Match Photos
Gresley Rovers vs Cinderford Town
It's difficult to put a finger on the malaise that struck Gresley Rovers on Saturday. A chemist would have had great difficulty in prescribing a remedy as outwardly, at least, the team looked strong and more than a match for Cinderford Town who were propping up the league table. But Gresley were a mere shadow of the team that fought back courageously in their last game and did not really get into the game.
For the second week running Gresley could have found themselves a goal down with barely a minute on the clock but for some superb goal keeping from Dale Belford.
Cinderford were awarded a free kick that was met by Will Steadman but his header was acrobatically tipped over by Belford.
On 3 minutes Carl Slater played a one-two with Justin Rowe before firing a vicious shot that Andy Fisher did extremely well to hold on to.
Three minutes later Fisher did well again to get a fingertip to a drive from Kriss Nurse turning the ball over the bar for a corner.
On 18 minutes Cinderford took the lead after an cruel Gresley deflection. Leon Doughty played a poor pass that was intercepted by Simon Truman. His cross was picked up by Richard Wardle whose clearance crashed into the unfortunate Danny Haynes before landing at the feet of a grateful Richard Kear who easily beat Belford with his shot.
Their lead only lasted five minute when Justin Rowe ran onto an appallingly short, headed back pass from Steadman and the striker made no mistake coolly slotting the ball past Fisher for his third goal in two games.
The home fans could have been forgiven thinking that now the their side would go on to win comfortably – but no – it wasn't to be as Cinderford refused to roll over and be beaten.
On 39 minutes Gresley were awarded a corner on the left taken by Gary White. The ball came back to him and his cross was met by Slater who cracked in a blistering 35-yard shot that was again well held by Fisher.
Right on the half time whistle Cinderford tested Belford again as they finished the stronger of the two sides. Daryll Addis's goal bound shot was somehow pushed away by the Gresley keeper.
Gresley started the second half well pushing Cinderford back almost from the start. A free kick from Doughty hit the wall and was pumped back into the area but the bounce put the ball a fraction too high for Haynes whose header went wide.
On 54 minutes a cross from White caused all sorts of panic in the visitor's goal mouth but with the ball pinging about Johnathan Daniels was unlucky not to have poked the ball home.
Slater was forced to leave the field on 58 minutes with an ankle injury to be replaced by Carl Francis. Within a minute of the change Gresley went close to getting a second goal when Nurse put a ball into the area that Rowe couldn't quite control and he put his shot over the bar.
The ball switched to the other end and Addis put a shot over the bar when very well placed.
Fisher, regarded as one of the best keepers at this level, was having a fine game in the Cinderford's goal and again saved his side when he saved a point-blank header from Nurse at the far post on 67 minutes.
On 78 minutes Rowe went close putting a shot just over the bar while at the other end Callum Gittings was putting his shot over the bar also.
Five minutes later Francis was having his shot saved by Fisher the the ball was cleared to the other end where a defensive error by the home side allowed Addis to put a pass to the unmarked Kearn who made no mistake pushing the ball past the on-rushing Belford to claim all three points and only Cinderford's fourth win of this campaign.
Gary's view of the game
"We didn't deserve to get anything out of the game today we were very scrappy all over the park and didn't really seem to get going.
"Yes we had some chances and their keeper made some saves but they've only won three games all season and are at the bottom of the league but that's now four because we had too many players in there thinking it's the end of the season. All of the hard work we did earlier in the season is now seemingly going to waste.
"At Bedworth we blamed the pitch, last we were three-nil down and the excuse was a couple of fluky goals and we did well to get ourselves a point. But today they can be no excuses. I spent a lot of the season trying to defend my players when they got turned over and played well or worked hard and luck has gone against us but there is no defending that sort of performance today.
"If you can't defend you're not going to win football matches and the goals we gave away today I'd be disappointed seeing in my Sunday League team.
"The first goal we gave away we tried to play a square ball in our third which took a deflection and their lad put it away.
"We got back into the game and Justin Rowe did well to make it one-one and we just didn't fire in the second half. We had two or three decent opportunities and their keeper did well. Their second came after three defensive headers and I bet their player couldn't believe his luck when he took the ball 18 yards out.
"We were toothless, it was a gutless performance from the lads today. I just said in the dressing room that there are a few of them who need to take a long hard look at themselves because they're cheating the management team, the supporters and myself.
"We've been slated today by supporters and any criticism was all aimed in a respectable manner and it was well deserved and I've no problem with that at all when we perform like that. It's not nice to hear but lets be honest and face facts we deserved it today. We got some great supporters here and we are one of the best-supported teams in our league but the support will soon dwindle if we putting in performances like that.
"We didn't look steady and shape wise I didn't think we were quite there and we need to do a little bit more work on that. Today we were panicking on the ball and giving it away and in every aspect of the game we were a poor second.
"The biggest disappointment was commitment. They closed us down and worked very, very hard off the ball and we were just not there. We are doing everything we can off the pitch to try and make things right for the players but when players who have done it game in game out suddenly stop producing it for you they have got to ask themselves why. It was a very flat lethargic performance today."
Gresley Rovers (1) 1
Cinderford Town (1) 2
Scorers: Rowe 23 (Gresley Rovers); Kear 18, 84 (Cinderford Town).
Gresley Rovers: Belford, Wardle (Guiney 50), Cheetham, Doughty, Haynes, Slater (Francis 58), Daniels, Barrett, Rowe, Nurse, White. Subs not used: Tucker, Jones, Clarke (gk).
Cinderford Town: Fisher, C Addis, Giola, Townsend, Steadman, Lutz, Truman (Gittings 77) Clark (Hook 68), D Addis, Kear, Hammonds. Subs not used: Carns, Turner, Davis.
Rovers Star Man: Carl Slater – missed him after he limped off.
Referee: S Fletcher (Chesterfield).
Attendance: 289
