Gresley Rovers vs Chesterfield
Rovers bowl youths over – Andy Parker – Burton Mail
Gresley boss Steve Dolby looked on in satisfaction last night as his team convincingly won back the Derbyshire Centenary Rosebowl from Chesterfield.
But the Moat supremo was swift to point out afterwards: “You don’t read too much into pre-season performances. That was a good loosener but not much more than that.”
Dolby had been particularly eager to check the form of trialist Nick Stanborough at the centre of his back four and the big defender soon impressed, powerfully winning a succession of high balls.
But Dolby said: “Stanborough looked strong but he was only up against youngsters. It was his debut and he was eager to do well bit I would have liked to see him up against a big centre forward.”
Alas, Dolby will have to wait for over a week to make a further assessment of the defender who, astonishingly, is suspended for seven days from August 1st – three weeks before the season proper begins.
But in games next week against Burton Albion and Derby County he will hope to see further performances like last night in which his team, looking fit, eager and organised, were always on top of a Chesterfield side made up mainly of young reserve team players with a sprinkling of experience.
Former Ram Trevor Hebberd marshalled the Blues well at the back but was nowhere to be seen when Richard Wardle’s 25th-minute cross picked out Paul Acklam in yards of space on the edge of the Spireites’ penalty area, the striker firing a left foot shot high into the net with considerable panache.
Bob Aston denied Mark Smith an equaliser with a stretching save under the crossbar before Dolby introduced five substitutes, suggesting an imminent change in the pattern of the game.
No such change materialised, though, with Rovers continuing to dominate, young striker Christian Moore underlining the depth of talent available with a superb individual goal on 74 minutes, a determined left wing run past two defenders ending with a precise shot past Mick Leonard’s right hand.
Gresley Rovers (1) 2
Chesterfield (0) 0
Scorers: Acklam 25, Moore 74.
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Dick, Swainston, Rigg, Stanborough, Land, Wardle, Elliott, Acklam, Devaney, Hurst. Subs (all used after 60 mins ) Wheatley, Holness, Mead, Webster, Moore.
Chesterfield: Leonard, Myhill, Kent, Knowles (Elson 4), Smith, Hebberd, Jones (Otter 76), Curtis, Whitehead, Aylward, Wilson.
Referee: G Stones (Walton).
