Bass Vase
Moat Ground
Thursday, 22nd July 2004, 7.45pm
Magpies hit four
Notts County went to the top of the Bass Vase table with a 4-0 victory at the Moat Ground.
Featuring a number of first team players the Magpies were soon putting Gresley's defence to the test but it was the home side who had the first half chance.
On 6 minutes Leon Doughty's goal bound strike was deflected for a corner but 6 minutes later the Magpies went ahead.
Kriss Nurse who, along with Shaun Harrad, had been on loan to Gresley last season ran on to a fine through ball from Travis Morgan and pushed the ball past Dale Belford who was racing off his line.
On 15 minutes Gary White was only a few inches wide of the mark from a 20-yard free kick and a couple of minutes later Aaron O'Connor fired in a fine shot on the turn that Saul Deeney did well to save.
Harrad, who had scored 10 goals for the Moatmen, almost got the second of the night on 25 minutes but the young striker put the ball fractionally wide of the mark.
Belford was called on 27 minutes when he saved well from Paul Bolland.
Perhaps the best chance for Gresley in the first half came on 32 minutes when Jamie Barrett made his way down the right before sending in a cross that Sean Gummer headed just over the bar.
Gresley manager Gary Norton made changes at the interval bringing on Jonathan Rowe and Chris Goodman along with Ashley Dodd who is on trial with the club.
But things went the visitor's way when on 46 minutes a trip by Leon Doughty on Harrad in the area gave them the chance to double their advantage - Eddie McIntyre sending Belford the wrong way from the penalty spot.
On 52 minutes Nurse could have got the third but Belford did well to block the shot with his legs.
Norton made another change bringing on Emeka Ejifor for Doughty and within minutes Ejifor managed to get his head on Gummer cross but the effort lacked any power to trouble Deeney.
O'Connor, looking impressive, fired in a shot that was deflected over the bar but a defensive mistake by Ian Bluck on 68 minutes allowed Nurse to steal the ball before sending across the box a low cross to the former Moat favourite Harrad who made no mistake for goal number three.
On 71 minutes Dodd hit a tremendous shot on the turn that need a 'top drawer' save from Deeney to get a finger tip to the ball and deny the newcomer a goal.
The Magpies should have gone further ahead on 79 minutes when Harrad flicked on a cross to Mike Edwards who should have done much better but he put his header straight into the arms of Belford.
With only three minutes remaining Harrad got his second of the night running on to a Will Thacker cross before slipping the ball past Belford.
Right on the final whistle Ejifor had a half chance but fired wide of the upright.
Manager's View
"I was a little disappointed to be honest. I've said to the players that with the Bass Vase coming first we've had run outs against in effect two professional outfits in Burton and Notts County and it's been a very good fitness exercise for us.
"We've been pulled all over the park in both games. Against Burton we managed to get a foothold in the second half and I felt we were more in the game. Tonight we got going and had a solid enough start but we've given away a couple of sloppy goals, which was disappointing. The first goal for example we'd given the ball away cheaply and when you're playing teams of this standard you can't do that so deep in your half.
"We started reasonably well and we were working the ball well in midfield when we had it but we gave it away too cheaply. When we did get into good areas our final ball wasn't what's required.
"I've just said to the players I'm not going to be too critical at this stage. There are a lot of new faces around and we are looking at lots of people in lots of positions. Starting Saturday we will be trimming things down a little bit. We're starting to play teams of our standard and slightly below and that's when we start looking at shape and looking at players in certain positions we are considering them for, for the season.
"I'm disappointed with the level of the scoreline but the fitness told in the end. It concerns me a little bit that we've yet to score a goal. It would have been nice from confidence point of view but I felt in the second half we created a little bit.
"Aaron O'Connor put in a fantastic performance tonight bearing in mind that he's just come back off his holidays. His work rate and the effort he put in was fantastic.
"Yes it does concern me a little that we haven't scored a goal but I'll start judging it more when we've played a few teams of our own standard."
