VS Rugby vs Gresley Rovers
Fallers at the second - Andy Parker - Burton Mail
Gresley Rovers were blasted out of the FA Cup last night as the big guns of VS Rugby finally found their aim.
Rovers battled gamely to keep out their high flying hosts for the first 45 minutes but once Mark Rosegreen had fired the home side ahead after 57 minutes there was only going to be one winner.
Yet VS boss Jimmy Knox was lavish in his praise for the South Derbyshire side afterwards, saying: "They outplayed us in the first half and we were lucky to go in level. They did themselves a lot of credit."
Opposite number Frank Northwood confessed: "They showed their class in the second half and gave us a lesson. We missed our chance on Saturday and we've no complaints tonight."
Rugby were only given a second opportunity thanks to a last-minute equaliser in Saturday's 3-3 thriller at the Moat Ground, leaving Rovers feeling they had done enough to earn a third qualifying round trip to Chasetown.
Gresley set out last night still believing they could keep Northwood's quest for a place in the first round proper alive.
They matched the home side blow for blow in an energetic but creatively sterile first half but reached the interval with only one dipping effort from Brian Berefsord that flew just over and five corners to the home side's none to show for their not inconsiderable efforts.
Such endeavour was sure to take its toll against the Beazer Premier leaders and so it proved when Gresley were punished for their first lapse.
Graham Reed's cross was deflected off Dean Page and, when Gil Land found himself unable to get full power to his header back towards goal, Mark Rosegreen was in like a whippet to fire the ball into the roof of the net from 10 yards.
Within a minute Bob Aston was tipping over a blockbusting effort from Robbie Jones then saving Rosegreen's feet after Reed had inexplicably been allowed to impede his efforts to kick upfield.
But there was no stemming the tide as VS, urged forward by the inspirational Reed, piled on wave after wave of attacks.
Rosegreen got his second from close range, firing under Aston's body after Jones had been quickest to react to a loose ball in the box, then Ian Crawley, the man once courted by Burton Albion, drilled in a third from 10 yards with no marker in sight.
VS Rugby (0) 3
Gresley Rovers (0) 0
Scorers: Rosegreen 57, 70, Crawley 83.
VS Rugby: Martin, Niblett, McGinty, Halton, Coe, Reed, Shearer, Fitzpatrick, Rosegreen (Crawley 71), Jones, Sweeney (Clarke 45).
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Barry, Dick, Denby, Land, Page, Weston, Smith, Beresford (Adcock 75), Rathbone, Venning (Evans 75).
Gresley man-of-the-match: Jon Barry.
Referee: J R Hubbard (Leicester).
Attendance: 707
