Match Photos
Gresley Rovers vs Halesowen Town
Gresley Rovers played what was arguably the best first 45 minutes of football seen at the Moat Ground so far this season and pulled off a fine win against highflying Halesowen Town.
Striker Steve Lenagh ended his barren spell in the league to give Gresley a deserved win and all three points.
It was the visitors who made the first opportunity on 7 minutes. Gresley defender, Matt Smith, was penalised for apparently pulling back Tony Hemmings. David Foy took the free kick which was deflected into the path of Simon Hollis but his shot was wasted as he fired the ball well over the bar went well placed.
The referee was in danger of having his book containing as many names as the Encyclopaedia of Surnames with the number of booking he was dishing out for both sides but neither side was guilty of such a plethora of yellow cards shown, throughout the game.
On 13 minutes visiting keeper, ex-Moatman Mark Sheils, was needed to make a save after Jamie Barrett hammered in Richard Wardle's cross at close-range.
Minutes later Wardle was involved again when he made ground down the right; his cross took a slight deflection to Lenagh who cleverly flicked on the ball to Leon Doughty but unfortunately the midfielder could only fire wide of the target.
On 18 minutes a slip by Andy Cheetham allowed Hollis to get past him and fire in a cross that flashed across the face of the goal with no Halesowen player to get on the end it.
Six minutes later Halesowen went close again but this time Alfie Carter could only fire straight into the midriff of Gresley keeper Dale Belford as the visitors looked for an opening.
But, it was the home side who got on the score sheet on 28 minutes and what a good goal it was too. Halesowen had their throw-in flicked on by Gary White to Doughty who in turn found Barrett. He saw that Lenagh had made a run into the box and sent a fine pass to the striker. The ball seemed to head towards the byeline but the big striker did well to control the ball before smashing in a ferocious shot past Sheils and into the roof of the net.
Two minutes later White warmed up Sheils' hands with a thunderous drive which the keeper managed to grab at the second attempt.
Within five minutes of the re-start Gresley had a good penalty shout turned down by the referee. Barrett had got the better of his marker and as he turned in the area Asa Charlton appeared to trip him but the referee had none of it.
On 57 minutes Belford pulled off a first class save to keep his side in front. Halesowen was awarded a free kick taken by Foy. His cross was headed powerfully towards goal by Hollis but Belford reacted magnificently by diving to his right to push the ball away from danger.
Halesowen were still looking to get on level terms and on 67 minute went close when Lewis Baker put Holiss's cross fractionally wide of the mark.
Gresley almost doubled their advantage on 74 minutes when, as Charlton dallied on the ball, Barrett beat him to it before sending in a cross that Lenagh smashed in beating Sheils but unfortunately coming back off the bar before being cleared.
Simon Tucker, on for Lenagh, could or possibly should have finished the game off with two chances in the last 15 minutes. The first when he got into a good position just inside the box but could not control the ball and the second in time added on when he was through on goal with only Sheils to beat. As he tried to round the keeper Sheils got down well grab the ball at the striker's feet.
Gary's view of the game
"I set down a challenge to the players before the game. We'd only taken one point at home from the teams in the top eight and that was against Sutton Coldfield on Boxing Day.
"Overall out of the 14 games against the top eight sides we've only managed a measly eight points out of a possible 42 and that's why we are where we are in the table – the table doesn't lie!
"To get the points, the response from the players, a clean sheet today and the quality of football we played at times means a nice Saturday night for a change.
"I felt right from the off that we created the better chances and played the better football. I said to the lads at half time that it was some of the best football I'd seen in a first half for a while.
"However, one-nil up at half time doesn’t get you any points and we still had a tough 45 minutes to come and Dale Belford had to pull off another top class save to keep us in it but that's what he's there for and he keeps doing that every week.
"I thought Mark Sheils was the busier of the two keepers and really we should have made it two or three-nil. Simon Tucker had two big chances near the end that nine times out of ten he would have slotted away. The one where he tried to pull it inside I've seen him do hundreds of times and slot it in but it took a bobble and then the other one where he tried to go round Sheils, Sheils made a good save but a bit more conviction from Tucker it would have two-nil and game over.
"I've been asking the strikers to come up trumps and there's no one more delighted than me for Steve because he's struggled a bit in front of goal although he's done well out side the box and bringing other players into play and in the air. But, games are won by scoring goals and I've been a bit critical of the strikers' returns in the goals front but he's done very well today and took his goal really well. I'm delighted because his attitude has been spot on and he's been working to get a little bit sharper and a little bit fitter and I think it's been evident in the last two games and he's reaping the rewards for his hard work.
"It was a tough decision who to play along side Steve and I think Jamie Barrett's had a fantastic game today. His work rate was brilliant, he broke things up, won a lot of balls, closed things down and created things and that's from someone who normally plays in central midfield.
"It's hard to single players out but after 10 minutes when my two centre halves where yellow carded I thought here we go but they come through that and had superb games and when those two look solid we look solid as a unit. It's another clean sheet and we need to build from that especially after the last two weeks."
Gresley Rovers (1) 1
Halesowen Town (0) 0
Scorer: Lenagh 28
Gresley Rovers: Belford, Everitt, Cheetham, M Smith
, Hood, Slater, Wardle, Doughty (Francis 87), Barrett, Lenagh(Tucker 74), G White
. Subs not used: Jackson, Lonergan, Clarke (gk).
Halesowen Town: Sheils, Colwell (Strachan 83), Charlton
, Grocutt, Jones
, Baker
, Hollis, Moore, Hemmings
(Steane 64), Foy, Carter. Subs not used: Skidmore, Forsdick, N Smith.
Rovers Star Man: Jamie Barrett – worked hard and laid on the goal
Referee: R Mrechant (Stone)
Attendance: 422
