Blakenall vs Gresley Rovers
Super Rovers – Dave Hackett – Burton Mail
A scintillating first half display enabled Gresley Rovers to inflict champions Blakenall’s first defeat of the season as the Moatmen opened up a four point lead at the top of the Banks’s League table.
As in the midweek demolition of fellow title aspirants Oldbury, Rovers effectively killed off Blakenall’s challenge by roaring into a 3-0 interval lead as they took full advantage of the wind and slope before the interval.
Former Walsall boss Tommy Coakley, now directing Blakenall’s operations in a full-time capacity, was lavish in his praise of Gresley after the game.
“You can’t allow sides of Gresley’s quality a three goal start and expect to win. We made the mistakes and were punished,” he said.
Rovers punctuated a cagey opening with a three-goal burst in 17 magical minutes. The gulf in class between the two sides was so great in the first period that the Moatmen might easily have led 6-0 at the interval instead of 3-0.
Steve Adcock, who gave another impressive display, paved the way for the opener with a cross-shot which keeper Peter Hall fumbled, enabling the alert Andy Maddocks to gobble up an easy chance.
As the home side briefly threatened a comeback John Bottomley disposed Dave Liggins with a superbly timed challenge before Mick Folland headed over from close-in.
Hall went someway atoning for his error with the opening goal when he produced a stunning one-handed save to thwart Kieron Smith.
However, there was no escape for the home side when Brian Beresford’s left wing corner picked out Steve Astley, who crowned a masterful defensive display by pocketing goal number two.
The best goal was still to come with Beresford and Smith playing the minor roles to preface a stunning strike from Maddocks which had the far corner of the net bulging.
Even keeper Bob Aston almost got in the scoring act on the half hour with a huge clearance downfield which had Hall stretching anxiously to prevent himself from suffering a moment of acute embarrassment.
Then Smith left Hall groping at thin air with a sweetly-struck volley which rattled the bar.
Not surprisingly, the second half was something of an anti-climax, although Hall twice kept the scoreline down to respectable proportions after first Michael Guest and then substitute Steve Snaith, on for the limping Maddocks, had set up scoring openings for Adcock.
Even though former Rovers Andy Moore pulled back a goal on the hour to reward the homes side for their best spell. Blakenall never ever seriously threatened to make a contest of it.
Blakenall (0) 1
Gresley Rovers (3) 3
Scorers: Moore 60 (Blakenall); Maddocks 10, 27; Astley 22 (Gresley Rovers).
Blakenall: Hall, Crook (Williamson 78), Brotherton, Street, Davies, Swinhoe, Keeling, Folland, Knox, Moore, Liggins (Shaw 57).
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Bottomley, Bromley, Denby, Land, Astley, Guest, Smith, Maddocks (Snaith 50), Beresford, Adcock. Sub not used: Perry.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Steve Astley.
Referee: B Millerchip (Tamworth).
Attendance: 200
