Halesowen Harriers vs Gresley Rovers
Old King Goal is Gresley hit man – Andy Parker – Burton Mail
Gresley Rovers’ goal king Brian Beresford may be in the twilight of his career – but he issued another reminder last night that, when it comes to putting the ball into the back of the net, he still has few peers.
After teenage debutant Robbie Grant had put Gresley ahead with a 16th-minute header Beresford weighed in with two first half strikes to effectively put the game beyond the reach of Harriers, whose stirring fightback after the interval left them just short of a point in the final analysis.
For Rovers it was the second away win against a top five opposition in the space of four days and further consolidated their firm hold on the Banks’s League leadership.
Quick tackling and always prepared to break out in numbers, Halesowen had their fair share of possession in an entertaining first half – but could not match Rovers’ finishing power.
Harriers created their best openings in the early stages but were rocked back on their heels when Neil Lovell drove Beresford’s short corner across the box and Grant sent a looping header into the top corner of the net.
It should have been two ten minutes later after Richard Denby and Kieron Smith opened up the Harriers defence but Paul Acklam spooned the ball over an open goal.
Beresford soon made amends, however, cracking in a superb drive into the bottom corner of the net from 18 yards after Smith headed down Denby’s cross.
Then the veteran striker poured on the agony for Harriers full back Mark Potter – earlier injured in a clash with Craig Weston and subsequently booked for arguing with the referee.
The defender dwelled on the ball for too long in the danger area of his own box and Beresford was quickly in to fire an acute angled shot past keeper Richard Attwood.
Attwood produced two superb saves to deny further goals for Paul Acklam after the break but the flow of the game suddenly changed when Toby Hall took advantage of indecisive defending to stride clear and fire a low shot past Bob Aston.
Gresley were suddenly under the cosh and when Hall was left unmarked in the box he set up Ian Guise to tuck away Harriers’ second.
That meant an anxious final quarter for Rovers but with new boy Grant and partner Gil Land turning in some beefy defensive work Gresley were able to hang on for a deserved and impressive win.
Halesowen Harriers (0) 2
Gresley Rovers (3) 3
Scorers: Hall 56, Giuse 70 (Halesowen Harriers), Grant 16, Beresford 35, 45 (Gresley Rovers).
Halesowen Harriers: Attwood, Lockett, Potter, Moore, Day (Crutchley 69), Thomas (Henley 27), Guise, Shepherd, Hall, Mason, Mason, Madeley.
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Barry, Elliott, Denby, Land, Grant, Weston, Smith, Acklam, Beresford (Adcock 89), Lovell. Sub not used: Sherry.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Brian Beresford.
Referee: M Watkins (Wolverhampton).
Attendance: 260
