Stapenhill vs Gresley Rovers
Everyone’s a winner – Andy Parker – Burton Mail
Gresley Rovers will go down in the record books as the team that won the Derbyshire Senior Cup 1989.
But there was another victor after last night’s hard fought final at Edge Hill, Stapenhill – the football fraternity of Burton and South Derbyshire.
For while Gresley were stealing the glory as they overturned Stapenhill’s 1-0 first leg advantage in a game more notable for its guts and grit than it glitter, one historic landmark was, perhaps, being almost overlooked.
Forget, for a moment, the achievements, many and considerable though they may be in the higher echelons of local soccer, and consider that in this momentous season, the Burton area has gone close to a clean sweep in the less vaunted ranks of the noble game.
Burton Sunday and Saturday parks sides have lifted representative cups in their respective county competitions, two South Derbyshire sides met in the final of the Derbyshire Junior Cup and, in an historic first, it was Gresley and Stapenhill who swept aside opposition from much higher soccer spheres to hog this season’s Derbyshire Senior Cup limelight.
Last Thursday’s first leg was Stapenhill’s, a battling 1-0 win at the Moat Ground justifiably raised hopes of an unlikely win. But last night it all came right for Gresley.
On another day Steve Astley’s 22nd minute free kick might have deflected wide for a goal kick. Last night it took a deflection into the net. And on another night Stapenhill keeper Dave Boulton might have tipped Astley’s piledriver a minute before half time over the bar.
Last night he could only turn the shot against the woodwork, and Kieron Smith lashed in the rebound to give Gresley, just about deservedly over the two legs, the cup.
For once the game had gone to form in the opening 45 minutes. Stapenhill, strangely muted, after their 101 per cent efforts of the previous week, allowed their lofty cousins to seize the initiative after Rovers’ keeper Bob Aston had pushed Brian Beresford’s 18-yard shot wide in the fourth minute.
Gresley proceeded to dominate after that with Richard Denby this time comfortably shaking off the intentions of his watchdog, Chris Caulton, in midfield, to orchestrate a Gresley siege.
Smith’s ability to shake off the attentions of the Swans’ one-paced central defenders was to be the key to much of Rovers’ inventiveness and could have given them the lead on 20 minutes, Tracey Norton just failing to control in the box after the pacy frontrunner’s one-two with Paul Acklam.
A minute later, though, Stapenhill’s grip on the tie was decisively loosened. Phil Annable clattered Michael Guest 20 yards from goal and, although Astley’s free kick carried little venom, it struck a defender and deflected beyond Boulton.
Martin Fox flashed a volley just wide as Stapenhill sought a new lead but Gresley’s command was just beginning. Smith whacked a shot over from Lovell’s corner, then the midfielder turned up on the end of sparkling approach work by Martin Dick and Denby only for Ian King to block his shot.
Beresford and Dave Poole were both off the mark with half chances created by Fox’s pace and crossing before Gresley’s decisive goal a minute before the break.
King was forced to concede a corner as Acklam threatened on the right, Martin Haskins headed on Lovell’s flag kick and although Boulton produced a minor miracle to keep out Astley’s volley there was no stopping Smith from lofting the loose ball into the Swans’ net.
There was a suspicion that Gresley, with the wind behind them, might impose themselves further on their hosts after the break but instead it was Stapenhill who went up a new gear.
Astley, Gresley’s hero, cleared off the line after Poole had connected with Fox’s corner and Aston punched away Caulton’s free kick then held Dean Coppinger’s swirling cross under the bar.
Stapenhill (0) 0
Gresley Rovers (2) 2
Scorers: Astley 22, Smith 44.
Stapenhill: Boulton, Pearsall, Jackson, Annable, King, Caulton, A Coppinger, D Coppinger, Poole (Arthur 76), Beresford, Fox. Sub not used: Gough.
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Bottomley, Dick, Denby, Haskins, Astley, Guest, Norton, Smith, Acklam, Lovell. Subs not used: Moore, Maddocks.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Richard Denby.
Referee: B J Rudkin (Belper).
Attendance: 1312
