Alfreton Town vs Gresley Rovers
Bezza late than never – Andy Parker – Burton Mail
Gresley Rovers slipped and slithered into the last eight of the Derbyshire Senior Cup in the most treacherous of circumstances at the Town Ground, Alfreton, last night.
A Brian Beresford header deep into injury time ensured Rovers’ safe passage through the storm but, as manager Frank Northwood was quick to point out afterwards, the mud and rain had given Alfreton a great opportunity to end Gresley’s interest in a competition they have won for the past four seasons.
“The conditions made it a leveller,” said Northwood. “I felt we should have had three or four in the first half but then they went and took the lead – but that’s just the way things happen. I felt their goal was down to the state of the ground.
“But we kept plugging away and in the end we got our just desserts. All credit to Alfreton, though. They battled and they can feel unlucky they didn’t get a draw.”
Rovers were certainly made to defend desperately at times, particularly with the game delicately poised at 1-1 in the second half but, in the end, it was inevitably Beresford, heading home a left wing cross by Neil Lovell at the far post, who proved the difference.
The same combination almost paved the way to a 10th minute opener, Beresford seeing two close range efforts well saved by Kevin Bedford, and the veteran striker was also involved with Richard Denby in a move that ended with Carl Rathbone’s shot coming back off the crossbar.
Keeper Bob Aston was far from unemployed at the other end, saving well at the feet of Graham Millington, named earlier as December’s HFS Loans Division One player of the month.
Millington seemed eager to live up to his billing, continually causing problems, but when a goal came it was from an unexpected source.
Gresley had just been denied what looked a clear penalty when Rathbone tumbled in the area during Simon Nadin’s free kick into the six-yard box and the bulky Bob Newton, in temporary charge of the managerless club, was somehow allowed to turn and toe-poke home from close range.
Rovers were gifted an equaliser nine minutes after the restart, defender Tim Preece needlessly handling a Lovell cross and Beresford drilling the ball home from the spot.
The game could have gone either way after that with play sliding from end to end and Aston excelling himself again with a great, one-handed stop from Paul Bicknell.
But just as thoughts were turning to a replay, up stepped Beresford yet again.
Alfreton Town (1) 1
Gresley Rovers (0) 2
Scorers: Newton 45 (Alfreton Town); Beresford 54 (pen), 90 (Gresley Rovers).
Alfreton Town: Bedford, Nadin, Pell, Atkinson, Preece, Copeland, Holmshaw (Hoole 85), Cam, Newton, Millington, Bicknell (Walsh 65).
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Barry, Dick, Denby, Land, Evans, Wardle (Weston 58), Rathbone (Meyer 78), Smith, Beresford, Lovell.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Martin Dick.
Referee: G D Short (Ashbourne).
Attendance: 204
