Gresley Rovers vs Grantham Town
Moatmen's Gingerbread treat - Andy Parker - Burton Mail
Defensive lapses again cost Gresley Rovers dear at the Moat Ground on Saturday.
Visitors Grantham - who a month earlier inflicted Rovers' first defeat of the season - could barely believe their luck as the home defence took South Derbyshire's traditional hospitality to a ridiculous extreme.
It wasn't until the Gingerbreads had scored - or rather, been allowed to score - three goals in the opening 27 minutes that the Moatmen produced the kind of attacking flair and endeavour that their fans prefer to see. By then, as it turned out, it was too late.
Yet defeat need not have been an inevitability. Rovers controlled long spells of the second half but wasteful finishing - including a missed Robbie Briscoe penalty - added to Grantham's stocking of early Christmas gifts.
The first had been delivered after just 90 seconds, Chris Grocock waltzing past two defenders before giving debutant keeper Lee Rippin - standing in for groin strain victim Bob Aston - no chance with a close range drive.
Rippin showed his confidence had not suffered by racing from his box to clear with a diving header, but the youngster was possibly at fault when he let Grocock's shot squirm away for Terry Harris to plunder Grantham's second.
Rovers were all over the place as first Grantham's own Lee Rippin shot against the bar, then Kyle Talbot delivered number three after the right side of Rovers defence had again been carved open like a turkey at Yuletide.
Rovers at last fought back and were denied what looked a clear penalty when Nick Roddis appeared to handle Martin Dicks cross. The Grantham full back soon made amends, however, by turning Richard Denby's cross past his own keeper just before the interval.
That gave Rovers hopes of a comeback but confirmation that it was not their day arrived when John Godwin saved Briscoe's penalty, awarded after the former Ram had been felled chasing an excellent through ball from the impressive Martin Devaney.
Rovers battled on and on but the third goal they deserved for their second half display failed to arrive.
Gresley Rovers (1) 2
Grantham Town (3) 3
Scorers: Roddis 42 (og), Smith 71 (Gresley Rovers); Grocock 2, Harris 23, Talbot 27 (Grantham Town).
Gresley Rovers: Rippin, Dick (Weston 78), Swainston, Denby, Evans, Land, Wardle, Marsden, Smith, Devaney, Briscoe. Subs not used: Elliott.
Grantham Town: Godwin, Roddis, Stephenson, Moore, Speed, Talbot, Topliss, Harris, Watkins, Rippin, Grocock. Subs: Graham, Holmes.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Dave Swainston.
Referee: D Adcock (Long Eaton).
Attendance: 537
