Match Photos
Gresley Rovers vs Bedworth United
More Moat Ground misery -Andy Parker - Burton Mail
Gresley
Rovers player-boss John McGinlay was "disappointed but not disheartened" after
seeing his side slump to their third consecutive Dr Martens Western Division
defeat at the hands of a below-strength Bedworth United on Saturday.
McGinlay, who made his first home start for Rovers since joining in December
and scored in the first minute, felt his team had done well in spells but had
lacked finishing power, especially in the second half.
The assessment was accurate to a degree: Rovers certainly made more chances
than they had done in both their previous games added together.
Overall
though, this was still a desperately poor display against a mid-table side missing
two key players.
Rovers were unable to build on the platform spectacularly provided by their
manager after just 49 seconds.
The former Scottish international played the ball to the feet of Simon Tucker
before meeting his strike partner's return pass with a sweeping right-foot shot
from the edge of the area that flew into the bottom corner of the Bedworth net.
With McGinlay adding shape and purpose in attack, Rovers looked set fair and
were unlucky not to increase their lead when McGinlay set up Mark Peters for
a 25-yard shot that keeper Craig Glover tipped over.
Things
started to go wrong when the injured player-boss was withdrawn after just 18
minutes although substitute Kevin Allsop might have scored with his first touch,
heading a difficult chance over.
Instead it was the visitors who levelled, a posse of defenders unpardonably
failing to clear Craig Whitmore's free-kick then allowing teenaged midfielder
Paul McCann to turn in a crowded box and poke the ball past Richard Selby.
As Rovers hit back, Peters was just wide from 20-yards after Matt Warren's
free-kick had been blocked but Rovers should have restored their lead on 58
minutes, Craig Glover parrying Steve Coates' 25-yard shot to the feet of Simon
Tucker who saw close-range efforts blocked, first by the keeper and then by
defender Spencer Parsons on the line. The miss proved costly.
Paul
White gave Adam Webster the chance to build up a head of steam down the Gresley
right and the striker flew past the challenges of Neil Broadhurst and Richard
Wardle before firing past the exposed Selby.
Rovers continued to blunder and bluster but should have been given a 90th-minute
lifeline when Tucker was sent tumbling in the box by Parson's challenge but
referee Steve Flanaghan ignored the home side's penalty appeals, Tucker being
stretchered unconscious from the field to cap another miserable afternoon for
the Moatmen.
Gresley Rovers (1) 1
Bedworth United (1) 2
Scorers: McGinlay 1 (Gresley Rovers); McCann 22, Webster 68.(Bedworth United)
Gresley Rovers: Selby, Broadhurst, Middleton (Gardner 45), Bluck, Woolley,
Warren, Wardle, McGinlay (Allsop 18, Pole 84), Peters, Tucker, Coates.
Bedworth United: Glover, Tallis, Parsons, Hamer, Richardson, McCann
(Carroll 84), Clamp, White, Webster, Kirk, Whitmore; subs not used: Austin,
Speight.
Rovers
Star Man: Steve Coates - worked hard and tried to create openings.
Referee: S Flanaghan (Wednesfield)
Attendance: 318
