Gresley Rovers vs Chasetown
Stop-start Gresley – Andy Parker – Burton Mail
Gresley Rovers’ efforts to take a step nearer the top of the West Midlands League suffered another setback at the Moat Ground last night.
Such is Rovers’ inconsistency in the league that the champions have not strung together two consecutive victories so far this season.
And the trend continued despite Brian Beresford’s ninth goal of the season providing a perfect start after nine minutes.
Manager Frank Northwood grumbled afterwards: “It was a battle – and I felt Chasetown won the best part of the battle. We were second to everything in the second half.”
Yet Rovers had started, in Northwood’s words “like a train”, pegging Chasetown on the defensive and Beresford, lurking on the left, threaded a low cross-cum-shot through a crowded penalty area only for the ball to come out off the far post.
When Chasetown failed to clear effectively skipper Richard Denby curled in a cross from the opposite flank, Kieron Smith headed down and Beresford was perfectly poised to fire an unstoppable volley high into the roof of the net from a couple of yards out.
Ten minutes later it could have been two when Smith intercepted Simon Hyden’s backpass only for keeper Andy Withington to make a desperate, sprawling save, then Gil Land made good contact with a Denby free kick only for his header to fly just wide.
Rovers, though, began to lose their momentum and Chasetown, with Dave Langston exploiting some alarming gaps on the home side’s left flank, began to get back into the game.
Barely had the second half begun when Tony Dixon headed against the crossbar, Dave Shelton seeing his shot from the rebound deflected just wide.
Then Darren Ansell linked neatly through the centre with Jon Rose, who’s square pass freed Dixon to score with a low shot that Bob Aston appeared to have covered until the ball bobbled horribly over his outstretched gloves and into the net.
Gresley Rovers (1) 1
Chasetown (0) 1
Scorers: Beresford 9 (Gresley Rovers); Dixon 57 (Chasetown).
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Barry, Dick, Denby, Land, Evans, Wardle (Weston 70), K Smith, Rathbone, Beresford, Lovell (Venning 53).
Chasetown: Withington, Cox, Jones, Shelton, Richards, Langston, Hyden, Ansell, G Smith, Rose, Dixon. Subs no used: Collins, Hill.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Brian Beresford.
Referee: L L Watson (Coventry).
Attendance: 323
