Gresley Rovers vs Bilston Town
Frustration for Rovers - Andy Parker - Burton Mail
It rained goals at the Moat Ground but it was Brian Kenning's much improved Gresley Rovers side who were ultimately washed away in the flood.
The sharpness and speed of thought of new striker Simon Tucker
put Kenning's team in with a chance of turning over Moat old boy Joe Jackson's
title chasers in the first half.
But as the Rovers defence turned into a shambles after the break,
it was second placed Bilston who emerged deserved winners.
Kenning can take heart from his team's improved attacking prowess
with the spitting and snarling Kevin Allsop again looking a good foil for Tucker's
seemingly exceptional talents, but the Moat chief will be wringing his hands
at his team's defensive shortcomings, which were fully exposed by the impressive
visitors.
The sparse crowd of 274 must have sensed they were in for a game
to remember when Tucker set up the opening goal after just nine minutes.
Allsop headed the ball into the penalty area but there seemed
little danger as Bilston fullback Gary Osborne attempted to tee up a clearance
for keeper Darren Watson.
Tucker though, was in like a flash to seize the ball and poke
it back across goal to leave Mark Peters with a tap-in as the visitors exchanged
recriminations.
Bilston's response was ominously impressive with Rovers quickly
under the cosh, their cause hardly helped by the loss of hamstring victim Ritchie
Gardner, a major defensive reshuffle resulting. Bilston quickly profited as
Kris Sage's through ball released Leon Jackson, the midfielder disregarding
highly creditable offside pleas and setting up striker Scott Voice's far post
tap in.
Rovers continued to defend, desperately at times, but with 43
minutes gone were again handed the lead by Tucker.
Matt Warren lofted the ball forward and Adie Doughty headed on
yet the teenaged striker seemed to have no space to work in to the right of
Bilston's goal. From the tightest of angles though, the youngster provided an
impressively sharp finish which bamboozled both the hapless Osborne and keeper
Watson at his near post.
A half-time advantage was more than Rovers deserved - and it was
more than they got. In added time, with attentions diverted by players from
both sides going down around the centre circle, Lee Rollason spotted Wright
well off his line and lofted the ball over the Rovers keeper from 40yards. After
the break, cock a hoop Bilston continued where they had left off and when Rollason
released habitual Gresley destroyer Danny Williams into acres of right wing
space; Voice was on hand to slide in the winger's cross at the far post.
Williams added to the agony, escaping the painfully hesitant Wright,
his confidence clearly drained, to net Bilston's fourth from wide on the left.
But Rovers refused to lie down and Peters provided the excellent
cross that enabled skipper Richard Wardle to bundle in his second goal in four
games.
The crowd sensed a thrilling conclusion but Voice dampened such
hopes, striding unchallenged across the face of the box then spinning to beat
the this time blameless Wright with a low shot into the corner, thus completing
his second hat-trick against Rovers in the space of two months.
There might have been further goals from both sides, Tucker seeing
a cute conversion ruled offside and a thunderous effort saved, yet the game
reached its nadir five minutes from time when Kenning was dismissed from the
bench for the second time this season after comments to a linesman.
Gresley Rovers (2) 3
Bilston Town (2) 5
Scorers: Peters 9, Tucker 43, Wardle 68 (Gresley Rovers); Voice 27, 54, 74, Rollason 45, Williams 60 (Bilston Town).
Gresley Rovers: Wright, Broadhurst, Gardner (Reynolds 18),
Doughty, Warren, Bluck, Wardle, Coates, Allsop, Tucker, Peters; subs not used:
Sandar, Roberts.
Bilston Town: Watson, Osborne, Sage, Stone, Clifton, Woodley,
Williams, Jackson, Voice, Rollason, Purdie; subs not used: Rose-Laing, Blount,
Wilcox.
Referee: A Hendley (Rowley Regis)
Attendance: 274
