Wednesfield vs Gresley Rovers
Bezza’s face saver – Andy Parker – Burton Mail
Brian Beresford struck two second half goals to take his total for the season to 30 and ease Gresley’s blushes against lowly Wednesfield at Amos Lane on Saturday.
The veteran predator’s instinctive finishing proved the difference between two sides at opposite ends of the West Midlands Premier Division after the gulf between them was closed by a dreadful pitch and an indifferent Rovers performance.
Manager Frank Northwood opted to go back to a system employing three central defenders and the outcome was not convincing. Beresford’s instinctive finishing apart, there was little threat on the Wednesfield goal until Rovers mounted a late barrage.
It might have been different had Beresford planted a close-range header anywhere other than straight at keeper John Newnes in the second minute. But after that Gresley found chances hard to come by and almost went behind after ex-Moatman Ian Wells set up Kev McKenzie for a shot that Simon Harrison, rushing from his line, saved excellently.
Richard Wardle saw a shot blocked and Beresford was foiled after a one-on-one with Newnes but those incidents apart the first half was entirely forgettable.
Things improved from the restart when two defenders got in each other’s way and Beresford buried a half chance from the edge of the box. He almost claimed another with an inswinging corner headed off the line by a defender before Wednesfield spurned a glorious opening, Paul Bennett putting a free header off target after Rovers had been caught on the break.
Another defensive lapse allowed Beresford to race clear and round Newnes for his second but even then Wednesfield had the chance to show how inept they were at finishing, Ken Hall shooting too close to Harrison after Jason Minton’s error had put him clean through.
Minton atoned for the lapse in injury time when Acklam touched on a Beresford corner to allow him to sidefoot home.
Wednesfield (0) 0
Gresley Rovers (0) 3
Scorers: Beresford 48, 82, Minton 90.
Wednesfield: Newnes, Brown, Teece, Rowley, Middleton, Jones, McKenzie, Sankey, Wells, Bennett, Hall. Subs not used: Horton, Bestall.
Gresley Rovers: Harrison, Barry, Minton, Denby, Evans, Land, Wardle (Wardle 62), Smith (Dick 69), Acklam, Beresford, Lovell.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Brian Beresford.
Referee: G L Blackmore (Brownhills).
Attendance: 210
