UniBond League Division One
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Saturday, 9th April 2005, 3.00pm
Rovers slip up
Gary Norton remarked that his side had snatched defeat from the jaws of victory as North Ferriby United although down to ten men snatch all three points at the end of an entertaining game at the Moat Ground.
United needed the points to take them back to the top of the table above Willenhall and Gresley duly obliged by helping them on their way with two sloppy pieces of defending. Although the winner was worthy of winning any game and it is doubtful you will have seen or will see a more sweetly hit free kick at the Moat Ground or indeed any other ground this season.
Things started off well for Gresley with Matt Smith going close within seconds of the start. His header from a Gary White corner was blocked on the line by United keeper Paul Sharp who also saved the follow up shot.
United were almost gifted the lead on 8 minutes when Carl Fothergill's shot was connected with by Gresley's Niall Hudson only for the ball to loop over Dale Belford and fortunately for the defender, on to the top of the bar and away for a corner.
Three minutes later the woodwork save the home side again when Leon Wainman's low shot from the edge of the area came back off an upright.
Gresley hit back and Paul Edward's went close to connecting with a Chris Gray cross. The action went to the other end where Rob Northern fired his shot over.
On 16 minutes United had a let off. Keeper Sharp was dilly-dallying with the ball on the bye line and was robbed by Aaron O'Connor who then headed for the area and an open goal. Sharp brought him down just inside the area but referee Mr Dexter decided the offence had occurred just outside. Gary White hit the resulting free kick over.
Gresley took the lead on 25 minutes. Nathan Tate was looking for O'Connor with a long ball, Danny Moore half cleared but only into the path of the striker who then coolly ran forward a few yards before slipping the ball under Sharp.
Gray should have doubled their advantage on 37 minutes when Andy Marlowe's free kick was cleared to the midfielder but the final shot sailed well over the bar.
United were on level terms just two minutes after the start of the second half. Gary Bradshaw went tumbling in the area after Gary White barely touched him but the fall convinced the referee who pointed to the spot with Bradshaw sending Belford the wrong way with the kick.
On 51 minutes the referee again chose to ignore the appeals of Gresley players and supporters as a clear handball by a United defender was seen in the area as Gresley pushed forward.
Belford had to be alert six minutes later when he had to push away a fine shot from Bradshaw. Referee Mr Dexter evened up the penalty score on 64 minutes. Tate was running in to the area and as he was about to shot Moore caught him and Mr Dexter pointed to the spot. O'Connor had to wait while the referee yellow carded Moor and in turn red because of a previous booking. However, the striker made no mistake taking his tally to 24 goals sending Sharp the wrong way.
Gresley looked fairly comfortable and seemed to be heading for a win when a piece of very sloppy defending handed their visitors an equaliser. A corner from the left was heading harmlessly out for a goal kick or so skipper Matt Smith thought, only to see to his horror Michael Price at the far post who had the simplest of tasks to nod the ball into the net.
A share of the points looked a certainty and in all fairness would have been a just result for both sides except for one moment of brilliance. With four minutes left Gary White gave away a needless free kick around 35 yards out. The Gresley defenders were setting themselves up for the ball to be lofted into the area what they didn't expect was a sweetly hit thunderbolt from Price. The ball rose to around six feet off the ground and stayed at that height as it flew, missile like, past a bewildered Belford.
It was a superb goal good enough to win any game. Just a pity it was against Gresley and which robbed the home side of a fully deserved share of the points. If North Ferriby go on to win the title, and I hope they do, this goal will surely be remembered for many seasons to come as the one that won it for them.
Manager's View
That defeat was certainly not down to lack of preparation or the game plan so I don't know how we've lost that game to be honest.
"At half time we were one-nil up and it's the same old story we were not putting the chances away. Yes they had one or two but that was caused by us at the back not clearing our lines properly but, offensively we've had some really, really good chances again.
"We can in one nil up and in the second half we shot ourselves in the foot defensively. There's nothing I can do as a manager when you've got situations like that happening. It's so frustrating because we'd had the players in earlier this morning working on set plays. We switched off for their second goal and allowed someone to in on the back post - Matt Smith has taken full responsibility for the slip. I'm shouting from the bench two or three seconds before the ball came in the box. Experienced players are killing us at the moment - this was a game we should have won, should have had the three points and I should have been standing here saying that was one hurdle overcome and another home game without defeat but we managed to grasp defeat from the jaws of victory - unbelievable.
"We prepared the players but you can't legislate for individual errors. Their first goal, Gary White had no need to go to ground because their guy was going wide but he did and he gave away a penalty as simple as that. The second goal was shambolic, the ball was going out for a goal kick, no Ferriby player near it and we conceded an unnecessary corner. Matt Smith did not mark the guy and he's just come in round the back and all the work we did this morning was a waste. Matt's taken full responsibility for it but that's no use to me. Gary gave away another unnecessary free kick but you don't expect to see a goal like that from there. You just have to take your hat off to such a strike.
"I'm absolutely livid, we are doing all we can now we've put ourselves under a massive amount of pressure because we needed something from this game and we haven't got it.
"You can't legislate for a goal like their last one but we gave them all three. The management can prepare the lads and do our homework and we've done that today. We knew they were weak at the back and we got at them a little bit better finishing with the chances we were creating, But again our undoing was the inability to defend properly with experienced players letting us down. We take the blame collectively but individuals have a job to do and they are not doing it at the minute so it's frustrating. Mistakes like we've made to day could mean us missing a play-off place. Look at the last three draws all the equalising goals were individual errors. It's all right players being big enough to put their hands up and admit to making mistakes but it's killing us. We are a young side but we have enough experienced players to cope. We didn't deserve that result today. Their manager has said we are one of the best sides they've played in recent weeks but that's no consolation because we are after a play-off place. This was only the third home defeat in the league this season and I'm gutted by it - but that's football. We've now got to pick ourselves up for a massive game on Tuesday. I still believe we can make the top six. We are one point behind Eastwood with a game in hand but has every game goes past if we are not taking three points when we should be doing we are making life very difficult for ourselves."
