Hinckley Athletic vs Gresley Rovers
Rovers stumble – Andy Parker – Burton Mail
Hinckley Athletic made it an unhappy return for Gresley Rovers new boy Nick Stanborough as Rovers stumbled to defeat at Middlefield Lane last night.
The big defender, who joined Rovers from the Leicestershire club this week, was one of the few successes in a Rovers side still missing a string of key players.
But he was unable to prevent a 74th minute goal from former Bedworth striker Andy Mee giving Hinckley a victory that will do little for Rovers confidence with the Beazer Premier kick off just 10 days away.
That seemed an unlikely scenario after an opening half dominated by Gresley.
They put Hinckley under pressure straight from the kick off and should have taken the lead after six minutes when Stanborough headed back a Craig Weston corner but Tony Marsden thrashed a close range header against the bar.
It was one-way traffic but Hinckley’s goal enjoyed a charmed life as Rovers made and missed a string of chances.
Marsden had particular cause to lament his poor luck in front of goal, meeting Stanborough’s cross in the 36th minute with a thumping close range header that seemed a goal all the way until keeper Lee Keyte produced an athletic tip over save.
The pattern continued after the interval despite Hinckley introducing no fewer than seven substitutes, and striker Mark Hurst was the next to go close, meeting Marsden’s left wing cross with a twisting header that came back off a post.
Teenage striker Paul Galloway, struggling to make an early impact, almost got onto the score sheet when he burst clear onto Bob Aston’s kick and lifted the ball over substitute keeper Mick Goodman only for Goodman to produce a stretching save.
It all went wrong for Rovers when a big kick from Goodman caught the back four napping and Mee unmarked to flick the ball over the stranded Aston.
Rovers continued to press forward but no longer with any conviction and after Goodman saved Mick Taplin’s close range effort from a Corin Holness free kick with ten minutes left the game teetered to an unmemorable conclusion.
Hinckley Athletic (0) 1
Gresley Rovers (0) 0
Scorer: Mee 74.
Hinckley Athletic: Keyte, Banks, Timms, Orton, Williams, Stringer, Arnott, Bradley, Sinden, Irvine, Hudson. Subs (all used ): Mee, Smith Woodwiss, Dickson, French, Love, Goodman.
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Dick, Holness, Marsden, Evans, Stanborough, Weston, Elliott, Osbourne (Galloway 58), Taplin, Hurst (Acklam 58).
Referee: B Curson (Sapcote).
Attendance: 200
