Sutton Coldfield Town vs Gresley Rovers
Rovers knock on wood - Andy Parker - Burton Mail
Gresley Rovers came an ace away from becoming the first side this season to win at Sutton Coldfield's Coles Lane ground last night.
Reshuffled Rovers produced an excellent performance in terrible conditions against one of the Beazer Midland League's top sides.
Only an unwitting goalline block in the dying minutes denied them what would have been a deserved victory.
Sutton, managed by former Burton Albion boss Chris Wright, have swept most opposition before them this season, especially at home, but they found Gresley in outstanding form and could easily have suffered their first home defeat of the campaign.
After just three minutes Martin Devaney struck the bar with an overhead kick only for Tony Marsden to head the rebound against the woodwork with Sutton floundering in the mud.
Richard Denby forced keeper Dale Belford into a full-length save after good work by Devaney and Marsden and Kieron Smith's cross was sliced against his own crossbar by defender Bob Whittingham before Marsden fired in a shot from Craig Weston's deep cross that looked a goal all the way before striking the foot of the post and deflecting to safety.
It was far from one-way, however, with Sutton enjoying the clearest-cut chance of the half, full back Nigel Richards hitting a full-blooded shot just wide and the abrasive Gary Smith firing disappointingly wide after leaving the Rovers defence trailing in his wake on the strength of a forlorn offside appeal.
Gresley keeper Bob Aston took credit for standing his ground in a perilous one-on-one situation.
The hero almost became the villain when Aston miskicked a routine clearance to give Carl Rathbone a chance but the former Rover screwed his shot wide.
The first half belonged to Gresley, however, with Craig Weston seeing a shot pushed away by the diving Belford in the closing minutes.
Unsurprisingly, the second half failed to match the first for action but Gresley still took the honours and in a dramatic climax Rovers could have earned a third round visit to Rushden in the dying minutes.
Martin Devaney, a strong and skilful presence throughout for Rovers, nutmegged a defender on the left of a penalty area placed a pinpoint cross to the far post where Weston's point blank header struck a bemused Micky Clarke on the goalline before being cleared.
Sutton Coldfield Town (0) 0
Gresley Rovers (0) 0
Sutton Coldfield Town: Belford, Richards, Clarke, Sturgeon, Whittingham, Hadland, Ling, Rathbone, Alleyne, G Smith (Richardson 83), Biddle. Sub not used: Lasisi.
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Elliott, Swaiston, Denby, Evans (Land 81), Rigg, Weston, Marsden, K Smith, Devaney, Briscoe (Wardle 86).
Gresley man-of-the-match: Martin Devaney.
Referee: R C Burton (Kettering).
Attendance: 250
