North Ferriby United vs Gresley Rovers
Simms the Rovers hero - Andy Parker Burton Mail
Gresley Rovers produced a performance full of heart and determination
to became only the second visiting side to win at North Ferriby United's Church
Street ground in 39 games on Saturday.
Marginally
on top in the first half, Rovers had to dig deep to withstand a second half
battering from the home side with teenage keeper Ian Simms turning in a memorable
debut performance.
The 19-year-old made a string of saves after half time, two of
them right out of the top drawer, to help his team earn the right to entertain
Rocester in an FA Umbro Trophy second round tie at the Moat Ground on December
2nd.
Simms got his chance with Rovers' two senior keepers both unavailable.
North Ferriby started with first choice Paul Sharp between the sticks but finished
with striker Darren France forming their last line of defence after both Sharp
and replacement Matt Harvey were injured in collisions with Neil Broadhurst
and Simon Tucker respectively.
Sharp had already limped off when Rovers took a 26th-minute lead
with their first attack of note. Neil Broadhurst did well to work space for
a right wing cross and although Kevin Allsop failed to connect in the centre
the ball fell perfectly for Ritchie Gardner to arrow home an angled half-volley
from 15-yards for his first Rovers goal.
The
1997 FA Vase finalists hit back with typically fluent attacking play and were
level within two minutes. With skipper Richard Wardle off after jarring a hip
Ryan Vickers' crossed from the right and Adie Doughty, attempting to head clear,
could only find the top corner of his own net.
Rovers were undeterred and deservedly restored their lead on 34-minutes,
Karl Reynolds heading in Gardner's right wing corner with Harvey nowhere.
There could have been more goals for the visitors with Simon Tucker
cleverly making space for a shot but firing weakly straight at Harvey then crossing
through a crowded penalty box with no one able to apply the vital touch.
The second half started disastrously for Ferriby with Harvey helped
from the field with a hand injury but Rovers failed to take the opportunity
of testing his replacement.
Instead it was Simms who became the game's focal point as Rovers
defended with their backs to the wall, the youngster producing an excellent
save to his right to keep out Andy Flounders' close-range effort then holding
Darren Phillips' stinging drive.
Mike Blythe put Farley's left wing cross narrowly wide at the
near post with the home fans saluting a goal, Phillips saw an effort disallowed
for handball by Flounders then defender Rob Dewhurst charged forward to latch
onto Flounders' knock-down only to fire wide of a gaping target.
Rovers
had barely glimpsed the Ferriby goal since the first half but victory was sealed
in the final minute of normal time, Broadhurst winning the ball on halfway and
releasing Tucker to skip past a defender and beat France at his near post.
Referee Jeremy Smith added seven minutes of stoppage time with
Warren thumping a 25-yard free kick against a post, Tucker heading wide and
Mark Peters forcing France into an impressive block.
Simms produced another excellent save, keeping out Blythe's close-range
effort with one hand, and when Ferriby finally did beat the young keeper, Blythe
converting Dewhurst's free kick, it was too late to affect the outcome of a
memorable tie.
North Ferriby United (1) 2
Gresley Rovers (2) 3
Scorers: Doughty 28 (og), Blythe 90 (Nth Ferriby); Gardner 26, Reynolds 34, Tucker 90 (Gresley Rovers).
North Ferriby United: Sharp (Harvey 19, France 48), Vickers,
Farley, Fisher, Trotter, Dewhurst, Phillips, Wood, Blythe, Flounders, Walton.
Subs not used: Botham, Waltham, Mills.
Gresley Rovers: Simms, Broadhurst, Gardner (Middleton 79),
Doughty, Bluck, Warren, Wardle (Roberts 27), Reynolds, Allsop (Sandar), Tucker,
Peters. Subs not used: Jenkinson, Baldwin.
Referee: J Smith (Ossett).
Attendance: 196
