Shepshed Charterhouse vs Gresley Rovers
Keiron cracker – Andy Parker – Burton Mail
Two goal Keiron Smith led sheepish Shepshed to the slaughter last night in a game Gresley manager Frank Northwood described as “a good training session.”
A low key Evans Halshaw Floodlit Cup encounter turned out a to be little more than that against a remarkably toothless Northern Premier League side that gave Rovers keeper Bob Aston possibly one of his most trouble-free 90 minutes of the season.
And in the end a brace of goals from Smith in the space of ten second half minutes gave Gresley a comfortable victory.
Shepshed’s young side worked hard enough, but lacked any cutting edge at all against a reshuffled Gresley defence in which former Burton Albion striker Dave Redfern played as sweeper – and looked as though he’d played there all his life.
Shepshed gave Gresley just one anxious moment in the first half when two former players, Paul Bunce and Matt Littlejohn, combined from a corner to give Mick Collins a chance but the midfielder blazed over the bar.
Gresley had done little more to trouble home keeper Richard Selby at that stage. Brian Beresford being forced out after breaking into the box and Neil Lovell firing wide from 20 yards.
But it was a different story after the break as Gresley assumed total control. Beresford shot over from a good position then almost reached the ball ahead of Selby after Gil Land and Craig Weston had helped on a Richard Denby corner.
Smith finally broke the deadlock with a lightening strike after picking up full back Anthony Thompson’s mistimed backpass.
And the lively striker made sure of victory 10 minutes later, controlling Paul Acklam’s flick before firing past Selby from 15 yards.
Shepshed Charterhouse (0) 0
Gresley Rovers (0) 2
Scorer: Smith 78, 88.
Shepshed Charterhouse: Selby, Mills, Thompson, Collins, Fuller, Walker, Bunce, Littlejohn, Gilliver, Gamble (Watts 45), Shepherd. Sub not used: Williamson.
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Barry, Elliott, Denby, Land, Redfern, Weston, Smith, Acklam, Beresford, Lovell. Subs not used: Grant, Haynes.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Scott Elliott.
Referee: J Barlow (Somercotes).
