UniBond League Division One
Victory Park, Chorley
Saturday, 4th December 2004, 3.00pm
Gresley not at the races
Chorley looked determined to win, did win and in the end thoroughly deserved to win this game.
The home side had strengthened their squad recently after their dismal start to the season and gave debuts to three new players.
Chorley could have quite easily been on the scoresheet within a few minutes of the match starting when debutant Gareth Ellison put fellow debutant from Bury Daniel Douglas-Pringle in on goal and it took a fine save by Gresley keeper Gavin Saxby to deny him the opening goal.
Saxby was being kept busy saving from efforts from Lewis Hamlin, Douglas-Pringle and Neil Smith within the first 15 minutes.
Smith tested Saxby again on 16 minutes but the keeper was equal to the point-blank header making a superb save.
Gresley went ahead against the run of play on 32 minutes. Emeka Ejiofor was pulled back in the area by Ellison and referee Mr Bramwell pointed to the spot. Aaron O'Connor took the kick which was saved by Magpies keeper John Gillies but to the custodian's dismay he was adjudged to have moved forward before the whistle and a re-take was ordered by the official. This time O'Connor gave Gillies no chance sending him the wrong way to notch up his 8th league goal of the season.
Gresley could have doubled their advantage before halftime when Ejiofor dwelt too long on a fine ball from Gary White allowing Gillies to gab the ball off his toes.
Chorley got their deserved equaliser in time added on in the first half. Recent signing from Leigh RMI, Chris McGrath another of the games debutants scored with a screamer of a shot from 20 yards that had Saxby beaten all the way.
The home side came out looking to take the game by the scruff of the neck and were soon putting Gresley under pressure - McGrath going close with his header.
On 56 minutes Gresley made one of their rare excursions into the Chorley danger area when Chris Gray made headway down the wing his cross found O'Connor but the striker's header lacked any power and was easily taken by Gillies.
Five minutes later Chorley got the goal that looked certain to come. Hamilin was given far too much space and time and fired in a spectacular shot that beat Saxby.
Gresley manager Gary Norton went three at the back as they looked to get back in a game that was slipping away from them and it almost paid dividends but Ejiofor put White's free kick just wide.
The scoring was completed on 83 minutes when Chorley's Dave Eatock was on hand to knock in Douglas-Pringle's shot that had cannoned back of the bar.
Manager's View
"We've not played well at all today and didn't deserve anything at all from the game - all credit to Chorley. If I'm being honest we didn't even deserve a draw we weren't at the races.
"The performance was unacceptable today and we know that. It's a long hard season and it's our second away defeat on the bounce.
"I said to the lads at half time that we'd played poorly on Tuesday and got a response in the second half. You can't fault the effort from the lads, it's always there from this bunch of lads but the quality wasn't there. Chorley were doing everything today that we were in the earlier in the season. They were honest, hardworking side they closed us down and didn't give us time on the ball, they put the ball into good areas when they needed to. They ran the clock down when they needed to and they were first to everything.
"I've just said to the lads in the dressing room that maybe this is the reality check we needed in the league. I won't say that complacency has crept in but there have been one or two little signs recently and we need to pull ranks together and it's important not to panic.
"We know we can play a lot better than that and I'm just disappointed that we've put that performance in today especially after such a good month.
"We were at sixes and sevens; yards off it all over the park and Gavin Saxby had one or two big saves to make and we then got a little foothold in the game and looked a little more solid but even then I was still not convinced. I knew from then that it was going to be one of those days and if we were going to get anything we would need to grind it out.
"We got the chance to go in front. Aaron O'Connor had his penalty saved but we had a stroke of luck and it was taken again and Aaron scored and we deservedly took the lead. But it was unfortunate that we could hold on until halftime so we could get in and re-group.
"As I said earlier they were quick to close us down. We went on a great away unbeaten run earlier in the season by churning results out by working very, very hard off the ball but we weren't doing that today. Their second goal was a nice one for their supporters but from our point of view it was a sloppy goal because we gave him too much time and space and didn't close him down. So, we've conceded a goal like that and we will work on it in training, re-group and we will try to put things right next Saturday.
"It's a shame we have a clear week next week as I'd have liked to have got this game out of our system. But, in some respects it's good to have a clear week because we have one or two internal issues to resolve due to players maybe leaving and we are down to a 14 man squad at the minute because of injuries so it will give a time to bring players in if we need to or convince players to stay if we need to do that.
"I'm disappointed for the lads and the supporters. The vocal support was as good today as it's been for a number of games."
