Raunds Town vs Gresley Rovers
Barry goal puts Rovers on track - Dave Hackett - Burton Mail
A rare goal from full-back John Barry proved sufficient to give Gresley Rovers their first pre-season success at Raunds Town impressive new Kiln Park ground.
The game itself was a low-key affair against a side lacking the quality of Rovers three previous pre-season opponents.
Even though the United Counties side enjoyed much of the possession particularly during the opening half hour. Rovers' defensive organisation was such that keeper Tony Moore was only troubled by a couple of testing crosses. With holiday commitments and injuries restricting striker in Carl Rathbone it took the Moatmen 35 minutes to seriously threaten.
A weighted pass from Ryan Venning carved out a chance for Craig Weston and after the midfielder had failed to control at the first attempt a second opportunity was thwarted by a hacked Julian Capone clearance.
Almost on the interval Steve Astley, pressed into an emergency striker's role, turned sharply onto John Barry's deep cross only to shave the bar.
The goal arrived on 50 minutes. Astley failed to connect to Weston's cross but the ball dropped invitingly for Barry to deposit a fine effort into the top left hand corner.
Raunds briefly threatened to hit back with Terry O'Keefe heading wide from six yards before Moore saved from a Gary Torrance deflected shot.
Venning might have consolidated Gresley's victory in the 89th minute but his shot landed on the top of the net.
Raunds Town (0) 0
Gresley Rovers (0) 1
Scorer: Barry 50.
Raunds Town: Payne, Jordan (McCabe 60), Capone, Bird, O'Keefe, Cooksey, Arundel, Torrance, Lewis, Murphy, Frost.
Gresley Rovers: Moore, Barry, Elliott (Venning 32), Denby, Land, Page, Weston, Astley, Evans, Rathbone, Stokes (Anderson 60). Subs not used: West, Northwood.
Referee: Jim Wilkinson (Northampton).
