Stourport Swifts vs Gresley Rovers
Sweet revenge – Andy Parker – Burton Mail
Five-star Gresley wreaked impressive revenge on the side who helped wreck their title dream last May.
Rovers were held to a 2-2 draw on their last visit to Stourport but there was never any chance of a repeat shock on Saturday.
Following on from the previous Tuesday’s impressive win at Paget, the Moatmen left Swifts huffing and puffing in their shadows.
A string of chances came and went before Neil Lovell arrived at the far post to meet Paul Acklam’s right wing cross on 35 minutes and despatch a firm header. Ten minutes later the diminutive midfielder popped up again to finish off a smooth attacking sweep, crashing in an 18-yard shot off the crossbar.
Stourport’s generous defence set up Andy Maddocks to volley a third four minutes after the restart and it became a question of how many Gresley would score.
But the home side rallied sufficiently for Dave Haycock to blast home from 18 yards after a dazzling turn.
There was no way back for Swifts, though, and Gresley merely iced their cake with two goals in the last five minutes. Kieron Smith’s header from a Michael Guest cross was on its way into the net when substitute Brian Beresford popped up to nod the ball over the line.
But if Smith was miffed at being denied his first goal of the season he was soon compensated in full by Beresford who pulled the ball back brilliantly from the left to allow his fellow striker to display his finishing skills unaided.
Stourport Swifts (0) 1
Gresley Rovers (2) 5
Scorers: Haycock 72 (Stourport Swifts); Lovell, 35,45; Maddocks 49, Beresford 86, Smith 89 (Gresley Rovers).
Stourport Swifts: Keenan, English, Dowler, Lee, Bayliss, Rice, Langford, Shinton, Haydock, Rodder, Wallace (Fulloway 45). Sub not used: Little.
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Perry, Dick, Denby, Land, Astley, Guest, Smith, Acklam (Beresford 55), Maddocks (Adcock 74), Lovell.
Gresley man-of-the-man: Gil Land.
Referee: A G Wiley (Walsall).
Attendance: 140
