Gresley Rovers vs Hinckley United
This was yet another frustrating game for Gresley die-hards as they saw their team miss numerous chances that should have had the game tied up by half time.
The difference between Premier side Hinckley United and Western Division Gresley was not evident as the home side made all the early running. In fact, for most of the first half Gresley were much the better side but, as seen so often in football of all levels, two silly mistakes and the dominant side is two down.
Gresley made the running from the kick off and it took Andy Penny to put a cross by Neil Kitching out for a corner as Paul Tomlinson lay in wait.
On 20 minutes Jamie Barrett put a telling header through to Kitching who broke through the Hinckley back line but the striker could only fire against the legs of visiting keeper Farhad Afandiyev.
The keeper was tested again when Gary White sent in a high ball into the area but the Azerbaijan under-21 international flapped at it and was extremely lucky that his half-hearted attempt did not fall kindly for the Gresley front-runners.
Hinckley had failed to make much impact on the Gresley defence but on 34 minutes James Lindley was called on to make his first save of the game. A bit of a scramble in the area led to Scott Voice being allowed to have a shot on goal but the home keeper easily parried the ball way.
A minute later Hinckley went into the lead. They were awarded a fortunate free kick on the right and Stuart Storer's kick was deflected cruelly and floated nicely into the path of Zeke Rowe whose header beat Lindley.
It went from bad to worse as just three minutes later Gresley gifted their opponents another "soft" goal.
Hinckley were awarded a corner and Martin Fox played the ball short to Neil Cartwright and it was his cross that was Gresley's undoing. Owen James, who had only been on the field for four minutes as a substitute for Stuart Evans, succeeded in putting his header past Lindley.
After the break Hinckley came out looking for a third and came close within a minute of the re-start.
A good run down the left by Fox ended in a fierce drive that Lindley did well to push round the post for a corner.
The game now began to flow from end to end and on 48 minutes Earl Alexander was inches away from meeting a cross by Kitching.
Two minutes later the ball was down the other end and Rowe tested Lindley with a shot that the keeper did well to hold.
On 61 minutes Andy Bourne went close after coming on as substitute for Tomlinson.
White made a searching run into the Hinckley half and his cross was hurriedly cleared as both Bourne and Alexander closed in on the loose ball.
On 70 minutes Carl Timms, making an impressive full debut, made a dashing run into the box and his well struck shot was blocked by a defender.
Gresley were now putting the visitor's under pressure with both Kitching and Bourne going close.
The same pair were involved again a few minutes later and it took a suoerb save from the young Hinckley keeper to keep out Bourne's goal bound shot.
On 85 minutes Gresley got the goal their pressure deserved. Richard Wardle made a mazy run past a couple of static defenders before cracking a rocket-of-a-shot past Afandiyev.
The last few minutes saw Gresley piling on non-stop pressure but the 3 minutes of madness at the end of the first half was enough to see Hinckley through instead of Gresley.
The Manager's view
"I thought we played well for the majority of the game and then we switched off and conceded two sloppy goals.
"Second half I thought we came out and dominated the game. To be honest they did the bits better that you need to do - such as getting the second ball, defended like their life depended on it. At time I don't think we do that so I'm disappointed really.
"It seems that we miss chances every week and you can't go on missing them. We've said that we go and win game two or three nil when really we should have won six or seven. You can't keep missing chance after chance after chance because they catch up with you, and they did again tonight.
"Stuart Evans had to come off because he was struggling. That's another thing, it seems that every game we play one of the centre half's comes off which is ridiculous really. I've got to do some work now and see what happens. It may be time to bring someone in but that's easier said than done.
"Gary Smith has got chicken pox in the family. He hasn't got it himself but he was at home looking after the wife and four children. He didn't want to come in and spread it around the club, which was a sensible decision. Hopefully he'll be back for Saturday but we'll have to wait and see.
"Craig Hopkins should be back. He's been away in London working.
"I thought Carl Timms did well tonight. If a few more of the team could copy his desire and enthusiasm for the game it would improve them no end.
"Richard Wardle scored a rare goal. It was a good finish, a very good goal.
"We've now got to pull our socks up and go again on Saturday."
Gresley Rovers (0) 1
Hinckley United (2) 2
Scorers: Wardle 85 (Gresley Rovers); Rowe 35, James 38 (og) (Hinckley United)
Gresley Rovers: Lindley, Wardle, G White, Peters (Crawford 74), Evans (James 34), Cheetham, Barrett, Timms, Kitching, Tomlinson (Bourne 57), Alexander. Subs not used: Moran, Roberts (gk).
Hinckley United: Afandiyev, Cartwright, Dakin, Crowley (Wilkes 68), Penny, Preston, Storer, Dyer, Rowe (Sadler 62), Voice (Mitchell 83), Fox. Sub not used: Jenkins.
Rovers Star Man: Carl Timms - tremendous debut worked hard and with enthusiasm.
Referee: R Burton (Burton ).
Attendance: 225
