Corby Town vs Gresley Rovers
Mad moments cost Gresley – Andy Parker – Burton Mail
Gresley Rovers could do worse than jump on John Major's latest bandwagon – and get "back to basics."
Rovers need to grasp every advantage that comes their way between now and May if they are to ensure their Beazer Premier future.
Yet their performance at the Rockingham Triangle on Saturday was so riven with elementary errors that manager Steve Dolby could only reflect afterwards on how his team had shot themselves well and truly in the collective foot.
There was more evidence of Rovers' rediscovered determination to survive, good football under pressure at times and even the bonus of an 11th minute lead courtesy of a repeat of the Tony Marsden goal that earned them victory over the Steelmen in September.
Yet Dolby angrily pointed out afterwards: "Two moments of total indiscipline have cost us the game."
The first came when an utterly wretched free kick by Marsden was hoofed straight back down the field to allow Anton Thomas a free run at goal.
The striker has been in a rich vein of scoring form during Town's 10-match unbeaten run and he needed no second invitation to streak clear of Stuart Evans and calmly fire high into Bob Aston's net, with Rovers seemingly well-founded claims that the number 11 had initially controlled the ball with his hand falling on the deaf ears of the referee Tincknell and his linesmen, who between them contrived a consistently inept performance throughout the afternoon.
Worse was to come. When Corby were given a left wing corner nine minutes into the second half Rovers inexplicably and inexcusably left midfielder Steve Devine completely unattended to receive the flag kick short and center for the equally unmarked Calvin Plummer to plant a routine header into the net from six yards.
In between, apart from woeful waste of numerous free kicks – Corby conceded 25 during the game – Rovers had produced some good work, including a short corner routine between Richard Denby and Mark Hurst that set up Marsden's powerfull close-range header.
Scoring chances, though, were scarce. Chris Moore, subject of robust attention throughout from Town's former Northern Ireland defender Gerry McElhinney, forced an excellent save from Chris McKenzie after outfoxing the veteran stopper, but that just about summed up Gresley's attacking efforts for the afternoon with Mark Hurst disappointingly putting a chance wide within a minute of what turned out to be Corby's winning goal.
One consolation is that Rovers at least get the chance of another crack at the Steelmen when the two teams meet in tomorrow's Dr Martens Southern League Cup quarter final at the Moat Ground. On this evidence, they should be in with a shout – if they remember that back to basics message.
Corby Town (1) 2
Gresley Rovers (1) 1
Scorers: Thomas 25, Plummer 54 (Corby Town); Marsden 11 (Gresley Rovers)
Corby Town: MacKenzie, Rayment, Collins, Keast, McElhinney, Gunn, Devine, McInerney, Plummer, Cook, Thomas. Subs not used: Retalick, Harding.
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Blount, Rigg, Loss, Evnas, Stanborough, Elliott (Wardle 67), Denby, Hurst, Moore (Taplin 79), Marsden.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Nick Stanborough.
Referee: S Tincknell (Watford)
Attendance: 574
