Gresley Rovers vs Sutton Coldfield Town
Tucker Takes Two For Rovers - Burton Mail
On a night when honest endeavour outweighed quality, Gresley Rovers ended a run of three successive defeats to reward the 190 who has braved the elements with a victory which enabled them to leap-frog opponents Sutton Coldfield Town.
Golden boots Simon Tucker again took the plaudits with a double including a brilliant winner after Mark Peters has cancelled out the visitors 4th minute opener.
Tucker took his tally to 10 in nine games - much to the relief of keeper Ian Simms who ended the game with a face every bit as red as Gresley's scarlet shirts following two horrendous howlers.
The game only went ahead after a 7pm inspection by Coventry referee Andre Marriner. And within four minutes of the kick-off, calamitous Simms had Gresley boss Brian Kenning questioning his decision to replace 16-year-old Simon Baldwin with the former Oxford United youngster when the ball struck Leon Mitchell's shin. The striker could not believe his luck as the keeper lost his footing and could only watch in disbelief has the ball trickled into the net.
Simms' mistake perhaps would not have been as noticeable had Kevin Allsop, looking to end a two-month goal drought, not contrived to mis-cue from six yards in the opening exchanges.
Making his farewell appearance before missing Saturday's trip to Cinderford through suspension, Mark Peters finished in style after fastening onto a throughball from influential skipper Richard Wardle.
Chances were few and far between as players of both teams struggled to keep their feet although an impressive run down the left by Mark Coogan set up Mitchell to curl in a low shot which drifted just wide of Simms right hand post.
Rovers made a positive start to the second-half as Ritchie Gardner's right-wing corner was met by Tucker whose close-range header was deflected over by Sutton skipper Robin Judd.
Visiting keeper Andy Higgs was kept busy saving from Tucker before gathering a problem cross from Carl Middleton but Allsop, closing in, could not profit.
However, there was little Higgs could do to prevent Tucker converting a close-range header after Allsop had helped on Peter's cross.
Gresley's diehard faithful could be excused for thinking the pantomime season had arrived early when Simms allowed the ball to squirm from his grasp straight to the feet of Mitchell who must have thought there really was a Santa Claus as he rolled the ball into an unprotected net.
Rovers, who might easily have allowed this latest setback overwhelm them, fought their way back and grabbed what proved to be the decisive goal in the 66th minute.
As Sutton stood awaiting an offside decision which never came, Tucker broke clear down the right, cut inside before lashing home a glorious shot just underneath the crossbar.
The visitors might have levelled again on 76 minutes but Simms made his best save of the night to fingertip away Kevin Selvwright's cross before Judd closing in had the opportunity to bundle the ball home.
Gresley Rovers (1) 3
Sutton Coldfield Town (1) 2
Scorers: Peters 15, Tucker 51, 66 (Gresley Rovers); Mitchell 4, 59 (Sutton Coldfield Town).
Gresley Rovers: Simms, Roberts, (Reynolds 22), Gardner (Doughty 53,(Sandar 80)), Bluck, Warren, Middleton , Wardle, Broadhurst, Allsop, Tucker, Peters.
Sutton Coldfield Town: Higgs, Ling (Beckett 86), Behan, Whitehouse, James, Selvwright, Judd, Hodson (Morgan 78), Began, Mitchell, Coogan; sub not used: King.
Referee: A Marriner (Coventry)
Attendance: 109
