Gresley Rovers vs Rocester
Penalty hit and miss – Andy Parker – Burton Mail
Rocester predictably became only the second team this season to avoid a Banks’s League defeat at the Moat Ground last night, but several hundred Gresley fans – and manager Frank Northwood – were convinced it should have been otherwise.
Rovers were denied victory by the controversial refusal of the referee to apply any advantage in the final five minutes of the game.
Twice Carl Rathbone was clear in a one-on-one situation with Romans keeper Mark Deaville only to be pulled back for a free kick to be awarded to Gresley in midfield.
Mr Smith’s poor display put a damper on what was a typical Gresley-Rocester derby clash, with the Romans no-holds-barred approach and Gresley’s equal passion for victory making the event spit and sizzle like a pan full of bangers at times.
Rocester collected two bookings as they battled to defend a fifth minute lead established from the trusty left boot of skipper Kevin Barry, who converted from the penalty spot after Tony Hemmings was tripped by Gil Land.
Rocester shook off their patchy form in their first quarter of the game to dictate play after Barry’s penalty, denying Gresley space and time in vital areas of the field.
There is more fibre and resilience to Gresley this season though and as the game progressed the Roman occupation dimmed in potency.
Land, more than compensating for his earlier blunder with a commanding display in central defence, saw a header cleared off the line by John Mayer and it seemed like justice when Deaville felled Rathbone on the right of the area and referee pointed to the spot just two minutes from the interval.
John Barry stepped up for the kick but Deaville, flinging himself to his right, produced a marvellous save.
Kevin Barry was booked for leaping in at Denby at the start of the second half as Rovers resumed their quest for an equaliser but that only delayed the inevitable, Paul Acklam finally sweeping his side level from a Rathbone cross after Keiron Smith had helped on Aston’s kick.
Rathbone headed Acklam’s cross tantalisingly wide, Deaville save well from Stuart Stokes’ half volley and Rocester twice had the ball off the line as Gresley mounted a mini blitz but then came Mr Smith’s controversial decisions and all the good football that had gone before suddenly seemed a distant memory.
Gresley Rovers (0) 1
Rocester (1) 1
Scorers: Acklam 62 (Gresley Rovers); K Barry (pen) (Rocester).
Gresley Rovers: Aston, J Barry, Elliott, Denby, Land, Astley, Weston (Stokes 60), Smith, Acklam (Gamble 80), Rathbone, Lovell.
Rocester: Deaville, P Ede, Nixon, Owen, Damjanovic, K Barry, Mayer, Walklet, Collins (M Ede 65), Wood, Hemmings. Sub not used: France.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Gil Land.
Referee: A W Smith (Rubery).
Attendance: 625
