Gresley Rovers vs Oldswinford
Easy does it, Moatmen – Andy Parker – Burton Mail
Gresley edged rather than stormed to victory over Oldswinford at the Moat Ground on Saturday.
Richard Denby’s spectacular goal with virtually the last kick of the match set the victory seal but until that point the league leaders’ performance was constructed largely of frills without final product.
Paul Acklam’s instinctive half volley in the 28th minute gave the Moatmen a platform for victory after Tracey Norton had earlier struck a penalty against the crossbar but after that Gresley’s control was never total against a battling Oldswinford.
There could even have been the shock of a goal for the opposing side if Darren Yates or John James had found a finish to a 15-minute breakaway or the visitors capitalised on the dynamic late appearance of 16-year-old substitute Mike Smith.
Rather than the youngster’s emerging skills, Oldswinford had earlier relied on a hard edge verging on the cynical to keep Rovers at bay and were fortunate that only midfielder Lee Brassington found himself in the referee Rejer’s notebook at the end of the afternoon.
Keeper John Holmes was one of the first to err, tripping Acklam’s ankles as he chased away from goal onto Kieron Smith’s long pass but Norton, who needed a second attempt to convert a penalty against the same side three weeks before, this time pinged the ball back off the crossbar.
It took the intervention of sweeper Steve Astley to open up the visitors’ defence, a low cross from the left squirming under a defender’s foot for Acklam to arrow the ball home imperiously from 12 yards.
Rather than capitalise on the lead, though, Gresley went close to losing it within five minutes when a long throw from Gary Grisdale skimmed off the head defender Gil Land and against the far post with Bob Aston beaten.
It took the arrival of former skipper Dean Page after a 10-month absence to enliven the crowd after that, although Gresley were always threatening to add to their lead as the game neared its conclusion.
Oldswinford’s Smith had other ideas, though, first forcing Aston to pluck a shot from the top corner of the goal then setting up Grisdale to fire over an inviting target from 10 yards.
Denby finally wrapped things up in spectacular style, firing the ball superbly into the top corner after picking up Neil Lovell’s short corner.
Gresley Rovers (1) 2
Oldswinford (0) 0
Scorers: Acklam 28, Denby 90.
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Bottomley, Dick (Page 62), Denby, Land, Astley, Scally (Christopher 65), Norton, Acklam, Smith, Lovell.
Oldswinford: Holmes, Brookes, R James, Bullingham, Taylor, Grisdale, Yates, Brassington, Weston (Allen 70), J James, Ewbanks (Smith 78).
Gresley man-of-the-match: Steve Astley.
Referee: P Rejer (Tipton).
Attendance: 264
