Gresley Rovers vs Rocester
Mick is the thorn in Rovers’ side – Andy Parker – Burton Mail
Striker Mick Collins kept up the habit of scoring against his old club as Rocester chalked up another victory over Gresley Rovers last night.
Although the Evans Halshaw Floodlit Cup was providing a warm-up for more serious Banks’s League matters to come, there was no hint that the East Staffordshire side were taking this encounter anything less than seriously.
And it was Rocester’s extra commitment in the opening minutes that proved crucial to the outcome.
They led after six minutes and, while Gresley went on to dominate most of the second half in terms of possession, in the final analysis Rocester could, and possibly should, have won by a more convincing scoreline.
As ever, the Romans’ attacking kingpin was former Burton Albion winger Tony Hemmings. And it was one of his withering bursts down the left that set up Collins’ precious strike.
Hemmings won a corner, John Meyer crossed to the near post, Paul Croft provided the most subtle of flick-ons and Collins shot home from point blank range for a text book goal.
Gresley – giving two players their full debuts – went close to levelling when Keith Maxwell moved unmarked onto a Richard Denby free kick but Mark Deaville saved bravely.
His Rovers counterpart Bob Aston saved equally well from Hemmings before Rovers’
Rob Grant was booked for felling the rampant winger.
Appeals for penalties at both ends went unheeded, first when Dave Sherry appeared to trip Carl France and then after Chris Nixon was alleged to have handled under pressure from Richard Denby, before Gresley went close to an equaliser, Kieron Smith and Gil Land both seeing efforts blocked on the line after Denby’s corner.
By comparison to the first, the second half was a non-event, Rovers bringing on reserves Dave Redfern and Adam Noble and Rocester introducing Craig Walket and Alan Ibbs.
Not until the final 10 minutes did another goal appear possible, Adcock shooting narrowly wide for Gresley then setting up Redfearn for a belting shot that Deaville expertly tipped over.
At the other end Meyer’s superb crossfield pass put Ibbs in the clear but Aston saved brilliantly.
Gresley Rovers (0) 0
Rocester (1) 1
Scorer: Collins 6.
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Barry, Grant, Denby, Land, Sherry, Weston, Smith (Redfern 62), Maxwell, Adcock, Lovell (Noble 62).
Rocester: Deaville, Croft, Nixon, Owen, Damjanovic, M Ede, Carr (Walklet 73), Meyer, Collins (Ibbs 61), France, Hemmings.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Steve Adcock.
Referee: P A Elwick (Castle Donington).
Attendance: 441
