UniBond Challenge Cup 2nd Round
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Tuesday, 30th November 2004, 7.45pm
Gresley slip out of the Challenge Cup
To the victors a trip to Whitby Town and to the vanquished a trip to Blyth Spartans - anyway, enough said!
This was an entertaining game and a complete opposite of the 'Battle of Balaclava' or as it is correctly recorded the recent FA Trophy game against Bedworth.
Lincoln United were reported to be a side that liked to play football and that reputation, on Tuesday's showing, was truly justified. With the opposition wanting to try and keep the ball down and moving forward it enabled Gresley to produce some of their best football of the season in the second half.
It was a case of 'if only' on the night with a handful of missed chances by the home side, an unfortunate piece of goalkeeping and a winner that shouldn't have been.
Gresley were under the cosh for the first half hour or so and Lincoln could or more correctly should have taken the lead with less than a minute on the clock when a header whistled past James Pemberton's post.
However, the goal that looked likely came on 25 minutes. A ball was threaded through the Gresley defence and into the area by Charlie Trout. Pemberton came for the ball sliding into the path of the onrushing Adam Kerley and looked to have gathered the ball comfortably. Unfortunately the ball squirmed from his grasp leaving Kerley the easy task of slotting the ball into the unguarded net.
The goal seemed to wake Gresley from their shaky start and could have got straight back on terms a minute later when Jamie Barrett charged down an attempted clearance into the path of Chris Gray. Although the midfielder hit his shot crisply enough the ball was blocked and the chance went away.
On 28 minutes more Gresley pressure lead to Aaron O'Connor sending over a cross that was just too high for the marauding Ashley Dodd.
The visitor's went close to doubling their advantage on 38 minutes but Kerley's shot clipped the wrong side of an upright.
Gresley then had a couple of chances just before the interval when O'Connor shot was well blocked by the legs of United keeper Nick Conroy and they seconds later when Gary White's shot flew marginally wide.
The home side came out for the second period determined to get back into the game and Emeka Ejiofor went close on 57 minutes but saw his shot go just wide of the mark.
However, four minutes later the frontrunner didn't miss. A poor back header from Mark Hone was cut out by O'Connor but his shot was well blocked by Conroy but again Ejiofor was in the right place at the right time and coolly slotted home the rebound.
Gresley were looking the better of the two sides and now went looking for another goal and it almost came just seconds later when O'Connor found himself through on goal but another fine save by Conroy denied him.
The football was good to watch and a superb flowing move from end-to-end involving Gray and O'Connor deserved a better finish but some equally superb keeping meant that Conroy managed to get a touch on the goal bound shot deflecting it for a corner.
Gresley were growing in confidence and on 76 minutes Barrett flew up the right sent in a low cross that was cleverly left by O'Connor, the dummy completely flat footing the defence, for Dodd but his shot was blocked by an outstretched leg.
The winner came, in somewhat controversial circumstances, on 78 minutes. Substitute Liam Hebberd had been clearly fouled on the left touch line but referee Mr Jones ignored the appeal and seconds later awarded the visitors a free kick just a yard further on. To rub salt into the wound Jonty Hawley's free kick was headed down to Hone who made no mistake hammering the ball into the net from close range atoning for his earlier mistake.
It was rough justice but Gresley had a couple of chances towards the end to at least take United into extra time. O'Connor fired wide on 82 minutes and then, arguably the best chance of the night, when Ejiofor managed to scoop the ball over the bar when well placed.
However, the final say came with a minute on the clock when Gary Bull capitalised on a poor clearance by Pemberton but he managed to hit the post with his shot.
Manager's View
"I'm proud of my players. They are very disappointed to have lost to Lincoln.
"I think there were a lot of positives to take from the game. We played very well except for start when we where lethargic and were second best by some way.
"We were a bit off it defensively. However, the lads bounced back after going a goal down and I was delighted with the response and we began to play some good football.
"The second half saw us create some very good chances and we should have put more of them away. But, I'm proud of my players.
"The winning goal was controversial from my point of view as I thought, without doubt, we should have had a free kick just before they got theirs for a foul on Liam Hebberd. It happened just in front of the linesman and even their bench were saying it was a foul - and it cost us the game.
"I can't fault Pembo for the slip. Every keeper makes the odd mistake and he's done really well for us when he's played. He'll learn from that."
