Gresley Rovers vs Newcastle Town
Newcastle frown - Andy Parker - Burton Mail
Stop-go Rovers stuttered to a draw against impressive Newcastle Town at the Moat Ground last night.
The side that dumped Gresley out of last season's FA Vase had begun their warm-up for the new season with a string of friendlies against league opposition - and it showed.
The North Staffordshire side looked sharper and more eager in the opening exchanges and grabbed a 10th-minute lead when Rovers defender John Barry, attempting to stem the danger after Ian Gibbon's left wing run to the byline, poked the ball into his own net.
Gresley blasted back with a stunning goal from trialist Dave Read, the former Wolves and Cheltenham midfielder volleying past keeper Phil Butler from the edge of the box after Kieron Smith had teed up Craig Weston's cross.
But Town still looked the better side, missing a string of openings as Gresley looked rocky at the back.
The tables turned after the break with reshuffled Rovers subjecting their guests to concerted pressure. But while Read struck a post, Chris Parkins fired inches over and Smith twice shot too close to the keeper, a deciding goal never looked likely.
Moat boss Steve Dolby was far from happy afterwards, saying: "They were a good side - better than when they beat us in the Vase. But I was disappointed with our own performance.
Defensively we were poor and gave them too much space and we gave the ball away too much because of our passing. There are a lot of improvements to be made."
Gresley Rovers (1) 1
Newcastle Town (1) 1
Scorers: Read 21 (Gresley Rovers); Barry (og) 10 (Newcastle Town).
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Barry, Dick, Rigg, Evans, Land, Wardle, Read, Smith, Taplin, Weston. Subs all used: Holness, Lovell, Beresford, Parkins, Birch.
Newcastle Town: Butler, Chetwyn, Williams, Prestridge, Griffiths, Hagan, Brisset, Lawton, Case, Gibbons, Beardmore. Subs: Chamberlain, Morris, Simpson, Gillick.
Referee: P Roberts (Kilburn).
Attendance: 302
