Gresley Rovers vs Hinckley Town
Dave Taylor enhanced his growing Moat Ground reputation with another finish from the top drawer last night.
The new recruit from Ilkeston hammered a spectacular early second half goal to kill off Hinckley's challenge and put Rovers on course to a comfortable pre-season win.
The Notts-based striker looked menacing throughout in a fledgling partnership with Mark Hurst, who put Rovers ahead with an equally stunning effort after 36 minutes.
Hinckley had matched Rovers early on but came under pressure before Hurst skipped past a defender to crack a groaning back line and lash a vicious left foot shoe past Richard Anstiss.
The little front-runner should have already put Rovers ahead but fired wide from Tony Marsden's knock down with only three minutes on the clock.
Hinckley had their moments but, as Rovers' supremacy over the Beazer Midlanders grew, they had a let-off when Taylor nipped in ahead of Anstiss but saw his shot cleared off the line by Tim Griffin.
Rovers' opener had a hint of inevitability about it as, too, did the bodycheck two minutes later that denied Hurst another stab at goal and earned Gary Bradder a booking.
Graeme Rigg saw a piledriving free kick well saved as Rovers continued to dominate after the break, the midfielder then linking neatly with triallist Brian Horseman to release Taylor in the left channel to hold off a defender and bulge the top of Anstiss's net with a left-foot shot from 15-yards.
Mark Wheatley twice made good saves but there was little hint of a Town revival even after the substitute keeper had blotted his copybook by missing Bradder's cross, Sven Sinden netting unchallenged from close range.
Justin O'Reilly quickly restored Rovers' advantage with the third glittering strike of the night, his thumping 25-yard volley clearing Anstiss and dipping beneath the bar. The battle is on for those opening day shirts!
Gresley Rovers (1) 3
Hinckley Town (0) 1
Scorers: Hurst 36, Taylor 55, O'Reilly 87 (Gresley Rovers); Sinden 84 (Hinckley Town)
Gresley Rovers: Aston (Wheatley 45), R Wardle, Harbey, Marsden (Foster 45), Horseman, Stanborough (James 73), Rigg (McGovern 67), Fowles (Weston 45), Hurst (Master 74), Mann, Taylor (O'Reilly 74).
Hinckley Town: Anstiss, McGinty, Bond, Griffin, Bradder (Hardwick 45), Anderson, Emery (Keogh 77), Olner (Robinson 67), Percival, Machin, Sinden.
Referee: R Gould (Newhall)
Attendance: 278
