Halesowen Town vs Gresley Rovers
A cruel slice of ill fortune deprived Gresley Rovers of an auspicious victory at The Grove last night as Steve Dolby brave battlers put the memory of two consecutive defeats firmly behind them.
Leading through a 21st-minute Ady Mann penalty, Rovers looked to have survived a torrid opening quarter when a wickedly deflected shot from Halesowen's Richard Crisp put the home side back in the game.
Paul Wardle will go on record as having scored an own goal, but few defenders suffer worse luck than the Rovers centre back.
Wardle got in the way of Crisp's driven right wing cross but succeeded only in deflecting the ball high over the head of keeper Stuart Ford from just inside the 18-yard box.
That, however, was the only black mark on a gritty performance that conclusively put Steve Dolby's team back on course after their recent disappointments.
How Rovers had to battle for their point, though! After Wardle had been booked for a foul on Kevin Harrison just 34 seconds into the game Halesowen dominated possession early on, stretching their visitors with strong running and neat passing.
Rovers created the first chance, Mark Hurst just failing to get enough on Ady Mann's well-flighted through ball to trouble Derek Dudley, Dave Taylor crossing onto the top of the bar shortly afterwards as Gresley looked threatening on the break, but after 14 minutes the home side should have gone ahead from their best opening of the game.
Crisp set up the opening with an incisive run along the right and when Paul Joinson helped his cross into the path of John Snape the Yeltz skipper had a big target to aim at but put the ball wide of Ford's goal from inside the penalty area.
Town were rueing the miss even more seven minutes later when Mann carried the ball forward and Rob McGovern released Taylor for a run at left back Jason Owen. The Rovers striker taunted and teased his man before turning brilliantly past the full back on the goal line only to be sent crashing to the deck by a trip from behind, Mann thumping home the spot kick.
Rovers fought grittily to defend their lead with Brian Horseman bravely getting in the way of Crisp's shot after Richard Denby had inadvertently rolled the ball into the midfielder's path on the edge of the box and new signing Jim Rodwell finding himself pressured into heading off target when Snape picked him out with a clever free kick.
Mann could have increased Rovers' lead when Hurst broke clear onto Andy Garner's through ball and squared the ball along the edge of the penalty area but the midfielder failed to make proper contact.
Then, disaster, Mick Shearer released Crisp on the right despite a clattering challenge from Nick Stanborough but the firmly hit cross looked to be heading nowhere until Wardle's unfortunate intervention.
Halesowen kept up the pressure after the break but Rovers were unbending in defence with Stanborough an imposing figure.
Indeed, it was Rovers that the best chances fell, Hurst forcing an excellent save from Dudley when he pounced on Mann's through ball with a first time shot that the keeper palmed round a post at full stretch.
Then, from Denby's corner, Wardle rose at the far post with a thumping header that Dudley was forced to push over the crossbar.
Rovers reshuffled to soak up more pressure with Richard Wardle and Graeme Fowkes replacing Hurst and Garner and while Halesowen kept their forward momentum going right to the final whistle there was never any real suggestion that Rovers would wilt at the 11th hour.
Halesowen Town (1) 1
Gresley Rovers (1) 1
Scorers: P Wardle (og) 35 (Halesowen); Mann 21 (pen) (Gresley Rovers).
Halesowen Town: Dudley, Bradley, Owen, Rodwell, Snape, Massey, Harrison, Joinson (Clarke 76), Crisp, Shearer, Hackett. Subs not used: Colley, Hart (gk).
Gresley Rovers: Ford, Foster, Horseman, Denby, P Wardle, Stanborough, McGovern, Garner (R Wardle 62), Hurst (Fowkes 76), Mann, Taylor. Sub not used: Evans.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Nick Stanborough.
Referee: R J Olivest (Sutton Coldfield).
Attendance: 584
