Evesham United vs Gresley Rovers
The table never lies - Burton Mail
Irrespective of off-the-field circumstances, lack of cash, injuries, suspension,
etc - at the end of the day league tables do not lie.
Now one third of the way into the season, Gresley Rovers find themselves languishing
in the bottom four of the league after having suffered eight defeats in 14 games.
Brian Kenning's post match appraisal was similar to several of late, "It's
the same old failings. We've gifted them their first goal and missed six good
chances of our own. Kevin Allsop failed to hit the target from nine yards out
in the first minute and he's missed another goal chance at the end of the first-
half although Richard Wardle's delivery was poor.
"Evesham are third in the table but there is no great gulf between them and
us, the difference is we don't help ourselves."
"But at the end of the day to be successful you defend reasonably well and
you take your chances when they come along. It looks as though it's going to
be a long hard winter."
Kenning was forced into a last-minute change when keeper Ian Simms arrived
suffering a stomach bug that gave 16 year old Simon Baldwin and unexpected debut.
Allsop, woefully short of confidence and goals, missed a glorious opportunity
to give both a lift when he fired wide from nine yards in the first minute.
Despite their lofty position, Evesham rarely tested Baldwin before a sloppy
piece of defending gave Mark Wolsey an open invitation to head home a right-wing
cross from the influential Steve Taylor.
Baldwin distinguished himself by keeping out Phil Preedy's rising drive before
Rovers wasted another gilt-edged chance to draw level on the stroke of half-time.
Wardle sprung the home side's ultra negative offside ploy, but his resultant
cross was disappointing and left Allsop stretching to convert rather than completing
a simple tap-in.
A trip on Mark Peters gave Tucker an opportunity to fire in a free-kick straight
at Damian Beattie who then saved comfortably from Jamie Roberts' close-range
effort.
Ian Bluck cleared off the line after Baldwin had failed to collect Wolsey's
cross but Rovers were left with a mountain to climb on 64 minutes when Taylor
flicked on Matt Pendleton's cross to Preedy who took the ball wide of the keeper
before rolling in into an empty net.
Neil Broadhurst, who did not look nearly so effective in centre midfield as
in his normal wing back role, forced Beattie into a fine save following Richie
Gardner's cross.
Not even Golden Boots Simon Tucker's eighth goal in as many games - when he
lobbed Beattie in the 87th minute - could rescue Rovers whose frantic finale
proved too little too late.
Evesham United (1) 2
Gresley Rovers (0) 1
Scorers: Wolsey 27, Preedy 64 (Evesham United); Tucker 87 (Gresley Rovers).
Evesham: Beattie, Smith, Pendleton, West, Powell, Deakin, Wolsey, McCartan,
(Parmenter 82), Taylor, Peatty (Licata 78), Preedy; subs not used: Shaw.
Gresley Rovers: Baldwin, Roberts (Reynolds 80), Gardner, Bluck, Warren,
Middleton, Wardle, Broadhurst, Allsop (Sandar 74), Tucker, Peters (Doughty 74).
Referee: J Ferries (Fewcott)
Attendance: 89
