Gresley Rovers vs Burton Albion
Rarely has a derby day victory been more emphatic than Burton Albion's win over Gresley Rovers at the Moat Ground yesterday.
The Brewers brought a new dimension to the season of Joy with a display that even their most devoted fan could surely not have dared to dream of.
It was a performance packed with more Christamas gifts than Santa Claus delivers on a busy night: a spectacular opening goal from Robbie Briscoe on his return to South Derbyshire, one for fit-again Nigel Mottram on the ground where his injury nightmare began, another for skipper Simon Redfern to cap a dominating midfield show and a neat header from Jason Rhodes to end his personal goal drought.
Yet the player who impressed most was Albion front-runner Paul Gretton, a torment to Gresley throughout, and denied a thoroughly deserved goal only buy two excellent late saves by Bob Aston.
Gretton began his torture in the first attack of the game, bursting onto Redfern's through ball and forcing Aston to go flat out to save on a surface left rock hard by frost.
Brewers boss Brian Kenning was among those who said beforehand the game should not have started, but how glad he must have been that it had as he watched his team seize control almost from the off.
Gresley briefly suggested they may make a game of it when Colin Loss dipped a long-range shot just over and Martin Devaney fired wide after Gary Redgate missed Graeme Rigg's through ball.
But that was Redgate's last error of the game as, in partnership with the equally impressive Darren Robinson, he completely snuffed out Rovers' spark.
Instead it was Burton, dominant in every department, who belied the conditions to slice the home side open seemingly at will.
Gretton might have had a penalty when he appeared to be pushed in the back by Mark Blount inside the Rovers box, then he might have had a goal when he lifted Redfern's header over Aston – and the bar.
But it all came right for the big striker in the 17th minute when he skipped past Nigel Simms near the right corner flat and crossed for Briscoe to dive in ahead of Aston and Blount and send the Brewers' traveling fans dancing with delight.
Gresley tried to rally with Mark Hurst hitting a first-time shot well off target and Rigg firing a 25-yard free kick narrowly over Nick Goodwin's bar, but with six minutes left of the first half Burton had the game all but won.
Simms looked favourite to clear Adrian Doughty's through pass until Rhodes determination suddenly turned the tables, the half-blocked ball falling, almost inevitably, for Gretton.
This time, the cross was not so good, but when Gresley failed to clear Darren Grocutt ensured it was equally effective, lashing in a 16-yard shot that Aston could only palm into the path of Redfern, who fired into the empty net.
Grocutt then saw a shot deflected against Aston's bar with the Rovers keeper beaten to ensure the home side trooped off at half time with their hearts in their boots.
Only half the story was told, though, and within three minutes of the restart Alan Davies twice beat Dave Swainston on the right before planting a perfect cross onto the head of the unmarked Rhodes, who scored easily from six yards.
Rovers were face-to-face with humiliation but there seemed no lifeline, Doughty's run soon setting up Gretton again after Rhodes had set up the chance. Aston once again thwarted the number nine when Redfern's header gave him yet another chance following Doughty's corner.
Gresley went for a double substitution in a bid to revive their fortunes and the ploy seemed to have paid off when Chris Moore was tripped in the penalty area by Robinson.
Rovers fans dreamed of a late revival but Goodwin put paid to that idea by dropping to his left to beat out Craig Weston's tame spot kick.
Hurst hit a first time shot just over as Rovers threw more and more men forward, then Rigg hit a half decent chance over after Elliott and Moore had worked hard to create the opening.
Normal service was soon restored, with Aston just managing to deflect Doughty's cross away as Mottram seemed poised to score with his first touch.
The substitute didn't have long to wait, though. Gresley had six players on Burton's 18 yards line waiting a cross that never came as Redfern disposed Blount and ran 60 yards down the left before setting up a near-post chance that the former Rocester striker tucked past Aston with not inconsiderable glee.
Even Kenning was on the pitch to celebrate – it seemed everything was turning out roses for Burton, an impression further confirmed when Rovers' best effort of the day, a withering 25-yard shot by Elliott, was saved by the flying Goodwin.
Twice Redfern gave Gretton the chance to further rub Rovers' noses in it, but each time Aston responded with excellent saves.
They weren't enough to prevent Gresley reaching a dark nadir of gloom, however , or to stop Burton's merry victory jig back across the Trent.
The two teams meet again at Easter, but on the evidence of this display, it might be another 37 years before they do so after that.
Gresley Rovers (0) 0
Burton Albion (2) 4
Scorers: Briscoe 17, Redfern 39, Rhodes 48, Mottram 78.
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Blount, Swainston (Weston 58), Loss, Evans, Simms, Elliott, Riggs, Hurst, Devaney, Acklam (Moore 58).
Burton Albion: Goodwin, Davies, Williams, Redgate, Robinson, Grocutt, Doughty, Redfern, Gretton, Rhodes (Mottram 76), Briscoe.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Bob Aston
Referee: J R Hubbard (Leicester)
Attendance: 2409
