South Normanton Athletic vs Gresley Rovers
Two minutes lack of concentration and the failure to defend set pieces made this game closer than it really should have been.
Gresley had stormed into a 2-0 lead at half time and added to their tally early in the second and looked to be coasting as they dominated the second half. But a repeat of the Shepshed game looked on the cards as the home side crashed in two goals in as many minutes to make the last ten minutes frantic to say the least for the travelling Gresley fans.
On a pitch you could only describe as "very sticky", accurate flowing football was not an option as both teams battled to get on top of the conditions.
Gresley made the first meaningful attack on goal as Gary Smith ran on to a through ball but John Griffiths in the home goal beat him to it and gathered the ball to his chest.
On 10 minutes a flick on by Neil Kitching was a yard too far in front of Chris Gray for him to capitalise.
Two minutes later Kitching got a chance but his header lacked power and was held easily by Griffiths.
On 18 minutes Athletic went close when former Gresley striker Steve Hutchinson hit a free kick that was deflected for a corner.
Then Gresley keeper James Lindley had to be alert to prevent Hutchinson at the near post and defender Stuart Evans saved his team twice with a superbly timed tackle denying Adam Wheeldon and then heading an effort by Richard Coleman away to safety.
On 31 minutes Gresley opened the scoring. They had been putting Athletic under severe pressure and a fine pass from Kitching found Gary White on his outside and the young defender ran up the wing before putting in a low cross into the box where Gray was waiting to finish off the move in fine style.
Three minutes later Gresley could have doubled their lead as, again from a White cross, Kitching failed by inches to get his head on the ball.
On 37 minutes Gray was put through and as the keeper advanced he put his shot past him but it was easily cleared by a defender.
The unlucky Kitching then had another header go inches wide as he connected with a White free kick and then limped off with a thigh strain moments later victim of the heavy pitch.
On 38 minutes Athletic were awarded a corner and were unlucky as a powerful header clipped the outside of Lindley's left hand post.
On 43 minutes James Parkinson sent in a long throw in and as Andrew Satchwell attempted to clear Smith pounced but could not get the ball under control and the danger was cleared.
Right on the half time whistle Gresley doubled their advantage. Gray collected a through ball on the half way line from Parkinson and ran full tilt at the Athletic defence dancing around a couple of tackles before firing a low shot past Griffiths and into the net.
Athletic came out of the blocks the quickest for the start of the second half and an early shot saw Lindley scrambling to get at the ball and a couple of minutes later he was called on again to make a save which he comfortably held.
Gray should have had his hat trick on 54 minutes and finished any Athletic interest in the game. He picked up a through ball and ran at the keeper easily rounding him but then amazingly slotted the ball wide with an empty net waiting.
It only took a further 4 minutes before the goal came. Some good work by Gray gave Smith a chance that he eagerly took as he coolly slotted the ball past Griffiths.
On 69 minutes Smith had another chance for Gresley but shot wide and then just minutes later Jamie Barrett hit a shot over the bar after a pinpoint pass by Gray opened up the home defence.
On 81 minutes "two minutes of madness" almost turned the game on its head. A superb long throw in into the Gresley area ended with Marcus Brameld putting the ball past Lindley and then straight from the re-start Athletic were awarded a free kick and Brameld fired in the ball and Kevin Noteman headed home.
It was all hands to the pump for Gresley as the home side could not believe what had just happened in those two minutes and they put Gresley under extreme pressure and to be honest it looked certain that extra time was looming.
On 84 minutes the home side scrambled the ball towards the Gresley goal and it went agonisingly wide and then right on 90 minutes came the miss of the match.
Coleman had a golden chance to force the extension when he somehow put the ball over the bar from a mere 2 yards out with Lindley and the Gresley defenders nowhere.
As the referee played added time Smith had one last chance to score his half-hit shot bypassed the keeper but was blocked by an Athletic defender on the line.
Gresley's reward for the win is a semi-final home tie against either Ilkeston Town or Mickleover Sports to be played on Tuesday February 18th.
The manager's view
"I thought we dominated the second half. Chances wise I don't think we really got started first half. We were disappointed but the pitch played a part in that. They played more to the conditions than we did. We tried to play nice football and do things as individuals, which we don't really need to do.
"It was close at the end. We don't seem to learn from our mistakes as in defending set pieces and at the end we were luck to get through it. If Chris Gray had scored when he had an open net from 4 yards it would have been 4-0.
"At the end of the day we're through and that's what matters.
"Chris Gray did well and I thought Stuart Evans was fantastic and if he hadn't have played we would have been out of that today. A few of our players should take a leaf out of his book in terms of doing things for the team because I think we play as a team of individuals too often saying "As long as I do my job that's all what matters." But it's not like that.
"Stuart did things tonight that were over and above the call of duty and that's why we've got through.
"We'll have to see how Neil Kitching's thigh injury is. It's too early to say at present but I'd say he's doubtful for Saturday. Mark Peters had a bit of cramp in his hamstring.
"Unfortunately for Saturday both Gray and Peters are suspended."
South Normanton Athletic (0) 2
Gresley Rovers (2) 3
Scorers: Brameld 81, Noteman 82 (South Normanton Athletic); Gray 31, 45, Smith 58 (Gresley Rovers).
South Normanton Athletic: Griffiths, Young, Satchwell, Kaye, Wheeldon (Birch 72), Astill (Moran 69), Taylor, Noteman, Brameld, Coleman, Hutchinson. Sub not used: Spence.
Gresley Rovers: Lindley, Wardle, G White, Parkinson (Bluck 84), Evans, Cheetham, Barrett, Peters (Crawford 69), Kitching (Hopkins 39), Smith, Gray.
Rovers Star Man: Stuart Evans - solid at the back.
Referee: R Stonebridge (Ripley).
Attendance: 106
