Chasetown vs Gresley Rovers
Dolby sets a win deadline – Andy Parker – Burton Mail
Gresley coach Steve Dolby blamed tired legs after his team's disappointing yet predictable return to league action at the Scholars last night. But he warned his Wembley-lagged player’s: '' We can't go on making excuses for ever - come Monday we’ve got to start winning again.''
The Moatmen – visibly flagging last night after their exertions against Guisely at Wembley and at Bramall Lane - face a crucial last two weeks of the season in which to make Dolby's words of advice ring true. They play home league games against Malvern and Blakenall on Monday before embarking on the first leg of the Derbyshire Senior Cup fjnal at Borrowash on Thursday.
And there will have to be significant improvement on last night's jaded show if the greatest season in the club's history is to be concluded history is to be on a high note.
Chasetown - needing a win to secure their hold on runners-up position - were gifted a seventh-minute opener when Bob Aston threw the ball to Andy Moore even though Tony Dixon was in close attendance.
The Chasetown frontrunner promptly robbed Rovers' stand-in full back and his low cross shot presented Jon Rose with a tap-in.
Gresley responded by pulverizing the home defence for 20 minutes with Craig Weston in outstanding form on the right. But after Cart Rathbone had failed to connect with a glorious shooting chance created by Weston Rovers and Brian Beresford, Rovers went off the boil. Chasetown proceeded to create – and - miss a string of chances before Moore's weak backpass let in Dixon again and Rose blasted home the rebound after Aston had saved.
Chasetown (1) 2
Gresley Rovers (0) 0
Scorer: Rose 7, 71.
Chasetown: Withington, Cox, Jones, Shelton, Richards, Harrison, Hyden, Smith, Ansell, Rose, Dixon (Comerford 88). Sub not used: Blakemore.
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Moore, Dick (Acklam 65), Denby, Land, Astley, Weston, Beresford, Stokes, Rathbone, Adcock (Lovell 55).
Gresley man-of-the-match: Craig Weston.
Referee: J T Boulton (Sparkhill).
Attendance: 201
