Paget Rangers vs Gresley Rovers
Gresley bite the dust in final – Andy Parker – Burton Mail
Gresley Rovers’ double dream died in the dust at Blakenall last night.
On a surface better suited for a game of ping pong than a prestigious cup final, Rovers were not cut out for a game short of attractive football and long on big boot tactics, totally unfamiliar to Gresley’s travelling army of fans.
Only in the opening quarter of the game, when Gresley stuck to their more accustomed passing principles, did it look likely that the West Midlands Premier Division champions would be able to add the League Cup to their trophy cupboard.
But Sutton Coldfield-based Paget, more than matched Rovers where it really mattered and gradually wrested control, eventually reducing the champions to an appalling display of school-yard soccer.
As the ball spent more time in the air than on a playing surface resembling a Gulf War battlefield, Paget ultimately grabbed the glory with two superb second half strikes.
An early goal might have changed the script, but after Paul Acklam had carved a third minute chance that Kieron Smith glanced wide of the target Rovers were fully contained.
Instead the chances began to come at the other end with the pugnacious Ian Paul setting up one opening for Mick Chawner to blaze over from close range, then firing over himself from a tight angle.
Rovers desperately needed to change their game after the break but they were unable to stamp any initiative on the game.
And after Martin Dick had unluckily conceded a free kick on the edge of the box with an apparently accidental handball, Paul hammered in a block-busting free kick that flew past Simon Harrison’s dive.
That sparked Rovers’ first real shot of the game, but Paget keeper Darren Clayton miraculously scooped Acklam’s close range effort over the bar.
Harrison saved well from Carlton Miller after Gil Land had missed a clearance but minutes later the irrepressible Paget striker produced a dazzling run from near the halfway line, skipping past a string of challenges before bulleting a shot into the bottom corner from 18 yards.
Dick gave Rovers hope with a screaming 25 yard shot into the top corner but referee Underwood dashed hopes of a revival when he inexplicably ignored a string of second half stoppages by blowing for time after exactly 90 minutes.
Paget Rangers (0) 2
Gresley Rovers (0) 1
Scorers: Paul 51, Miller 84 (Paget Rangers); Dick 85 (Gresley Rovers).
Paget Rangers: Clayton, Williams, Darkes, Campbell, Whittingham, Tucker (Hadden 55), Paul, Mulvey, Miller, Wareing (Shawner 19), Jones.
Gresley Rovers: Harrison, Barry, Dick, Denby, Evans, Land, Wardle, Smith (Beresford 66), Acklam, Weston, Lovell (Elliott 77).
Gresley man-of-the-match: Paul Acklam.
Referee: H J Underwood (Redditch).
Attendance: 500
