Match Photos
Gresley Rovers vs Yate Town
Yate Town came to the Moat Ground in bottom position in the league and looking for their first win of the campaign.
The started off very well and as early as the first minute Andy Neal went close with a shot from 25 yards. Three minutes later they had another chance as Gresley tried to settle.
Matt Rawlings, Yate's new signing, found Paul Metheringham but his shot was well held by Dale Belford.
Gresley began to apply pressure on the visitor's defence and on 5 minutes it paid off. Gresley were awarded a corner from the left and Gary White swung the ball in for Matt Smith to power home a header at the back post, his first goal for the club.
On 9 minutes Smith almost made it two from a similar corner, this time from the right, but his header sailed just over the bar.
Yate were in no mood to lie down and had two chances in a matter of minutes to get back into the game. They were awarded a free kick that David Elsey took and the ball flew across the goalmouth inches in front of the onrushing Yate strikers. Then Mike Wyatt hitting his shot over the bar when well placed.
On 26 minutes Gresley won another corner that White played short to Shaun Harrad who returned the ball so that White could whip in a cross that Steve Lenagh unluckily headed over the bar.
Four minutes later Yate went close again. From an Elsey free kick Metheringham somehow headed the ball powerfully down into the ground and the ball bounced over the head of Belford and to the keeper's relief over the bar.
On 31 minutes Gresley added to their lead. Lenagh was put through by a superb pass from Harrad and the striker made no mistake as he smashed his first time shot past Yate keeper Tony Court giving him no chance.
It was all Gresley now and the visitors must have feared an avalanche of goals were about to hit them as every home attack looked like breaching their defence.
Darren Hobbs was called on to save his colleagues on 40 minutes has he managed to clear of his goal line from a deflected effort from White.
Just a minute later the defence was breached when another White free kick was flicked past the keeper and into the net by Danny Haynes.
Yate's goal led a charmed life as twice the ball refused to go into the net as it bounced around the goal line right on the half time whistle.
Straight from the re-start Gresley pushed Yate back into their own half whith Richard Wardle putting a fine pass through to Harrard down the right flank who ran at the defence before unleashing a shot that was blocked by Court.
Elsey was very fortunate not to have been at least booked when he appeared to lash out at Gareth Holmes before flooring the midfielder with an atrocious tackle from behind. The referee chose to play on and was sure to spoken to the player when play stopped. But, no, nothing was said but Gresley almost made Yate pay for it as Wardle sent in a flighted ball that Lenagh could only steer over the bar.
On 56 minutes Yate had another chance but Leon Simpson could only put his header wide from a Neal cross.
Two minutes later Gresley produced a good flowing move between White and Harrod but the final shot was deflected away to safety. Seconds later, some more good work this time by Jamie Barrett, produced a cross that Lenagh controlled brilliantly before shooting over the bar.
Gresley were producing some very good football and another smart move down the left between Wardle and Harrad ended with the keeper managing to keep out the ball with his legs after diving the wrong way.
Yate's consolation goal came on 66 minutes from a set piece. The visitors were awarded a corner and their giant defender Phil Ward headed past Belford and into the net.
Things could have been closer on 68 minutes except for some great goal keeping by Belford who blocked a close range shot from Neal with his legs.
Three minutes later, substitute Leon Doughty could have scored with almost his first touch of the game but could only put his shot over from 10 yards.
Gresley were still searching for another goal and went close when Lenagh curled a shot that was well held by Court .
On 73 minutes Gresley got the goal their play thoroughly deserved. Harrad had left the defence for dead and has he went towards goal Elsey tripped him from behind and the referee with no hesitation pointed to the spot. Elsey collected a yellow card for his efforts and was extremely fortunate not to have been walking to the dressing room.
Harrad took the spot kick and sent the keeper the wrong way.
Yate still tried to go forward and went close on 84 minutes but Belford made another fine save as he tipped over a header from Metheringham.
Right at the end of normal time Gresley thought they had scored their fifth when substitute Liam Hebberd ran in on goal putting the ball past Court but he'd been harshly adjudged to have been offside.
Then deep into injury time Lenagh put another header fractionally wide of the mark.
Gary's view of the match
"I'm absolutely delighted, although the pressure is still on.
"Without being detrimental to Yate they only had the high ball that caused us any danger.
"I thought we were superb in the first half. We were a little nervy to start with until we scored the first goal and that settled us down. I'm even more pleased for Matt Smith, because he doesn't score many, and he hasn't scored many in his career.
"We've tried it in training getting him to make those runs on corners and it's brilliant when something from off the training ground actually comes off in a game.
"The goal really gave us a foot hold and enabled us to relax a little and to try an dictate the game which I felt we did in the first half..
"The movement was good; the passing was good and we were solid at the back and the midfield lads worked hard. The movement of the front two was very good, in particular Shaun Harrad, his movement off the ball was fantastic.
"Even at 3-0, though, I was thinking of the Shepshed match last season when we were 3-0 up at half time. It's hard doing the team talk at the break. All you can do is to tell them to keep their work rate up and I was certain more goals would come.
"After 20 minutes of the second half I don't know how we were not five or six up. Their goal led a charmed life and we wasted some opportunities, which was a little disappointing because against better sides we are going to have to take those opportunities.
"We are not getting carried away. It's nice to have a win because it became increasingly more frustrating over the last 5 games. I hope we can work on things and take the chances because there will be a lot more games that will be tight and we need to take those chances.
"The other thing that was slightly concerning is that they had two or three free opportunities and with better quality strikers they would have put them away I think.
"It may have been a case of 'foot off the pedal' and I was disappointed that we gave then even a sniff. It would have been nice to have kept a clean sheet.
"After last Tuesday everyone was very positive but one thing I've learned is not to get carried away. I thought that if we could play half as well we'd get a victory.
"I'm delighted with the three points – I'd have been happy with a scrappy 1-0 just to get us off the mark. We need to not get carried away because we visit Solihull on Monday and they are a very good outfit and we could be brought back down to earth.
"We go there with no fears and need to build on the work of the past two or three weeks and get something from the game to set us up for Bedworth next Saturday.
"We've now got some quality up front with Shaun Harrad and Steve Lenagh. Steve is not quite match fit but he's improving every game. His presence on the pitch and he took his goal really well but there's a lot more still to come from Steve.
"Jamie Barrett is forming a good partnership with Gareth Holmes in midfield. Gareth's work rate is second to none.
"It was good to get a win, albeit against Yate but we need to judge ourselves against the top six teams to see where we are.
"We were a lot better than Yate and are a lot better than our league position suggests."
Gresley Rovers (3) 4
Yate Town (0) 1
Scorers: Matt Smith 5, Lenagh 31, Haynes 41, Harrad 73 (pen) (Gresley Rovers); Ward 66 (Yate Town).
Gresley Rovers: Belford, Everitt, Cheetham, Matt Smith, Haynes, Barrett (Slater 88), Wardle (Doughty 67), Holmes, Harrad (Hebberd 83), Lenagh, G White. Subs not used: Branch, Moran.
Yate Town: Court, Mark Smith (Simpson 45), Hobbs, Elsey
, Ward, Coles, Wyatt, Brooks (Williams 48), Metheringham, Rawlins, Neal (Powell 83). Sub not used: Bright.
Rovers Star Man: Shaun Harrad – superb display.
Referee: M Lever (Wigston).
Attendance: 369
