’s title chase alive.
And that gave Northwood who has seen his team labour through three successive draws, something to smile about at last.
“The fall guys are not out yet,” he declared afterwards: a reference to the topsy-turvy string of results among the title challenge pack that, incredibly, keeps Rovers still a nose ahead of the rest.
And with main rivals Blakenall facing a nightmarish backlog of fixtures, Northwood was happy to point out: “We haven’t got to face four games a week till the end of the season which has got to keep us in with a good chance.”
If Gresley are to achieve a miracle, though, they will need to regain the goal touch that has deserted them in recent weeks.
Perhaps the return of striker Paul Acklam, who aims to be up for selection for Saturday’s home game with Hinckley Town, will be the fillip that Rovers require. On Saturday, nothing seemed to be going for them in the penalty area.
Twice in the opening minutes Kieron Smith had the chance to sooth jangled nerves with an early goal. First right back Paul Jackson passed straight to the striker’s feet but he failed to control, then left back Darren Taylor repeated the sin only for Smith to handle with only keeper Andy Crannage to beat.
That set the tone for the afternoon. Gresley playing “some real good football” in Northwood’s estimation had Lye rocking on their heels but could not supply the finishing touch.
Instead it was Lye who twice came close to undeservedly opening the score. First midfielder Paul Whitehead powered past Dean Page only for Martin Dick to hack the ball off the line then, when Bob Aston spilled a stinging shot from Robin Wood, centre forward John Wesson wafted the ball high over a wide-open goal.
It was left to Jones to show the way, finishing off a four-man move started by Steve Astley down the right, kept alive by Tracey Norton’s persistence in the box and helped on by Neil Lovell’s unselfish square pass that found Jones unmarked 10 yards out.
Lye applied persistent pressure as they sought an equaliser, but it was Gresley who came closest to a second when Smith’s effort was disallowed for handball.
Gresley Rovers (0) 1
Lye Town (0) 0
Scorer: Jones 57.
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Bottomley, Dick, Denby, Guest, Page, Astley, Norton, Smith, Maddocks (Jones 57), Lovell. Sub not used: Moore.
Lye Town: Crannage, Jackson (Powell 45), Taylor, Cartwright, Paskin, Whitehead, Wood, Cole, Wesson, Marsh (Wingfield 70), Potter.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Martin Dick.
Referee: P Stokes (Rugeley).
Attendance: 275
