Gresley Rovers vs Matlock Town
Life of Brian – Rex Page – Burton Mail
Brian Beresford, the grand old man of the Moat Ground, was the toast of Gresley Rovers last night after piloting them to an extraordinary Derbyshire Senior Cup triumph.
Beresford, fast approaching his 36th birthday and nursing an ankle injury, was overwhelmingly hailed the hero after launching Gresley into an epic fightback.
Rovers were trailing 2-0 on the night and 3-1 on aggregate when the vastly-experienced front runner was thrust into the action with only half-an-hour remaining.
“Bezza” took just eight heart-stopping minutes to turn the game on its head and send the Moat Ground delirious.
He trimmed Matlock’s lead with his first touch and then headed a dramatic 70th minute equaliser.
The, with emotions starting to boil over, Steve Astley completed Gresley’s remarkable triumph with a brilliantly-struck 85th minute winner.
It was all rather more than Matlock could take. Their fans had to be cleared from behind the goal after an assault on Rovers defender Gil Land; midfielder Everton Marsh was sent off for punching Gresley’s trainer and defender Les Hunter was booked after the final whistle.
Gresley and their jubilant fans refused to allow such surly behaviour to spoil their night, however, especially after such an Herculean effort to transform the game.
For the best part of an hour Matlock’s superior strength, method and ability to unleash penetrating attacks held sway as Gresley struggled desperately to repeat the form which had earned them a share of the honours in last week’s opening skirmish at Causeway Lane.
Matlock deservedly went ahead in the 29th minute when Marsh punished an error by John Barry to beat Bob Aston with a crisp left foot shot.
And Rovers appeared to be heading for defeat when John Sheppard’s dazzling right foot shot stretched the Gladiators’ lead in the 58th minute.
But the introduction of Beresford proved inspirational. He instantly gave his team mates the kiss of life when his predatory instincts took him into the right place at the right time to knock the ball home after Neil Lovell’s left foot shot had rebounded off a post.
Matlock, suddenly showing signs of distress, had their lead wiped out in the 70th minute. John Bottomley’s pass on the right beat a faltering offside trap and Paul Acklam’s cross was perfectly-tailored for Beresford to power home a six-yard header.
The rest of the game was played in an atmosphere of near pandemonium as referee George Stones found himself the focus of considerable attention. Stones had made an excellent job of the first leg and earned further admiration by asserting his authority as the temperature on the pitch soared.
He responded quickly to a dangerous situation by ordering Matlock fans to move from behind a goal after Gil Land had been kicked in the aftermath of a remarkable goalline clearance that denied Sheppard his second goal of the night.
Matlock’s shattered composure proved their undoing in the 85th minute. John Ridley, their player-coach, was penalised for a show of dissent 22 yards out and Denby rolled the ball square for Astley to thrash in an awesome right foot shot.
Before the 800-plus crowd had a chance to catch its breath, Stones had to sort out another ugly situation.
Marsh’s vicious tackle left Lovell writhing in agony in the centre circle and as Gresley trainer Gordon Ford attempted to administer treatment he was punched by the volatile Matlock man. His dismissal was a mere formality.
Gresley Rovers (0) 3
Matlock Town (1) 2
Scorers: Beresford 62, 70, Astley 85 (Gresley Rovers); Marsh 29, Sheppard 58 (Matlock Town).
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Barry, Dick (Adcock 79), Denby, Land, Astley, Bottomley, Norton, Acklam, Philpott (Beresford 61), Lovell.
Matlock Town: Wilson, Fuller, Mitchell, Marsh, Hunter, Ridley, Tilly, Sheppard, Hoyland, Gee, Greaves. Subs not used: Thompson, Burrows.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Gil Land.
Referee: G Stones (Walton-on-Trent).
Attendance: 853
