Blakenall vs Gresley Rovers
Moatmen goal glut – Dave Hackett – Burton Mail
Gresley Rovers maintained their highly impressive start to the season to boast the only 100 per cent record in the Banks’s Premier Division with the demolition of a physical, uncompromising Blakenall.
However, the final script might have had a much different ending had it not been for goalkeeper Bob Aston who was quite superb.
Prior to Paul Acklam’s 28th minute opener Aston emphasised why he is rated by many Banks’s League followers as the top keeper with two excellent saves from Mick Folland and another from former Rovers player Mark Sparrock.
Steve Digville also headed wide from an inviting position before Acklam eased Gresley’s nerves by tucking a shot just inside the right hand post to maintain his goal a game record.
If Rovers were somewhat fortunate to be ahead at the interval there was no doubt whatsoever at the final whistle as to who were the superior team after Gresley had made Blakenall look distinctly ordinary with a powerful second half display.
Just as he had done in the two previous games against Chasetown and Paget, it was Beresford who effectively put the game beyond the home side with 55th and 57th minute goals.
Kieron Smith’s neat overhead released the veteran striker for his first then he held off Stuart Davies to stick out a foot and steer the ball wide of the bemused Hall.
The home side’s agony was complete in the 83rd minute when substitute Andy Maddocks to lash home his first goal of the season with a sweetly struck shot on the turn.
Blakenall (0) 0
Gresley Rovers (1) 4
Scorers: Acklam 28, Beresford 55, 57, Maddocks 83
Blakenall: Hall, Crook, Simpson, Sparrock, Davies, Simpkin, Cant, Digville (Glover 62), Folland, Dwyer, Street. Sub not used: Attwood.
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Barry, Dick, Denby, Land, Astley, Stokes, Smith, Acklam (Maddocks 63), Beresford (Lovell 81), Elliott.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Bob Aston.
Referee: W D Edwards (Stafford).
Attendance: 340
