Gresley Rovers vs Hinckley United
Wright is the shoot-out star - Andy Parker - Burton Mail
Alan Titterton issued a declaration of faith in Ian Wright before last night's
Dr Martens Cup 1st round tie at the Moat Ground - and the much-pilloried keeper
repaid his caretaker-manager's faith by making the penalty shoot-out saves which
earned a marvellous comeback victory over Hinckley United.
Trailing by two goals to a slick Hinckley outfit after only half an hour, Rovers
benefited from a half-time tactical switch, made partly out of necessity after
a string of first half injuries, to level in normal time.
And after goalless extra time, Wright produced saves which earned the Moatmen
a gripping 3-2 penalty competition triumph and a second round trip to Sutton
Coldfield next week.
Such a satisfying finale had seemed highly unlikely for Rovers earlier as Hinckley,
riding high in third place in the Dr Martens Western Division, dominated.
United should have gone ahead after six minutes when Moat old boy Marc Orton
released Paul Hunter who rounded the exposed Wright only to fire wide of an
empty net from 10-yards.
But Rovers soon trailed as former Leicester City midfielder Ben Steane was
allowed to run virtually unchallenged across the face of the Gresley box and,
after exchanging passes with Morton Titterton, bury a low, angled drive.
Rovers then lost Carl Middleton in the first of a series of injuries, which
were to blight the night, and there was further gloom when Steane was allowed
to run from his own half, again unchallenged, before setting up Craig Ricketts
for an easy second goal.
Gresley finally gave the visitors a scare when Amrit Sidhu's trademark back
heel released Mark Peters to fire a low cross along the Hinckley goaline with
no-one able to touch the ball home, Sidhu then firing just wide from 20-yards.
It was clear, though, Titterton had work to do in the dressing room at half
time and, to the stand-in supremo's credit, that work soon bore fruit.
Chris Allum replaced the luckless Karl Reynolds and it was the former Stapenhill
man who soon set up Rovers' opening goal, his pass from halfway finding Simon
Tucker in yards of space.
And the goal-a-game striker lobbed the ball over keeper Brendan Cropley with
consummate ease to make it 12 goals in 12 games.
Rovers' midfield, previously embarrassingly under-populated, was now the area
in which they were gaining the upper hand and they should have led when Jamie
Roberts released Mark Peters to fire past Cropley.
But as tucker, instead of forcing the ball over the line, instead began celebrating
the equaliser, defender Nicky Preston appeared from nowhere to hack the ball
to safety.
Sidhu produced an excellent diving save from Cropley with a near post header
from Neil Broadhurst's cross but Rovers were in the ascendancy now and, after
Roberts had won the ball just outside the Hinckley box, Cropley could only parry
Sidhu's shot into the path of Peters who bulged the empty net.
Both sides could have won it after that, although there were many tired legs
on view as the game went into extra time with the closest thing to a goal coming
in the closing moments as Broadhurst, Peters and Roberts all saw shots blocked.
Penalties it was then, and after Cropley had excellently saved Peters' first
kick it looked ominous for Rovers.
Titterton, Hinckley's most experienced player, eased the nerves, however by
blasting his kick into Church Street with Richard Wardle and Matt Warren for
Gresley plus Dave Sadler and Andy Lucas for Hinckley all netting.
Sidhu then converted for Rovers and it was then a case of cometh the hour for
Wright, the keeper producing a one-handed save to deny Olner then, after Devine
had seen his kick saved, blocking out Neil Cartwright's effort to finally cover himself in glory.
Gresley Rovers (0) 2
Hinckley United (2) 2
Gresley won 3 - 2 on penalties.
Scorers:Tucker 55, Peters 63 (Gresley Rovers)Steane 19, Ricketts 29 (Hinckley United)
Gresley Rovers: Wright, Broadhurst, Middleton (Reynolds 27, Allum 45),
Bluck (Allsop 84), Warren, Peters, Wardle, Devine, Sidhu, Tucker, Roberts.
Hinckey United: Cropley, Barry, Cartwright, Steane, (Lavery 81), Allcock,
Preston, Olner, Titterton, Ricketts (Sadler 90), Hunter (Lucas 105), Orton.
Rovers
Star Man: Ian Wright - penalty saves won it
Referee: P Bartson (Loughborough)
Attendance: 234
