Gresley Rovers vs Nuneaton Borough
Rovers: It's touch and go - Andy Parker - Burton Mail
Gresley Rovers gave their level best against Nuneaton Borough at the Moat Ground on Saturday - but it wasn't quite good enough.
In the end Paul Culpin's 52nd minute goal of the season, a predatory close-range strike after 15 minutes, proved sufficient to separate the Beazer Midland leaders from their nearest challengers and put Borough back in the driving in the race for the title.
The big question on Rovers' supporters lips now is: can the Moatmen sustain the form that has kept them at the forefront of the championship battle all season through the last few, congested weeks of the season?
With eight games to squeeze in before the end of the season it's going to be touch and go, but manager Steve Dolby was convinced he had seen in enough to suggest that his team can still gain promotion.
There was certainly the suggestion in the opening minutes that Rovers had shaken off the hangover of two defeats in the previous four days.
The Moatmen attacked from the off and went close to scoring as they were to do during the whole 90 minutes with just five on the clock, full back Martin Dick advancing through the centre before unleashing a 25-yard drive that keeper Richard Manuel just managed to keep from dipping under the bar.
There were more close scrapes to follow for Borough, with Martin Devaney just short of connecting with Stuart Evans' header after Richard Denby's kick had been only half cleared then seeing a shot blocked by Alan Byrne after good approach play by Richard Wardle and Mark Hurst.
Then Wardle's superb through ball found Devaney clear in the centre but, for once, the striker's first touch failed him and the ball dribbled to safety.
Borough them produced their first meaningful attack of the game and Rovers were behind. Dick was booked for blocking John Symonds' advance down the left, the full back knocked a low free kick towards the far post, Peter Green headed on, Bob Aston blocked Ian Cotterill's close range effort and the ball broke to Culpin who netted from a yard out.
Rovers' best response was a right wing move that ended with Hurst's composure and control allowing him to pick out Wardle with a measured cross but the midfielder's goal-bound shot was blocked as Dave Whetton stuck out a despairing leg with the keeper beaten.
Culpin then set up Green for an angled drive that Aston saved at the second attempt, the referee waving aside howls for a penalty as the Rovers keeper felled Simpson in the process, then Gary Bradder again unleashed Culpin but once more the prolific striker's shot was off target.
With both sides looking weary the game began to die a death in the final quarter although the introduced substitutes Christian Moore and Ian Scott had enough effect to suggest that this would not be the last time they would see first team action this season.
Gresley Rovers (0) 0
Nuneaton Borough (1) 1
Scorer: Culpin 15.
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Foster, Dick (Moore 84), Denby, Evans, Land, Wardle, Weston, Devaney, Hurst (Scott 84), Rigg.
Nuneaton Borough: Manuel, Byrne, Symonds, Ridding, Whetton (Kane 90), Cotterill (Wade 85), Simpson, Bradder, Green, Culpin, Tarry.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Stuart Evans.
Referee: D Shadwell (Bromsgrove).
Attendance: 1528
