Gresley Rovers vs Biwater
Easy for Gresley - Andy Parker - Burton Mail
Gresley Rovers comfortably ensured last night they would not become the second top side to be humbled by lowly opposition in this season's Derbyshire Senior Cup.
Matlock Town's home defeat by Heanor provided a sharp reminder - as if one was needed after last season's semi-final defeat by Stapenhill - of the kind of result the competition can provide.
But with Saturday's FA Vase 5th round tie looming large the Moatmen were in no mood to disappoint a hugely encouraging 500-plus crowd last night.
Manager Steve Dolby, delighted equally with the result and the fact that his team had not collected any serous injuries, said afterwards: "It was perfect workout for us - a competitive game with nothing nasty in it, which is a great credit to them, and we've scored a lot of goals. To score eight in any game is great."
Indeed, the game was played in such good spirit that there were almost as many goals as there were fouls. Only 12 free kicks were awarded in the whole 90 minutes - just four against Gresley.
Martin Devaney led the onslaught and opened the scoring after 12 minutes, hooking the ball across the line after going down in a tangle with Biwater keeper Gary Weighill as the pair vied for possession of Scott Elliott's through ball.
Richard Wardle's neat cross allowed Devaney to head his second from close range before the striker turner provider, crossing from the left for Paul Acklam to bury a header that Marco Van Basten would have been moderately pleased with.
A defensive error by Elliott gave Biwater skipper Russell Fox the chance to set up striker Dave Bradley for his side's first goal attempt of the game on the stroke of half time and with teenage keeper Lee Rippin rushing rashly from his line the ball looped into the net to embarrass Rovers.
Gil Land soon restored an even keel to the Moat ship by heading over Weighill before Acklam made it 5-1 with a close range effort.
Sub Graeme Rigg made it six with a searing left foot drive - his first goal for the club - before Devaney completed a deserved hat trick, slipping home the loose ball after Acklam's shot had come back off the keeper.
Three minutes from time Wardle completed a thoroughly satisfying evening with belting 18-yard drive that the busy Weighill got a hand to but could not keep out.
A similar result on Saturday would not go amiss!
Gresley Rovers (3) 8
Biwater (1) 1
Scorers: Devaney 13, 17, 77, Acklam 43, 62, Land 59, Rigg 70, Wardle 87 (Gresley Rovers); Bradley 45 (Biwater).
Gresley Rovers: Rippin, Dick, Swainston (Briscoe 57), Denby, Evans, Land, Wardle, Weston, Acklam, Devaney, Elliott (Rigg 57).
Biwater: Weighill, Green, Cratchley, Fox, Gould, Twigg, Taylor (Walters 61), Bailey, Tobin, Bradley, Thompson. Sub not used: Parker.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Martin Devaney.
Referee: J Orrell (Willington).
Attendance: 504
