UniBond League Division One
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Monday, 28th March 2005, 3.00pm
It's all White in the end
Manager Gary Norton said that this fixture was a "must win" game but at half time it didn't look as if he would get his wish.
Then, with just minutes left on the clock up popped substitute Chris White to grab a late, late winner.
The first was not what the doctor ordered as Gresley failed to get going indeed, it was the visitors who made all the early running helped by referee Mr Horton giving them a series of questionable free kicks in the first few minutes.
Warrington went close from one of them on 8 minutes when Simon Burton turned on the edge of the box to fire Lee Smith's free kick over the bar.
Gresley slowly began to find their feet and on 20 minutes Aaron O'Connor's pass put Jamie Barrett into the area. His shot beat keeper Colin Flood but skimmed off the top of the bar.
Seven minutes later striker Paul Edwards met a cross from Niall Hudson but fired wide as Gresley began to get a grip on the match. However, Warrington's tactic of lumping the ball up the park at the first opportunity and Gresley repeating the procedure led, I'm sure to many a supporter suffering a cricked neck in the first half.
Town had perhaps their best chance just a minute later when Philip Mitchell managed to avoid Jamie Hood's tackle but the final shot was well blocked by Dale Belford at the near post and cleared for a corner.
On the half hour Town had a glimmer of another chance when Graeme Mitchell sent the ball into Gresley's area but just too far in front of the on rushing David Tikkle.
Thankfully the referee's whistle put an end to a fairly dour first half.
Gresley came out for the second period transformed and there was only one side in the game from then on although trying to get through a midfield and defence determined to grab a point was very frustrating for players and supporters alike.
Within five minutes of the re-start Gresley defender Steve Farmer put a powerful header just over the bar from a Gary White corner.
On 52 minutes the woodwork again came to Warrington's rescue as Barrett volleyed O'Connor's pass only to see the ball comprehensively beat Flood before thumping the underside of the bar bouncing down on the line and away to safety.
Gresley were putting the visitors under constant pressure by now and surely the defence would crack.
On 55minutes a spectacular volley by O'Connor on the edge of the box was very well saved by Flood, two minutes later Mickey Lyons saw a shot fly just past an upright and just on the hour O'Connor again went close but his shot went the wrong side of a post.
Warrington almost grabbed an unlikely lead when Farmer made arguably his only mistake so far in a Gresley shirt. On 63 minutes his back pass to Belford was woefully short allowing Graeme Mitchell to nip in and collect the ball but the Gresley keeper stood his ground causing the striker to put his shot well high and wide.
On 65 minutes came the substitution that would have the final say in the game with Norton bringing on Chris White for Chris Gray.
Hood's high ball into the Warrington area was headed out where it found Lyons waiting. He volleyed the ball back only to see, once more, the ball hit the underside of the bar in a carbon copy of Barrett's earlier effort.
You could hear the groans of the crowd as it looked like Gresley were not going to get the goal their second half performance warranted.
Time was running out for the Moatmen. Skipper Matt Smith put a header wide from Gary White's corner and Edwards put a volley just over - then up strode Chris White.
With only a couple of minutes remaining Lyons sent a high ball into the area that Hood flicked on. The defenders could not clear the danger and the ball fell nicely to Chris White who smashed his shot past the helpless Flood scoring what could be the most important goal, so far, for both scorer and his club.
Manager's View
"I was relieved at the end - that second half was unbelievable, a bit of an experience that was, a roller coaster. There was only one side in it in the second half and apart from the slip up when Steve Farmer tried to pass one inside and although the guy missed the target Dale still had a lot to do in standing up and credit due to him so we got let off with that one.
"In the second half there was only one side in it after a disappointing first half. We lacked a little bit of fluidity that in recent games we've had. We moved the ball well at times against Kendal and Eastwood. But today was a very poor first half to watch. To be honest at times I had a cricked neck watching it not just from their side but from us as well. I just tried to get into them at half time that we needed the confidence to get the ball down. Yes, it was a pressure game, the pitch was a bit bobbly but that is no criticism of the ground staff because they've had a lot of football on it in recent weeks and it's hard this time of year to get it right And it just seemed we were reluctant to get the ball down and pass it around. The wide boys who were there to give us some width were tucking inside and we were disjointed.
"I felt we started the second half very, very well and some of the chances created, on another day, we may have wrapped the game up earlier. As usual this season we leave it late and give ourselves a mountain to climb having missed some good chances. But, what a script for Chris White to come on and score the winner - fantastic. I'm absolutely delighted for him a, to be back but b, to get the winner in such an important game he'll be on cloud nine tonight and I'll be joining him!
"That goal could give the most important three points of the season. I did say in an earlier interview that it was important to win our home games and although I felt we played well against Kendal I wasn't overly disappointed but it did pile the pressure on today's game. Warrington are a very tough outfit, very direct and physical and with a little bit more luck we may have beaten them more easily because I felt we deserved it in the second half. But, in the scheme of things the three points were more important than the performance today and it could be vital for us. It certainly sets things up for next Saturday go away to Kidsgrove.
"I was disappointed with Mickey Lyons in the first half and I told him so at half time. But, he got us ticking in the second half and credit to him. He hit the bar with a cracking effort as did Jamie Barrett who hit the bar twice today. Jamie's come into a great run of form just at the right time and he could have had a couple of goals for us.
"Neither Paul Edwards and Aaron O'Connor scored today but they worked very hard for us and defensively we looked a little bit more solid. That was the reason we introduced Matt Smith back into things. This time last night both Hoody and Matt were very doubtful but we decided to go with Hoody again and risk it and Matt rang me this morning and said he'd been for a run and he was right so that gave me a nice headache to have and unfortunately Nathan has dropped to the bench today. That was purely tactical because of the way Warrington play. I wanted to make sure we looked a little more solid defensively. When we lost at Warrington both of their goals came from set plays but I felt today, except for one occasion, we were very solid on set plays and it's great to keep a clean sheet.
"Things are exciting at this time of the season. The pressure on the bench during the second half was unbelievable and it was such a relief when the goal went in and you could sense the relief around the ground to be honest. Although the supporters were disappointed with the first half, and rightly so, we were a credit in the second with the football we played and that we nicked the win. I don't think our harshest critic could have denied us the win on that second half performance."
