Gresley Rovers vs Graham Street Prims
Over and out for Kenning - Andy Parker - Burton Mail
Brian Kenning's tortuous reign as Gresley Rovers manager ended today after his team hit a new low last night, beaten, quite literally, by a bunch of amateurs.
No disrespect to Graham Street Prims. The unpaid Central Midlands League Premier Division side showed determination and organisation - and that was all they needed to deliver the second Derbyshire Senior Cup shock of the week following Ilkeston Town's 1-0 defeat at Mickleover Sports on Tuesday.
Kenning's team, faced with opponents prepared to battle tooth and claw for every inch of ground, simply lacked the wit and the will to break down what in all truth was very average opposition and were a well beaten side long before the end of a thoroughly dreadful game.
Prims showed they were up for the cup right from the start with Peter Davis just short of connecting with Leigh Grant's cross in front of an open goal.
Simon Tucker saw a deflected shot well held by Prims keeper Paul Shipp but that was all Rovers had to show in a clueless opening half hour.
Hapless midfield play by Steve Coates, playing his first game for a month after suspension, could have handed Prims the lead but when Bruce Hill and Grant quickly worked the ball into the Rovers box former Burton Albion striker Paul Gretton's first time effort flew just over.
Rovers were then given a golden chance to establish a lead they hardly deserved when Andy Cheetham's cross forced Danny Dickenson into a needless handball as he tried to shepherd the ball away for a goal kick under pressure from Tucker.
Referee Carter responded to heartfelt pleas from the crowd for a penalty but Tucker's low spot kick was superbly turned round the foot of his right post by the diving Shipp.
A well-oiled Prims offside trap and the frequent whistling of Mr Carter added to the tedium as half-time approached but Prims then took the lead their spirit merited.
Gretton, who moments earlier had seen a shot cleared off the line by Karl Middleton, was upended on the edge of the Rovers box and Davis thumped a piledriving free kick past an inadequate defensive wall to emphatically beat Baldwin.
Dave King scorned a great chance to level, moments after the break, shooting straight at Shipp when clean through, and things then got worse when Matt Warren tripped Grant just inside the Rovers box, the centre forward easily beating Baldwin from the spot.
Tucker hit a sharp chance straight at Shipp from Devine's cross but generally things were going from bad to worse for Rovers.
Substitute Kevin Allsop saw two efforts cleared off the line from Ian Bluck's free kick but at the other end Gretton scorned a trio of chances to rub Rovers' noses in the mud, forcing a fine block from Baldwin when clean through, rounding the keeper only to shoot wide and finally thumping a close-range shot against a post. But by then the die was well and truly cast.
Gresley Rovers (0) 0
Graham Street Prims (1) 2
Scorers: Davis 45, Grant 50 (pen) (Graham Street Prims)
Gresley Rovers: Baldwin, Broadhurst, Cheetham, Warren, Reynolds (Bluck
34), Middleton, Wardle, Devine (Allsop), King, Tucker, Coates (Roberts).
Graham Street Prims: Shipp, Higgins, Dickenson, Davis (Wright), Cotton,
Miles, Gorman, Hill, Grant, Day, Gretton, Subs not used: Ault, Stevens.
Referee: P Carter (Ilkeston)
Attendance: 137
