Gresley Rovers vs Atherstone United
Mark Hurst provided the one moment of quality that Gresley Rovers needed to wrest a point from uncompromising Atherstone United at the Moat Ground last night.
After an error by Nigel Simms, making his Rovers debut as skipper, had allowed the Adders to take an early lead Rovers looked bereft of the craft and knowhow to stage a revival until Hurst's arrival from the bench.
But the little striker, still shaking of the effects of flu, showed there was a way around the Atherstone defence to set up a headed equaliser for Tony Marsden and prompt a late rally in which Rovers came within an ace of snatching their first Beazer Premier win since September 7th.
Gresley had started the game with hopes high that the arrival of the vastly experienced Simms could gibe them the impetus to end their barren streak.
But with just six minutes on the clock Matt Wallace opened up the home defence with a through ball that left Steve Campbell in a one-on-one with Simms and the striker – whose earlt goal at Sheepy Lane in August condemned Rovers to their biggest defeat of the season – left the new arrival trailing in his wake as he burst powerfully clear to beat Bob Aston.
Rovers did their best to shake off the setback but it looked nowhere near good enough with defender Mark Blount their most dangerous attacker.
The teenager met a Craig Weston corner with a header that keeper Richard Williams held in the top corner then forced his way onto Weston's through ball only to see his shot saved at the foot of a post.
The efforts were not enough to shake Atherstone's control of the game, however, and Mick Thurman came within inches of extending their lead when he arrived unmarked at the far post to fire Matt Wileman's cross just wide.
There was little discernable improvement after the break with Aston having to produce a fine save to prevent Thurman from scoring with a 30-yard free kick.
Marsden missed Gresley's best chance when Mark Blount and Colin Loss linked to release him down the centre but Williams kept out the shot with his boots.
But the midfielder made amends with 13 minutes left when he capped a hard-working performance with a brave header after Loss released Hurst down the left to beat a defender and provide the best cross of the game.
Hopes were stirred of a late rally but Rovers had perhaps expended too much effort in levelling and it never came, although Williams was grateful to push Blount's late shot onto a post then gather the rebound as it bounced conveniently into his arms.
Gresley Rovers (0) 1
Atherstone United (1) 1
Scorers: Marsden 77 (Gresley Rovers); Campbell 6 (Atherstone United).
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Blount, Dick, Loss, Evans, Simms, Wardle (Hurst 69), Marsden, Devaney, Acklam (Moore 45), Weston.
Atherstone United: Williams, Wileman, Upton, Owen, Jackson, Whitehurst, Knight, Wallace, Campbell, Thurman, Horne (Frost 67). Sub not used: Perry.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Colin Loss.
Referee: P Barston (Sileby).
Attendance: 804
