Gresley Rovers vs Wolverhampton Casuals
Rovers blasted as ‘too casual’ – Andy Parker – Burton Mail
Gresley’s desperate battle NOT to win the Banks’s League plumbed new depths at the Moat Ground on Saturday.
Rovers, so often in recent weeks in golden positions to virtually wrap up the title, have suddenly found themselves deserted of form, good fortune and flair.
Gresley were stunned by Saturday’s defeat at the hand of one of the leagues poorest sides. And manager Frank Northwood admitted: “One or two fans were saying ‘what a load of rubbish’ and you can’t blame them.
“But I would point out what anyone who’s ever been involved in football will confirm and that is that players don’t go out to play badly. Our lads thought: ‘It’s only Wolverhampton Casuals and we don’t even have to play. That’s obviously the wrong attitude.”
Just as in their previous game, a 2-0 defeat at Rushall, Rovers looked like world beaters in the opening stages. Paul Acklam forced two terrific stops from rookie keeper Andy Newman: a bullet header from Derek Christopher’s cross producing a diving save and a ferocious point blank volley from Richard Denby’s corner a goalline block: Steve Astley’s skilful-run created a six-yard chance that Kieron Smith skied over and Newman stretched again to tip over Denby’s swirling cross.
On 32 minutes it all came right, Denby and Neil Lovell linking on the right, Acklam neatly controlling his skipper’s cross and Smith blasting home from inside the six-yard box.
But Casuals had already found gaps in Rovers’ back four to create two early chances and should have levelled when Steve Hawkes fired over from close range after an errant Gil Land backpass.
With 20 minutes left the worst happened. With the Gresley defence nowhere at all John Lees scampered unhindered down the left and coolly fired past Bob Aston.
Rovers looked nervous at the back now and there was a let-off when Paul Tudor beat Land but shot over. Then came the appalling moment – and appalling it was – of defeat. Tudor beat totally mis-hit his free kick from outside the box but the ball skewed through to Nick Loftus 12 yards out. His reaction when the ball hit the net was one of disbelief rather than delight.
Land almost pulled it out of the fire with a header from Denby’s free kick that Newton tipped onto a post but Rovers barely deserved a point from such a drab, unimaginative performance.
Gresley Rovers (1) 1
Wolverhampton Casuals (0) 2
Scorers: Smith 32 (Gresley Rovers); Lees 70, Loftus 80 (Wolverhampton Casuals).
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Bottomley, Dick, Denby, Land, Astley, Christopher (Norton 65), Thompson, Acklam, Smith, Lovell. Sub not used: Page.
Wolverhampton Casuals: Newman, Butler, Pincher, Foster, Vaughan, Walker, Drury, Hawkes, Loftus, Lees, Tudor. Subs not used: Tonks, Crutchley.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Steve Astley.
Referee: A J Martin (Penkridge).
Attendance: 267
