Gresley Rovers vs Hastings Town
Christmas came early for Gresley Rovers as they plundered an improbable victory at the Moat Ground on Saturday.
Luckless Hastings were left to reflect on a game they dominated for long spells without getting an iota of good fortune – leaving Moat boss Steve Dolby to confess: "We've done to them what other teams have been doing to us lately. They looked dangerous in the air at times and had a few chances but we soaked up a reasonable amount of pressure and hit them with three good goals."
Striker Paul Acklam extended the theme when he pointed out: "We've been giving goals away and having to chase games so it made a change for us to get one early on."
Striker Mark Hurst, Rovers' hero on Tuesday when he set up the equaliser against Atherstone, turned from goal maker to goal taker to fire Rovers ahead after just eight minutes.
Picking up Martin Devaney's excellent first time pass, the livewire frontrunner cut in from the left and, leaving a defender trailing haplessly in his wake, fired in a right foot cross shot of such power that keeper James Creed could only help the ball on its way into the roof of the net.
A minute later Devaney was inches from doubling his team's early advantage when he beat two defenders inside the penalty area but fired a low shot agonisingly wide.
The stage seemed set for a barnstorming Gresley performance in front of the Moat Grounds lowest league gate of the season but again Rovers failed to sustain their momentum and it was Town who began to call the shots.
Full back Steven Willard set the trend with a powerful run and shot that flashed narrowly wide from 25 yards, then Bob Aston was called on to make the first of a string of crucial saves when he clawed Terry White's 25-yard free kick out of the top corner.
Then Peter Heritage met White's corner with a full-blooded header but the ball flew just too high.
Rovers were reeling but Mark Blount led the fightback with a charge down the right and 20-yard shot that came back off the crossbar as Rovers ended the first half on the up, Hurst going close to a second with a spectacular overhead shot from Martin Dick's cross.
Hastings emerged undeterred for the second period, however, and it took a brave block by Colin Loss to stop Steve Powell's shot finding the target. Then, when the little midfielder was presented with a free header eight yards out from another White cross, Aston responded with an excellent save.
The Rovers keeper topped that stop with an even better one to deflect away another Heritage shot and Powell, following up, saw his header cleared off the line by Dick.
Hurst relieved the pressure by picking up Acklam's pass and firing in a shot that Creed, currently under scrutiny from Arsenal, tipped away, before Rovers once more rode their luck, Heritage seeing a shot deflected against his own post by Stuart Evans.
It seemed Hastings equaliser must come sooner rather than later but within moments it was Rovers who were celebrating.
Graeme Rigg began the move with a precision through ball and Hurst held off a defender before teeing up Devaney to fire home from the edge of the penalty area.
Still Town battled, Kieron O'Shaughnessy seeing a shot deflected wide off Acklam with Aston diving the wrong way, then Blount almost headed Willard's cross into his own net, the ball skimming past the post instead.
It was certainly not Hastings' day but it was Rovers' and Devaney proved the point with a third goal in injury time, Hurst again the provider.
Gresley Rovers (1) 3
Hastings Town (0) 0
Scorers: Hurst 8, Devaney 66, 92
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Blount, Dick, Loss, Evans, Smms, Weston, Rigg, Hurst, Acklam (Elliott 68; Taplin 88), Devaney.
Hastings Town: Creed, Henderson, Willard, Burt, Trott, Powell (D White 90), T White, Tuppenney (Whyman 73), Miles, O'Shaughnessy, Heritage.
Gresley man-of-the-Match: Mark Hurst.
Referee: F Stretton (West Bridgford).
Attendance: 601
