Gresley Rovers vs Rugby United
Tempers flare as Moatmen secure double - Andy Parker - Burton Mail
For the second time in two months Gresley Rovers and Rugby United were embroiled in controversy as the Moatmen completed a notable league double over their Dr Martens Western Division rivals on Saturday.
December's Butlin Road clash between the two sides was marred by allegations of racist abuse against Rugby's Rob Beard following the sending-off of Rovers midfielder Mark Peters.
This time both managers fired parting shots with Moat chief John McGinlay complaining of United's "intimidation" while Rugby boss Martin Sockett claimed his opposite number should have been sent off following a second half challenge on Jason Burnham.
Both men had scope for argument. McGinlay had only been one the field for four minutes before his challenge on the Rugby midfielder earned what was, incredibly, the game's only yellow card.
On the face of it, it appeared that the player-manager was exacting retribution after seeing his side roughed up by the visitors with no protection whatsoever from referee Steve Bratt.
The Walsall official had a truly dreadful afternoon and had to shoulder much of the blame as the game threatened to erupt in the second half.
The referee's interventions led to all three goals although, on an afternoon when the man in middle made a catalogue of blunders, his most important decisions all seemed justified.
The first came on 33 minutes when Rugby defender Craig Herbert, harassed by Simon Tucker, played the ball back to keeper Paul Beresford who picked it up. Rugby were incensed when Bratt awarded an indirect free kick in the penalty area and their wrath turned to woe as Mark Peters teed the ball up for Richie Gardner to thread a left-foot shot just inside Beresford's post from 15 yards.
That goal crowned an excellent first half for the Rovers winger who had earlier set up a golden chance for Tucker with a superb run from the edge of one penalty area to the other and a neatly delivered pass into the striker's stride, Beresford producing a fine save.
Gardner had also gone close to giving his team a freak lead when an in swinging corner came back off the cross bar.
For most part, though, it was the visitors who dominated possession although a forward line badly lacking pace failed to trouble 16-year-old keeper Simon Baldwin.
That soon changed after half time. Rugby skipper Scott Machin hit a post from close in then veteran defender Gary Redgate was sent tumbling by Jamie Robert's challenge, John Halford firing in the penalty before hobbling off with a dead leg.
It was anyone's game now and Rovers snatched all three points thanks to another penalty decision.
Gardner exchanged passes with Steve Coates in the Rugby box before being pulled back by Pete Spacey and, although Beresford produced a good save to keep out the winger's spot kick and an even better one to deny Kevin Allsop's follow-up, he was powerless to prevent substitute Mark Dennis from blasting home the loose ball.
There were plenty more talking points as the game reached a stormy conclusion, Baldwin receiving lengthy treatment after a clash with substitute Danny Marlowe and claiming he had been elbowed while Machin escaped scot-free after a diabolical two-footed challenge on Ian Bluck, a smashed dressing room door indicating how the visitors felt about it afterwards.
Gresley Rovers (1) 2
Rugby United (0) 1
Scorers: Gardner 34, Dennis 71 (Gresley Rovers); Halford 57 (pen) (Rugby United).
Gresley Rovers: Baldwin, Roberts, Cheetham, Bluck, Middleton, Coates, Wardle, Peters (Dennis 67), Allsop, Tucker, Gardner (McGinlay 81). Sub not used: Reynolds.
Rugby United: Beresford, Spacey, Redgate, Herbert, Niblett, Woodley, Burnham, Halford (Marlowe 58), O'Toole, Machin, Beard. Subs not used: O'Brien, Vincent.
Rovers Star Man: Ian Bluck - no nonsense defending.
Referree: S Bratt (Walsall).
Attendance: 415
