Congleton Town vs Gresley Rovers
New boss John has to McGin and bear it - Andy Parker - Burton Mail
Gresley Rovers' FA Trophy adventure ended in disappointment at Congleton on
Saturday but new boss John McGinlay learned one thing from the outing - just
how inconsistent his team can be.
The player-manager's delight after the midweek league cup stroll against Sutton
Coldfield Town turned to anger as he watched his team match their hosts for
the first 45-minutes then allow a limited Congleton side to dominate the second
half and run out thoroughly deserved winners.
Rovers rarely looked troubled in the opening stages with Congleton creating
only one decent opening, a left wing free kick from former Moatman Peter Weston
setting up full back Paul Bowyer for a powerful header that flew just the wrong
side of the far post.
Rovers caused more problems at the other end but lacked the finishing touch.
Ritchie Gardner forced a near post save from keeper Micky Allison after cutting
in from the left and Simon Tucker's cross forced home skipper Wayne Johnson
into a sliced clearance that almost crept under the bar.
Allison twice came to the rescue for the home side, parrying Kevin Allsop's
driven cross then bravely blocking at the feet of Neil Broadhurst as the midfielder
shaped to drive in the loose ball, then Carl Middleton's run down the left opened
the way for Tucker to fire in a stinging, angled shot that the keeper did well
to hold.
Things started to go wrong for Rovers almost straight from the start of the
second half. Jamie Roberts, otherwise outstanding, lost possession on the halfway
line and the dangerous Rod Thornley broke clear only to shoot wide with only
Phil McGing to beat.
Then Bowyer connected well with another Weston corner only for the defender's
powerful header to hit Gardner on the line with full back scooping the rebound
over from point blank range.
The breakthrough soon followed, however. The Rovers defence failed to deal
with Adrian Dunn's deep right wing cross and Thornley was allowed to knock the
ball into the path of Graham Dodd. McGing blocked at the striker's feet only
for the loose ball to fall nicely for the unmarked John Borg who coolly netted
from a tight angle.
It should have been two when Thornley rounded Middleton only to blaze his shot
high and wide but Rovers then hit back with Matt Warren's thumping effort blocked
following Gardner's corner and Allsop setting up Tucker for a fizzing drive
that Allison tipped over.
The more Rovers pressed for a leveller, however, the more vulnerable they became
to the breakaway attack and it took a perfectly timed tackle from Roberts to
deny Dodd the chance to run clear as the Moatmen were caught undermanned at
the back.
Dodd had been repeatedly caught offside throughout the second half to the dismay
of the home fans but as another Rovers attack was halted and the ball cleared
towards where the striker was standing several yards offside, the referee and
his assistant deemed the number nine was not interfering with play and Thornley
skipped away to round McGing and fire into an empty net.
Rovers fumed but the truth was that they were a well-beaten side with even
a late cameo appearance from McGinlay failing to spark a fight back.
Congleton Town (0) 2
Gresley Rovers (0) 0
Scorers: Borg 61, Thornley 84.
Congleton Town: Allison, Chetwyn, Bowyer, Callear, Johnson, Carter,
Dunn (Heron 86), Borg, Dodd (Washington 90), Thornley, Weston. Subs not used:
Drummond, House , Blore.
Gresley Rovers: McGing, Roberts, Middleton (McGinlay 78), Bluck, Warren
(Reynolds 78), Broadhurst, Wardle, Coates (Dennis 70), Allsop, Tucker, Gardner.
Subs not used: Sidhu, Selby.
Rovers
Star Man: Jamie Roberts - fearless display.
Referee: A Deniff (Sheffield)
Attendance: 313
