Gresley Rovers vs Shepshed Dynamo
A place in the second round of the Dr Martens Cup was Gresley Rovers reward for overcoming a determined effort by Shepshed Dynamo.
On a wet night in front of 218 hardy souls it was the home side that made the early chances. On 4 minutes Dynamo keeper Richard Keeling needed two attempts to hold on to Danny Haynes’ long range shot and then 5 minutes later a Gresley free kick from just outside the area was cleared by the visitors.
Shepshed began to find their feet and on 21 minutes it took a well timed blocking tackle by Leigh Everitt to deny Simon Forsdick’s cross causing any danger.
On 35 minutes Gresley gained a corner on the right and Gary White swung in the ball which was just missed by Steve Lenagh.
Up at the other end Martyn Emery managed to get by his marker Gresley defender Andy Cheetham and put a pass through to Lee Quincey who could only hit a feeble shot straight into the arms of home keeper Dale Belford.
On 42 minutes Harrad did very well down the right before firing in a superb ball across the face of Dynamo’s goal but unfortunately no Gresley player could get on the end on the inviting ball.
Right on the half time whistle a speculative high cross appeared to go through Keeling’s hands but the keeper managed to recover and grab the ball before being embarrassed further.
Gresley came out looking for the first goal and four minutes after the re-start Shaun Harrad almost got it. Harrad collected the ball just inside the Shepshed half and ran down the left flank cutting inside before curling the ball past the beaten Keeling but the ball came off the inside of the far post. There was a scramble in the visitor’s defence and the ball fell to Haynes whose shot was deflected away for a corner.
Only a minute later a 20 yard screamer from Harrad was superbly tipped over by Keeling as Gresley pressed forward.
Against the run of play Dynamo took the lead. On 62 minutes Emery managed to get behind the Gresley back line and Belford managed to get a hand to his shot pushing the ball onto the post but the ball fell kindly to Carl Lawrence who had the simplest of chances to put his side into the lead.
However, the lead lasted for only three minutes as Gresley came storming back. Shepshed gave away a free kick just outside the area from which Weafer received a deserved yellow card for his theatrics and his dissent.
Leon Doughty took the kick which Keeling could not keep out despite getting a hand on the ball.
Gresley went looking for a winner and Jamie Barrett was inches away from getting it on 73 minutes. Another free kick, this time from Gary White, flew across the face of the goal and Barrett was a whisker away from connecting at the far post.
Shepshed almost shot themselves in the foot when Emery almost put a header into his own net from substitute Earl Alexander’s cross but the ball brushed the post as it went out for a corner.
The goal Gresley had been looking for came on 81 minutes. Lenagh helped on a Liam Walshe cross and the ball ran through to Harrad marauding on the right who kept his composure and hammered a shot past Keeling.
On 88 minutes Walshe went close but his shot flashed just past the post.
With time up on the clock Shepshed had two half chances to force extra time. The first when Belford dropped a cross from Fosdick but a Gresley defender was there to clear the danger and then from a Quincey corner Stevens in acres of space could only put his header nearer the corner flag than the goal.
Gary's view of the game
"I thought we played better against Shepshed tonight than we did against them two weeks ago. I said to the lads at halftime that we were playing some good football and I was quite pleased with the fact that they weren’t troubling us at the back and our movement was good and we were trying to play some decent football.
"I thought we over played it a little bit too much sometimes in the first half, The only thing missing was the quality of the final ball and a little bit more adventure and gambling from the front lads and midfielders who were getting in the box.
Second half, we started well and Shaun had a very good chance which nine times out of ten he would have put away that hit the post and came out and then Danny Haynes had a good chance but the ball hit his heel.
"The game went from us having three very good chances to them taking the lead from their first real opportunity. Dale Belford got something on the ball to turn it on to the post but Carl Lawrence was alert to stick the ball into the net.
"The game went then from us being in control for the majority of the tie to us having to chase the game.
"I was pleased with the response of the players how they dug in and battled.
"I feel sorry for Shepshed. They've been here twice in two weeks and put up decent performances and missed out each time. It was a battle tonight and I knew they'd be up for it because they always are and I'm pleased that we've been able to come away with a win.
"Leon's goal was a peach. It was a great strike and he's always capable of that. He does it in training. If we hadn't have scored so quickly after Shepshed they would probably have dug in and defended their lead making it very difficult for us.
"I'm also pleased for Shaun. We stuck him out on the right and the ball managed to find him and he kept his composure and stuck it in.
"I'm also pleased that for the first time this season we've come back to win a game after going behind."
Gresley Rovers (0) 2
Shepshed Dynamo (0) 1
Scorers: Doughty 65, Harrad 81 (Gresley Rovers); Lawrence 65 (Shepshed Dynamo)
Gresley Rovers: Belford, Wardle, Cheetham (Alexander 66), Smith, Everitt (Walshe 71), Haynes, Doughty, Barrett, Harrad, Lenagh, G White (Hebberd 77). Subs not used: Slater, Clarke (gk).
Shepshed Dynamo: Keeling, Stevens, Prindiville, Hook, Savage, Quincey, Lambert, Weafer
, Emery (Wash 87), Lawrence (Heskey 87), Forsdick. Subs not used: O’Brien, Timms, Harland (gk).
Rovers Star Man: Leon Doughty – solid in midfield.
Referee: S Hutchinson (Birmingham).
Attendance: 218
