Match Photos
Gresley Rovers vs Alfreton Town
Caretaker manager, Gary Norton, chose this game to have a look at a few players and rest some after the Bass Vase encounter with West Bromwich Albion.
Gresley made an early run on goal on 7 minutes when a fine pass from Carl Timms put Andy Bourne through on goal but ex-Moat Ground favourite Stuart Ford was quick to spot the danger and cleared the ball.
Alfreton Town, newly promoted to the Unibond Premier Division soon began to find their feet and started to string together some good play and made a few chances. The first came on 21 minutes when Gresley keeper Brad Clarke was called on to save from Simon Grayston and then Ian Askey. A better chance for the visitors came four minutes later but a header at the far post was put over by Ryan France.
Clarke was called on again just a few seconds later getting down well to his right to push a shot from Mick Goddard out for a corner.
On 35 minutes Gresley had their best chance of the night. Bourne swung in an excellent cross that Aaron Brady somehow managed to head wide of an open goal.
Back came Alfreton and a half clearance by Andy Cheetham landed at the feet of Chris Dolby who smashed in a terrific shot that Clarke did very well to save.
Clarke was much the busier of the two keepers and again did well to push a shot over the bar.
With the halftime looming both side had one last chance to grab a goal. The first came to Gresley when Bourne took a quick throw to Mykey Pryce but he put his header wide of the mark and on 45 minutes Dolby had a golden chance but blasted the ball wide when well placed.
Gresley made a couple of changes at half time bringing on Chris Gray for Cheetham and Jamie Barrett for Timms but it was the visitor's who went close just after the restart.
Dolby put in a fine cross from the left that appeared to hit the shoulder of Rovers defender Matt Smith before crashing against the upright and away for a corner.
Former Burton Albion and Rocester striker Tony Hemmings, on at half time for Goddard, made a good run at the Rovers defence but ended up putting his shot wide of the target.
On 63 minutes a snap shot from the impressive Dolby was well saved at close range by Clarke.
A rare moment of indecision by Clarke gave Alfreton another half chance on 71 minutes. The home keeper started to move to get a high ball but stopped halfway leaving himself in no-mans-land but the visiting player could only lift the ball over an open goal.
On 80 minutes Gary White hit a vicious shot that Ford held and within a few seconds the ball was at the other end with Clarke having to pull off another fine save.
The first goal came on 83 minutes and what a goal it was. Chris Bettney picked up the ball in midfield and ran towards the Gresley defence and as they back off he unleashed a tremendous 22-yard shot that gave Clarke no chance as it flew into the net.
Alfreton looked solid with any hope of an equaliser for Gresley rapidly fading as the clock run down but on 86 minutes a glimmer of hope.
White collected the ball on the left ran a few yards before smashing in a cracking shot that beat the helpless Ford but to the home supporters dismay came flying back off a post.
With time about up one last chance for Gresley. On 90 minutes they were awarded a corner on the left and White swung the ball into the area where triallist Shaun Kidson, who replaced defender Ian Bluck, was waiting to head in the equaliser.
Gary's view of the match
"I was very pleased we got the equaliser. Overall I thought it was a poor performance compared with the Bass Vase games having said that, however, we rested quite a few players who had played well in Vase games.
"To be honest the result was not important. I'm pleased we got a result but it was more a case of fitness, staying free from injury and having a look at a few people.
"They pulled us about a bit and had a little bit more quality than us. I was disappointed with our creativity; our passing and our final ball was not up to the standard we saw in the Bass Vase.
"We had a chat about it at half time and we decided to try a few things and I'm pleased we sneaked the goal in the 90th minute.
"Tonight was an opportunity to look at a few more people like those who'd just come back from holiday. We wanted another look at Aaron Brady but to be honest he's not yet fit enough so he needs to go away and sort that out.
"Jamie Blastland got an opportunity in midfield and he did reasonably well but we've got a lot of competition in that area and James needs to show us what he can do.
"Jamie Barrett has just come back off his holidays and Carl Timms who as trained hard and waited patiently, got his chance. Both Jamie and Andy Bourne have missed a lot of the pre-season training and Bourney is the first to admit he's missing a bit of match fitness.
"We've played a lot of games recently and that influenced who I played tonight. I rang round the players and to be fair none of them wanted to be rested. Ian Bluck wanted to play but unfortunately he had to come off due to a bit of a knee problem. He's had ice on it and I'm not overly concerned. I'll keep tabs on him and see how he is for Saturday.
"Andy Cheetham was feeling a bit tight from Monday's match so I was only going to give him 45 minutes.
"Brad Clarke found out late on that he was going to start. It was planed that he would get half a game tonight but talking to Mark Sheils he was feeling his knee a little bit so our physio had a look at him when he got to the ground and we felt there was no point in risking him so Brad had the opportunity to show what he can do.
"He was very nervous at the beginning and made a couple of slight mistakes but he was called on to make an early save and his confidence grew and he made some good saves especially towards the end of the game."
Gresley Rovers (0) 1
Alfreton Town (0) 1
Scorers: Kidson 90 (Gresley Rovers); Bettney 83 (Alfreton Town)
Gresley Rovers: Clarke, Bluck (Kidson 77), G White, Smith, Cheetham (Gray 45), Timms (Barrett 45), Bourne (Hebberd 63), Blastland, Brady (Pryce 38), Pitt (Eagling 63), Alexander (T Williamson 63).
Alfreton Town: Ford, Bradshaw (McNally 55), Grayson, Cottee, Brown, Knapper (Nwadike 45), France (Bettney 45), Circuit, Goddard (Hemmings 45), Askey, Dolby.
Referee: R Gould (South Derbyshire).
Attendance: 210
