Thringstone vs Gresley Rovers
Thringstone MW 0 - 6 Gresley Rovers
Gresley Rovers began their preparations for the new season with a comprehensive 6-0 victory over Leicestershire Senior League side Thringstone Miners Welfare.
The result itself was only of academic consequence but as new manager Peter Shone said after the match "it has been a useful workout and it had given me the opportunity to assess my new signings.
Gresley's goal chart went: 7 minutes 1-0; Nigel Steele's left wing corner came out to Tony Greaves whose shot was cleared off the line by Lightbourn but his attempted clearance hit Cooper and trickled in.
31 minutes 2-0; Another goal inspired by Steele. The inside left collected Boyle's clearance and after having an initial shot blocked, pulled the ball back for new signing Mick Collins to convert from close-in.
38 minutes 3-0; Mick Collins who made an impressive debut headed down into the path of Chris Cowlishaw who did the rest with a sweetly struck chip shot over the keeper and into the far corner of the net.
43 minutes 4-0; Nigel Steele picked up the ball deep in Thringstone's half and as the home side's defence chose to watch the decoy runs made by Collins and Cowlishaw, Steele ran though unchallenged, rounded keeper Gillard and tapped the ball into an empty net.
The goal was just reward for Steele who only a minute before had deprived by a goal-line clearance by Harmston following a move prompted by Gazzard.
60 minutes 5-0; Geoff Gazzard's right wing cross was touched back by Dave Bacon, one of three second half substitutes used by Gresley, to Nigel Steele who notched his second goal with a rasping drive which went in off the underside of the bar.
63 minutes 6-0; Mick Collins added his second with a simple effort after a good run and cross by Gazzard. Gresley's victory was achieved with such ease that keeper Keith Evans was hardly called upon to make a save.
Thringstone MW - Gillard, Cooper, Lightbourn, Gallagher, Boyle, Harmston, Hudson, Pickering, Wigstead, Bancroft, Springthorp.
Gresley Rovers: Evans, Greaves, Walshe, Fox, Camm, Royall, Walker, Cowlisaw, Collins, Steele, Gazzard. Second half substitutes - Bourne, Edwards, Bacon.
