Malvern Town vs Gresley Rovers
Five star performers – Andy Parker – Burton Mail
Gresley’s reshuffled forward line produced a five star performance to destroy Malvern at Langland Stadium last night.
Rovers were forced to bring in striker Gary Gamble for only his second league appearance and to recall Andy Moore from exile in Bilston but the pair produced a fluent and exciting attacking show to utterly demoralise struggling Town.
Once Gresley had taken a second-minute lead it was simply a question of how many the league leaders would pile past their youthful hosts.
The home side staged something of a fightback just after half time to force a few anxious moments in the Gresley defence but the game ended with Rovers maintaining an attacking momentum that they will hope to carry forward into Wednesday’s Derbyshire Senior Cup semi-final against Matlock Town at the Moat Ground.
With such big games in the offing good performances are the minimum requirement on first team parade at Gresley and there were several last night. Among the most eye- catching were those of Gamble, a recent capture from university soccer, and Moore, thrust into an attacking role by the absence of Carl Rathbone and Paul Acklam through injury.
It took Gamble less than two minutes to make his presence felt, despatching a Kieron Smith cross into the roof of the net from two yards out. Nine minutes later Smith was again involved, heading down Richard Denby’s cross for Moore to crash home from six yards.
Gresley were creating chances from all angles and scored the goal of the game on 32minutes, Denby crossing into the box and Moore and Gamble exchanging passes to set up Stuart Stokes’ angled drive from the right.
Malvern emerged from the half time break clearly determined to make a game of it and were denied only by Martin Dick’s goal line clearance after Bob Aston’s punch fell at Martin Tipton’s feet eight yards from goal. Than a last ditch tackle by Steve Astley stopped Tipton again after Darren Manley’s right wing run.
Finally Steve Tapp broke down the right to set up a neat near post back-heel by Manley that forced Gresley to emerge from their temporary lethargy.
Denby and Gamble linked to set up a cool finish from 12 yards by Moore from among a posse of defenders. Then good work by substitute Craig Weston made space for a long range effort by Denby that defender Steve Gravenall merely helped into his own net with a flick of the head.
Malvern Town (0) 1
Gresley Rovers (3) 5
Scorers: Manley 62 (Malvern Town), Gamble 2, Moore 11, 78, Stokes 32, Gravenall (og) 81 (Gresley Rovers).
Malvern Town: Starkey, Wallis, Kealy, Pocock, Tipton, Jenkins, Slade (Rutter 65), Tapp, Manley, Gravenall, Hobbie (Webb 57).
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Barry, Dick (Weston 57), Denby, Land, Astley, Stokes, Smith Gamble, Moore, Lovell. Sub not used: Acklam.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Andy Moore.
Referee: M Fletcher (Smethwick).
Attendance: 95
