Gresley Rovers vs Peacehaven & Telscombe
Destroyer Devaney - Andy Parker - Burton Mail
Gresley Rovers showed an iron will and an assassin's touch to oust Peacehaven and Telscombe from the FA Vase at the Moat Ground on Saturday.
In a game crippled by a sense of occasion, Rovers kept their discipline to snatch victory with a killer strike six minutes from time.
Martin Devaney's close range header was only Rovers' second clear cut chance - a fact that reflects just how tightly the game was contested.
The goal was a tragedy for Peacehaven keeper Keith Cheal, whose flypaper gloves had grasped everything Rovers had thrown at him - including a six-yard Paul Acklam volley just before the break - until Craig Weston's right wing cross beat him at the far post, leaving Devaney to joyfully reap the dividends.
Said Rovers' goalscorer afterwards: "Having that little bit of luck is the difference between going out and not going out. As it happened that was probably one of the easiest goals I've scored all season, but that was entirely down to the quality of the cross.
"It doesn't matter who we get now, home or away, once you get into the last 32 you know you're going to be playing good sides. They were a good side today, but their manager used some ill-chosen words when he said they were going all the way. No team can expect victory at this stage."
If Peacehaven boss Alan Pook was having to eat his words, Rovers appeared to be making a meal of them during the game. After an ill-at-ease opening 10 minutes in which the Sussex side dominated possession, Gresley soon emerged as the dominant side but seemed gripped with nerves.
Clear cut chances were at a premium and when Weston looked like breaking clear in the left channel he was clearly hauled back by a defender on the edge of the box only for referee Cain to award one of a string of fruitless corners.
The rangy Cheal was grabbing everything that arrived in the six-yard box above head height and when Richard Denby's cross was delivered perfectly for Paul Acklam to meet on the half volley six yards out the keeper flung himself to his right to produce a marvellous save.
The second half began with a string of Peacehaven bookings as the Sussex side took to their defensive bunkers, absorbing almost constant pressure with the balding figure of Daz Newman outstanding at the back.
Gil Land appeared to have broken the deadlock with a screaming volley from the edge of the box that flew past Cheal, but a linesman had spotted Acklam standing offside in the goalmouth and the Rovers' fans' cheers died in their throats.
Bob Aston then almost gifted Peacehaven the lead, hitting a clearance straight at the predatory Alan Ingledew only for the ball to rebound agonisingly the wrong side of the post for the Sussex side and their fans.
As if inspired, Peacehaven briefly emerged from their defensive shells but that only brought more pressure from Gresley on the counter with Acklam seeing the ball snatched from his toes by Cheal and Devaney hitting a low shot that the keeper gathered comfortably.
Peacehaven produced one more moment of horror for Gresley's second biggest gate of the season when top scorer Mark Taylor turned Land on the halfway line and bore down on Aston's goal before Stuart Evans, excellent throughout in the heart of the Rovers' defence, produced a telling burst of pace and the most exacting of tackles to snuff out the threat.
Extra time loomed, but as Rovers' pressure continued to mount Richard Wardle and Weston combined on the right and Weston's superb cross was perfect for Devaney to spark a Gresley victory celebration.
Gresley Rovers (0) 1
Peacehaven & Telscombe (0) 0
Scorer: Devaney 84.
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Elliott, Swainston, Denby, Evans, Land, Wardle, Rigg (Briscoe), Acklam, Devaney, Weston. Sub not used: Dick.
Peacehaven & Telscombe: K Cheal, Ingledew, Robinson (Coade), M Farmer, Newman, Cox, G Farmer, Thomsett, Duchossoy, R Cheal, Taylor. Sub not used: Edwards.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Stuart Evans.
Referee: G Caine (Bootle).
Attendance: 1138
