Match Photos
Gresley Rovers vs Hucknall Town
They say football can be a cruel game and this match illustrated the fact beautifully.
Gresley Rovers had dominated the vast majority of play against their Unibond Premier opposition but still ended up losing the game.
Manager Gary Norton, although disappointed with the result was delighted with how his players had approached this game. He remarked after the match: "I thought that was our best pre-season performance so far."
Gresley started the match pushing forward in attack with youngster Earl Alexander causing the Hucknall defence all sorts of problems down the left side and on 6 minutes finished a fine run with a shot that cleared the bar.
A minute later Gresley were rewarded for their efforts. Some good work by Alexander provided Nathan Tate with the opportunity to fire a cross into the box. This he did with great accuracy and waiting at the far post was Ian Pitt who took his chance beating Hucknall keeper Stuart Nelson easily.
Hucknall's first real chance of the half came on 10 minutes but a free header was wasted.
On 32 minutes Gresley almost doubled their advantage. Tate put a delightful pass through to Carl Timms who hit a vicious shot that was well saved by Nelson.
Two minutes later it took a good save this time from Mark Sheils who made a superb save after Hucknall had made a fine run through on goal with only the keeper to beat.
The unlucky Neil Kitching was forced to leave the field on 38 minutes after picking up a calf injury and his replacement Andy Bourne almost made an immediate impact.
Bourne collected the ball and on the turn fired in a terrific shot from 20 yards that brought out the best from Nelson as he managed to hold on the shot.
Gresley continued to push their visitors back and on 44 minutes it was Chris Gray who went close for the Moatmen with a delightful chip that just cleared the bar. And right on the half time whistle the lively Alexander again tested Nelson this time with a crisp shot that the keeper held down to his right.
The home side came out and started the second half as they'd finished the first with Alexander causing the problems. He was responsible for some more fine play down the right flank that led to Gary White firing in a 25-yard shot that easily cleared the bar.
On 57 minutes a good lay-off by Timms to Alexander ended with a shot that shaved the foot of a post.
It only looked a matter of time that Gresley would increase their advantage and Pitt had another chance on 65 minutes when he was put through by Alexander but the striker at full stretch could only hit a weak shot at the keeper.
Two minutes later White tried his luck from long-range again but the shot went wide.
To be honest, Hucknall looked short of ideas but on 68 minutes they were handed a goal they did not deserve.
A moment of hesitancy by substitute keeper Brad Clarke gifted the visitors a goal when he was beaten to the ball by Kelvin Mushambi who mad no mistake and slid the ball into the net.
Gresley almost regained the lead a minute later when a shot from the edge of the box by Bourne was blocked.
They went even closer on 76 minutes when a cross from Alexander was fumbled by Nelson and almost put into his own net. But the keeper regained his senses and managed to hold onto the ball at the second attempt on his goal line.
Seconds later the ball was down the other end and Clarke being forced to block a shot.
On 78 minutes Gresley did take the lead again. A Carl Slater pass put Pitt through an the quick thinking striker floated a great chip that beat the keeper but unfortunately came back off the bar. Thankfully, Craig Hopkins reacted the quickest and headed the ball back into the net.
It seemed if Lady Luck had deserted the Moatmen when on 80 minutes the crossbar spared Hucknall's blushes. This time it was Gray who beat the keeper but this time there were no Gresley players available to snatch a goal and the ball was hoofed away to safety.
With the game looking safe for the home side disaster came in the final five minutes. James Tevendale made a run at the Gresley defence and with defenders backing off played a one-two with Danny Brown and then put the ball wide of Clarke for the equaliser.
A point would have been unjust for Gresley but worse was to come. A sloppy free kick was given away just outside of the penalty area and Carl Adams placed a well-struck kick that went over the wall and into the net off the left post.
Gary's thoughts on the match
"I thought that was the best performance of the pre-season matches so far. I've just said to the lads that for 75 to 80 minutes of the match we were the better side.
"Especially in the first half we passed the ball around well; kept the shape well; and supported the ball well from midfield. The front two looked useful again and held the ball up well. I was very pleased with how Earl Alexander played because he's had an indifferent pre-season so far. He's got a lot more to offer and we've had a chat about that and he's gone out and done it today.
"For the first goal I thought Nathan Tate and Alexander linked well together as they did in the reserves this time last year. And Nathan's great cross put away well by Ian Pitt at the far post.
"In the dressing room the lads heads are down because we've lost the game 3 - 2 having been pegged back after having the lead twice. And to be honest I thought we were going to win the game.
"But, to be fair, we made a lot of changes in the second half and I won't be taking a squad as big as this to Burton on Tuesday. I will, however, be playing a few in the reserves on Wednesday against Newmount so I can have a look at a few more. But it will be a smaller squad against Burton.
"Overall, I'm very pleased with today's showing. Some of the football we played was superb and we pulled them apart at times. Bearing in mind that they are a Unibond Premier side and compared to Alfreton they were not as good.
"I've had a chat with their manager and Steve is not happy with them. He says they can play a lot better than that. Burton played them last week and beat them 4-2 and I'm disappointed that we didn't get the win today.
"Having said that, I've always said that the results of the pre-season are not important but when you have a situation like today with us leading 2-1 with a few minutes to go and then we give away two sloppy goals it's disappointing.
"Unfortunately their first goal was due to a mistake from Brad Clarke and to be fair to the lad he's held his hand up and said as much. He's still young and he will make mistakes. But we are all behind him and if we make a mistake as an individual we deal with it as a team. To be honest he could not have got their third as it was a cracking free kick that went in off the post.
"Ian Pitt had a good game he's got great awareness and took his goal well. His chip that come off the bar after beating their keeper would have been a great goal but I was pleased for Craig Hopkins who reacted the quickest and stuck it in.
"I've tried to pick the lads up in the dressing room because I'm happy with their performance.
"Steve Burr and the Hucknall chairman both said we were robbed today, but that's football."
Gresley Rovers (1) 2
Hucknall Town (0) 3
Scorers: Pitt 7, Hopkins 78 (Gresley Rovers); Mushambi 68, Tevendale 85, Adams 88 (Hucknall Town).
Gresley Rovers: Sheils (Clarke 45), Wardle (Bluck 45, (Lonegan 83)), Tate (G White 45), Smith, Cheetham, Timms (Slater 63), Gray, Barrett (Hopkins 63), Kitching (Bourne 38, (Williams 83)), Pitt (Kidson 79), Alexander (Blastland 83).
Hucknall Town: Nelson, Asher (Brevett 81), Shaw (Ricketts 75), Soar, Burns, Barrick, Mayman (Mushambi 63), Hunter (Mitchell 55), Sale (Tevendale 45), Brown, Adams. Sub not used: Lindley.
Referee: Ray Brand (Church Gresley).
Attendance: 257
