Gresley Rovers vs Graham Street Prims
Gresley Rovers won this much-delayed Derbyshire Senior Cup quarter final at a cantor with a well-taken second half hat trick from Steve Lenagh and a first half strike from Danny Haynes.
It was the visitors who had the first sniff of a goal after just three minutes. Leigh Grant, looking a yard offside got behind the Gresley defence but his shot went well over the bar.
On 11 minutes Carl Slater had the first of three chances when he shot straight at Prims keeper Chris Hudson after receiving Richard Wardle's pass.
A minute later Wardle again was the provider of a cross that Lenagh got his head to but the header lacked any poser.
On 14 minutes Slater ran into the box and was unlucky to see his shot blocked by the legs of Hudson and five minutes later the midfielder put a shot just wide after Lenagh had done well to hold the ball up just outside the area.
Gresley took the lead on 31 minutes. Earl Alexander, who minutes earlier had replaced Jamie Barrett who had been complaining of dizziness, found Gary White who's shot was blocked by a Prims defender and the ball rebounded to Haynes who fired in a first time shot past Hudson and into the net.
With Gresley's dominance of the first half the goal was just reward for their efforts and they could have doubled their advantage three minutes later but Lenagh's volley went straight into the keeper midriff.
Carl Francis then went close on 38 minutes but his shot whistled the wrong side of the upright.
Prims had one or their rare attempts on goal just before the break when Steve Winter's free kick caused Dale Belford to make a save low down to his right.
On 54 minutes Gresley were awarded a free kick on the right touch line. White whipped in a cross that Lenagh met with a tremendous header to leave Hudson a mere spectator as the ball flew past him and into the net.
Six minutes later Lenagh got his second and Gresley's third goal of the night. A throw from Belford found Alexander who flew down the left flank before crossing the ball that found Lenagh who's right foot shot found the back of the net with a little help from a post.
Gresley were heading for the semi-finals as surely as the Mississippi heads for the Gulf of Mexico and as unstoppable, and Lenagh could have given the Moatmen an even bigger lead just 10 minutes later but this time his header was blocked on the line by Dally Atwal and scrambled away.
On 74 minutes substitute Mussa Sylla, on for Leon Doughty, got the better of his marker just inside the Prims half but was dragged down by a defender and expected to awarded a free kick but bizarrely the referee decided otherwise and gave the kick to Prims.
White had a half chance on 83 minutes when Sylla sent in a fine cross that White controlled well before firing off his shot marginally wide of the post.
Lenagh completed his well-earned hat trick with just two minutes remaining of normal time – this time with his left foot to complete the set. Carl Francis put a pass through to Lenagh who controlled the ball before smashing the ball past the keeper.
Gary's view on the game
"It was a comfortable win in the end. Four-nil, but the clean sheet was the most pleasing thing and the fact that we kept going right to the end.
"No disrespect to them but I felt that if we played to our full potential we would win comfortably. I was a little nervous at half time only being one-nil up. They were always in the game at one-nil and the longer it stayed like that we would find it hard to break them down because of their energy and enthusiasm.
"They worked very, very hard but once the second goal came I thought that was it – we were quite comfortable then.
"I said to Carl Slater at half time that he could have had a hat trick in the first half. He's been fantastic in the last few games and for 90 minutes again tonight he covered every blade of grass on that pitch and could have had a few goals.
"I said to Steve Lenagh before the game that he should use tonight as a bit of a confidence booster to get one or two goals because he's not scored in open play for quite a long time now and for him to get three goals thought it would give him confidence. He also go a good 90 minutes under his belt and hopefully he'll build on that and move on.
"It was a left foot, right foot, header hat trick and that doesn't happen very often. I'm pleased for him but I hope he can now build on it and start chipping in a few goals in the league because I can't keep relying on the midfield for goals."
Gresley Rovers (1) 4
Graham St Prims (0) 0
Scorers: Haynes 31, Lenagh 54, 60, 88
Gresley Rovers: Belford, Wardle, Cheetham, Haynes, Hood, Slater, Doughty (Sylla 61), Barrett (Alexander 27), Francis, Lenagh, White. Sub not used: Smith
Graham St Prims: Hudson, Johnson, Archbold, Marvel, Woolard (Dickenson 72), Lochman
, McCall, Hill, Grant, Winter (Atwal 63), Day (Lillie 63)
Rovers Star Man: Steve Lenagh – deserved his goals
Referee: R Fletcher (Belper)
Attendance: 171
