Redditch United vs Gresley Rovers
Gresley Rovers are still waiting for an upturn in their fortunes after suffering another defeat at the home of league leaders Redditch United.
It was the home side who made the first chance on 2 minutes after Alex Crowley had put his shot wide of an upright. But they had only to wait a further minute bfore taking the lead.
A long ball was sent into the Gresley box that was headed clear by Gresley defender Matt Smith but unfortunately the ball found Martin Myers just outside the penalty area.
His volley looped over Dale Belford and into the net giving the keeper no chance at all.
Gresley got themselves together and had a chance on 10 minutes when a fine ball from Gary White found Leigh Everitt just inside the box but the defenders shot went straight into the midriff of home keeper Richard Anstiss.
Redditch almost doubled their lead four minutes later when Craig Woodley's quickly taken free kick to Matt Hall was fired goalwards but Belford managed to grab the ball at the second attempt.
The home side continued to press forward and on 25 minutes Belford had to be alert to block a shot this time from Richard Leadbeater.
The nearest Gresley got to levelling came on 40 minutes. Simon Tucker managed to beat an offside trap to run on to Leon Doughty's through ball but his shot had no power and Anstiss saved easily.
Belford was the saviour again minutes later when he blocked a shot from Woodley but the Redditch midfielder could only put the rebound over the bar.
Richard Wardle had the best chance for the Moatmen almost on the half time whistle. A pass from Carl Francis was fired well over when very well placed.
Redditch came out looking to increase their lead with both Andy Cheetham and Belford clearing the danger.
However, on 58 minutes the home side got the goal they'd been searching for. A slip from Cheetham, who looked to have had the danger covered, allowed a ball from Woodley to get past him to Crowley and his cross was scrambled home from close in from Scott Voice.
Manager Gary Norton made a double substitution on the hour and brought on Nathan Jones and Steve Lenagh for Tucker and Francis but it failed to reap any reward and Redditch comfortably held on to their lead.
Gary's view of the game
"I'm happier with the performance but defeat still hurts every time. The last three defeats have hurt especially because of the performances we've put in because key players have not been at the races but I can't argue with that today because we've been beaten by the better side today.
"We performed relatively well players, who in the last few games have looked out of sorts have been better and on the game today. We are not quite there yet and there are bits still to work on.
"When you are in the middle of a run like we are in the last thing you need is to come to the runaway league leaders. Redditch played very well and they kept the ball for long periods and we worked very hard and rode a bit of luck at times.
"The second goal killed us. We had a bit of a foothold at one nil and we were always in with a shout and biggest disappointment for me is how cheap we gave away the second goal. We've been on the attack and then given the ball away a bit too easy for me up front. One ball beat us and I though Andy Cheetham was going to get a chest on it when it was mid air and it dipped on him and he just could not make it and they got us down the right on the break – and that deflated us.
"You take the positives out of it. When you're down on your luck they stick a goal in like that after two minutes. Matt Smith did well to deal with the first ball and I felt that the midfield two were slightly off the pace and whether Redditch's player meant it, but he put the ball into the only part of the goal that Dale couldn't get to and it was quite a special goal to go one up.
"I was looking round to see if the players would let their heads drop and credit to them they didn't and they kept battling and as the half went on I felt we got more and more into it. I didn't want halftime to come because we'd created some half chances. Simon Tucker had one that I felt he could have took on a bit more, Leigh Everitt had a good opportunity when he broke into the box, Richard Wardle flashed one over the bar, and I really felt that in the last 15 minutes of the first half we were starting to get into the game.
"We went in at half time confident and I was very pleased with the performance. In the second half, even though we didn't really look like carving out a real clear cut opportunity I can't really argue with the performance.
"Their player Woodley was the best player on the park no matter where he was he was like a magnet for the ball and I said to our lads that to me that was the complete midfield performance. When he had the ball he didn't give it away, he was very tidy and when under pressure he put the ball into some very good areas and for me our young midfielders can learn from that performance.
"It was certainly a learning experience for us in midfield. Having said that, each and everyone of them performed well and nee to take it on to the Ilkeston game.
"One of the problems today was getting the ball and strikers into the box and that's what we need to do - we are still struggling up front and we need to find the right paring."
Redditch United (1) 2
Gresley Rovers (0) 0
Scorers: Myers 3, Voice 58
Redditch United: Anstiss, Manton, Gardner, Myers, Knight, Woodley, Hall (Quiggin 45), Scheppell (Taylor 63), Leadbeater, Voice (Burgess 69), Cowley. Subs not used: Flynn, Softley.
Gresley Rovers: Belford, Everitt, Cheetham, Smith, Hood
, Slater, Wardle, Doughty, Tucker (Jones 60), Francis (Lenagh 60), White (Barrett 31). Subs not used: Alexander, Clarke (gk).
Rovers Star Man: Richard Wardle – tried his hardest to get things going
Referee: C D Nook (Stourbridge).
Attendance: 346
