Match Photos
Gresley Rovers vs Ilkeston Town
Gresley Rover's season seems to be petering out with a whimper as they were beaten by Ilkeston Town for the second time in less than a month.
The previous match was in the semi-final of the Derbyshire Senior Cup this time, however, three league points were at stake and it was the Robins who flew off with all three.
Gresley, short of firepower up front, hardly tested the Robins' keeper Dan Robinson with no shots on target giving the Burton Albion second choice one of his easiest games of his career.
The home side started brightly and were awarded a free kick on 5 minutes 25 yards out which Gary White put fractionally over the bar.
Carl Francis then had a half chance seven minutes later but he failed to test Robinson putting his shot went wide of the upright.
Ilkeston began to settle and take command of the half and on 17 minutes they took a deserved lead. Marc Laws came out of a tackle with Carl Slater with the ball and a slight slip by Jamie Hood allowed the striker to stride forward before curling a superb shot past the despairing dive of Gresley keeper Dale Belford.
The home crowd were waiting for some response from the home side but sadly it failed to materialise and indeed, the visitors could have added to their lead before the halftime break.
On 35 minutes a corner from Paul Eshelby swung invitingly into the area where Belford managed to get a fist to the ball clearing the danger and then just before the break Belford did extremely well to block a thunderous header from Mark Lever.
As the half ended, Gresley had a half chance but again it was wasted as this time Slater put his shot wide of the mark.
Gresley manager Gary Norton made two changes for the second half bringing on Leon Doughty and Ian Bluck for Kriss Nurse and John Branch.
But, it was Ilkeston who continued where they'd left off making the most threatening moves.
On 58 minutes they were awarded a free kick on the left taken by Eshelby that found the head of Andy Evans who put his header over the bar.
On 69 minutes Gresley did have the ball in the net but Slater had been adjudged to have been in an offside.
Two minutes later they went close again when a fine cross from Richard Wardle found Doughty but he put his header wide.
Ilkeston substitute Chris Thompson was put through on 73 minutes but he embarrassingly put his shot over the bar with only Belford to beat.
Six minutes later, however, it was the Ilkeston player manager who made the miss of the night. Hindley played a superb through ball to his gaffer who ran towards goal unattended but amazingly blasted his shot well over the bar.
The wining goal came on 84 minutes when Thompson was sent clear on goal and as he entered the area Belford dived at the player's feet without making any contact. Thompson then appeared to dive himself over the prostrate keeper and referee David Adcock pointed to the spot and Ryan Hindley made no mistake sending Belford the wrong way.
Gary's view of the game
"I can't wait for the season to end to be honest. I've just said to the lads in there that we are in freefall and there seem only a few who care about it.
"We were very, very poor in the first half and we didn't deserve to be on the same pitch as Ilkeston never mind in the same league.
"We were all over the place with players not playing to instructions; players playing with no urgency, passion or desire, playing from reputation and a few choice words were spoken to them at half time.
"To be fair, they did play a little better in the second half without creating anything clear cut. I felt Ian Bluck gave us a little bit of width and got forward as I want the full backs to play and everything in the second half came through him. But, there was nothing there today.
"I'm at a loss to be honest. I've been patient with the players and respect to the supporters they've been patient with us but that was another end of the season performance. I've said this before, but the players in there need to look seriously look at themselves because my patience is wearing thin and if they want to be at this club next season they will need to start responding.
"We are in danger now of finishing thirteenth or fourteenth after not being below tenth place for most of the season which would be a travesty really. It's basically the same set of players that had the passion, desire and quality but now everything has seemed to have evaporated.
"We are in a rut and I want players out there to take responsibility and to start to put some performances in.
"I've tried to change things recently to try and get to the bottom of what's wrong and I'm at a loss. If we'd got masses of injuries hampering us then we could understand it but we have largely a fully fit squad to choose from. Yes, we have loan players but they weren't here when we had a decent run earlier in the season it's basically the same set of players and we are just not doing it.
"Look at the goals today. Yes, it was a good strike but defensively we were so far off it was unreal. The second goal came has we were applying some pressure but they were absorbing it. We should have defended better and it's basic errors from experienced players that keep doing us. They know what they did wrong and all I can do is keep faith with them. From where I was their player was looking for the penalty but regardless of whether he was looking for it or not it was a penalty.
"We did have a lot of possession in the second half but no end product and that's been a problem for sometime now.
"Yes, I pick the team and the results are down to me. But, I would expect more from the players who have reputations. I asked them if it was fair that I get all the stick when the performances are down to them. We only have pride to play for now until the end of the season and I hope the players will respond.
Gresley Rovers (0) 0
Ilkeston Town (1) 2
Scorers: Laws 17, Hindley 84 (pen).
Gresley Rovers: Belford, Branch (Bluck 45), Cheetham, M Smith, Hood, Slater, Wardle, Barrett, Francis (Barker 76), Nurse (Doughty 45), White. Subs not used: Haynes, Clarke (gk).
Ilkeston Town: Robinson, Knowles, Atkinson, Holyoak, Lever, Swinscoe, Hindley, Walshe, Laws (P Stant 69), Evans (Thompson 69), Eshleby (C Stant 88). Subs not used: Jervis, F Smith.
Rovers Star Man: Richard Wardle, never stopped trying.
Referee: D J Adcock (Long Eaton)
Attendance: 363
