Match Photos
Bedworth United vs Gresley Rovers
This was a match affected by a very soft pitch and a strong wind blowing from goalmouth to goalmouth which did not allow either side to play football and the result was just one shot on target and very little to report on.
Both sides had half-chances but for one save by Bedworth's keeper Gary Hately neither keeper was really tested for the whole 90 + minutes.
Gresley kicked off with the wind at their backs and on 10 minutes a corner from Gary White went just too high for Steve Lenagh.
Bedworth had the first of their half-chances on 15 minutes. A throw in by Neil O'Sullivan was helped on by Marvin Blake to Guy Hadland who put his strike wide of the upright from 20 yards.
Four minutes later Hately barely got a touch on a cross from Andy Cheetham on the left but Richard Wardle just could not steer the ball home as it flashed by the far post.
A foul on Jamie Barrett resulted in Wardle taking a quick fee kick to Danny Haynes down the right. His cross found Leon Doughty but the midfielder could not control the ball and put his shot well over the bar.
Perhaps the best chance of the half fell to the home side on 33 minutes. A defensive header from Haynes fell to Tom Stevenson on the edge of the penalty area but his first time volley missed the target by just a fraction.
The second half found Gresley facing the strong wind preventing them from clearing their lines at times and spoiling any chances for both sides.
On the hour Bedworth had another half chance when Martin Crowley sent over a cross that found James Wood but again the effort went wide of the mark.
The only real chance on goal came on 66 minutes. Debutant David Kettle, on loan from Notts County, had been on the pitch just ten minutes after replacing Carl Slater when the young striker was put through one-on-one with the keeper after a great ball from White. As he ran forward Hately, standing his ground blocked the resulting shot with his legs.
There was only one more glimmer of a chance just before the full time whistle but Bedworth's substitute Lee Moore could only put a weak shot wide when well placed.
Gary's view on the game
"On reflection we look at this game as two points dropped. However, having said that on the balance of play a draw was probably the fair result.
"It was a game very much dominated by the conditions. It's credit to the ground staff for getting the game on as they've had a lot of rain here and its been troubling them this season. But the condition of the pitch didn't help either side that wanted to get the ball down - and the wind in the second half was gale force at times. We were facing it in the second half and at times we were struggling to get our lines clear and out of the half.
"On reflection taking the positives out of the game, it's now over four and a half hours since we conceded a goal which was the 4th minute goal in the Ilkeston game. The defence looked reasonably solid today and we created arguably the best two chances with the Leon Doughty effort in the first half and young Kettle's effort we he was put through. A little bit more composure perhaps but he hit the target and he's done what he had to do and their keeper made a good save - for me that was the big chance.
"If any tem was going to win today it would be a sneaked 1-0. But, the mini revival continues and we've not been beaten.
"Bedworth have had some decent results this year, the league table suggests that they are not doing particularly well but they've had some good results against some of the top sides. It's a difficult place to come and play football but it does feel like it's two points dropped because we were desperate to get the three points and to try and get back in things.
"There were very few opportunities created for either side but I feel we created just that little bit more clear-cut opportunities and Dale Belford's not really had a save to make but their keeper hasn't had a massive amount to do either to be fair. He made a really good save off Kettle but that's probably the only save either keeper had to make.
"It was a game very much dominated by midfield and the conditions really and I said to Mark at the end that we would have probably been here until midnight before any team would have scored!"
Bedworth United (0) 0
Gresley Rovers (0) 0
Bedworth United: Hately, Olanipekun, O'Sullivan, male, Richardson, Goodman (Moore 69), Massingham, Stevenson
, Wood (Scott 71), Hadland (Crowley 56). Subs not used: Blair, Dodd.
Gresley Rovers: Belford, Haynes
(Lonergan 72), Cheetham, Everitt, Hood, Slater (Kettle 56), Wardle, Doughty, Barrett, Lenagh (Tucker 72), White. Subs not used: Francis, Villers (gk).
Rovers Star Man: Jamie Hood - solid defending.
Referee: I Hamilton (Cheltenham).
Attendance: 170
