UniBond League Division One
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Saturday, 19th March 2005, 3.00pm
Sports beaten
This was a game in which Gresley Rovers couldn't afford to drop points if they were to keep a play-off berth a reality.
As it turned out not only did the Moatmen secure all three points but the team above them Brigg Town managed just a solitary point at home to relegated Rocester enabling Gresley to leapfrog them into sixth place.
The home side gave debuts to two new signings; striker Paul Edwards from Leek Town and former Nuneaton Borough defender Steve Farmer and both had an impact on the game with the striker getting his first goal for the club and Farmer very solid in defence.
Gresley, looking to shake off the effects of two consecutive defeats on the road, started the better of the two sides and Woodley Sports were fortunate not to have been down to ten men as early as the fifth minute. Aaron O'Connor was put through on goal by a pinpoint ball from Mickey Lyons but as he beat Mark Philips the Sports defender tripped him on the edge of the area and Philips was extremely lucky to be shown only a yellow card for his efforts.
Lyons went close to opening the scoring on 8 minutes. This time O'Connor returned the earlier favour sending Lyons in on goal but Sports keeper John Scargill did very well to get a hand on the ball allowing his defender Mike Lomax to clear it off the line.
Debutant Edwards went close on 20 minutes when O'Connor whipped in a cross that was just a fraction too high for the striker and his header sailed over the bar.
Nine minutes later Daniel Douglas-Pringle fired a long-range shot that barely cleared the bar but a minute later Gresley took the lead.
O'Connor fastened onto a glorious long ball from Gary White and as it looked he was going to try and go all the way he laid the ball back for Edwards who made no mistake blasting the ball past Scargill and into the net.
However, the lead didn't last too long because five minutes later Woodley were back on terms. Gresley were caught napping and Douglas-Pringle made some good ground down the left before crossing to Jamie Baguley who was in acres of space. Although Gresley keeper Dale Belford managed to get something on the ball it somehow went under him and into the net.
Woodley could easily have taken the lead after just five minutes of the re-start but Clive Brown hit his shot well over when only 10-yards out.
Gresley went back in front on 54 minutes. O'Connor made a fine run at the visiting defence and then slipped the ball to Jamie Barrett who blasted the ball past Scargill.
Belford needed to be alert two minutes later when he had to hold on to a vicious shot from 30 yards by Baguley.
The play swung to the other end and it needed a perfectly timed tackle by Philips to deny O'Connor as the striker looked to increase his side's advantage
Sports went close again on 70 minutes, in what was the last attack of any note from either side. Substitute Vinnie Braine tested Belford with a low shot but the Gresley keeper was up to the task and pushed the ball around a post for a corner.
Manager's View
"That was a massive victory for us today. We've done well again at home and that was our third win on the bounce here and it's been a while since we've been beaten at home.
"It wasn't a pretty second half but I was very pleased with the first half performance and particularly with some of the football we played. We looked fresh and we created some good chances. To be fair they came here and gave it a real go. Their formation caused us some problems. It was very bold playing with three front men and their number eleven, Baguley was a fantastic player.
"We played with five across midfield to give us some width and to encourage us to play some football and I felt for a time it worked. We got ourselves in front with a very good goal from debutant Paul Edwards - he took it very well - and with a bit more match fitness he's going to be a big factor in the run in.
"We knew their number eleven was causing us problems and to be fair we were asking a lot of Niall getting up the pitch. They caught us with the goal. It was a good strike and we were one-one.
"We changed things - which was credit to them - and to suit their formation we went back to a standard four-four-two and it wasn't a pretty game after that but we managed to nick it so I'm delighted.
"Both the new signings were good. Steve Farmer showed just why he's come here with rave revues. He was very composed and I don't think he lost a header all afternoon and he cleared his lines very, very well. For saying he doesn't know too many at the club he was talking and barking out orders like he'd been here for six months. I said to him yesterday that that was what I wanted. He's come with experience and he showed that today.
"Paul Edwards has done well - he tired a bit towards the end and a special word for Andy Marlowe he did well for us and settled us down and at times during the first half got us going. He talks very, very well and we are a young side and at times we need someone in the middle of the park to slow us down a little bit. He signalled to us that his legs had gone so we brought him off.
"Credit to the lads they've done well and Jamie Barrett popped up with the winner so I'm delighted for him.
"Mickey Lyons was brought off at half time purely for tactical reasons. We wanted to go with a more orthodox four-four-two and that meant Lim Hebberd going on the right hand side and dropping Niall back. We'd played with a midfield of Mickey, Jamie and Andy so I had a quick word with Mickey and he was fine and very professional about it. It gave us a bit more balance defensively but we weren't as fluid going forward and we didn't have the width.
"It was always going to be a bit nervy, two-one up in front of your own supporters but at this stage of the season it's not about performance but grinding out results and fortunately we did that today and it sets us up for a massive game at Eastwood on Tuesday night."
