Match Photos
Shepshed Dynamo vs Gresley Rovers
Gruesome on the gluepot - Andy Parker - Burton Mail
It
was an injustice either side should emerge from Saturday's clash at the Dovecote
with any reward, so poor was the football.
In the end the home side carried off the spoils to leave Gresley Rovers wondering
where their next win is going to come from.
A gluepot of a pitch went some way to explaining a dire display and possibly
the result.
Shepshed's hit and hope game was not really suited to any football pitch but
it worked better in the conditions than Rovers' stuttering efforts to play a
little football.
Ultimately the one piece of decent finishing of the afternoon - and that almost
inevitably set up by a defensive error - decided the outcome, Shepshed's second
goal coming deep into added time at the end with Rovers pressing forward in
search of a point.
Rovers boss John McGinlay was at a loss to explain his team's poor showing
afterwards, saying: "After our last two performances I would have put my house
on us winning today."
McGinlay
may have to put considerably more than real estate into Rovers' current squad
to buck them out of their lethargy, although the manager did concede - while
insisting there was no excuse for defeat - that with five new players in his
line-up, a little time may be needed for the team to knit together.
There is not much time for that though and McGinlay also acknowledged Rovers,
unthinkably, are now being drawn into a relegation dogfight.
That seemed far from the case as Rovers began the game brightly, scorning an
excellent chance to go ahead after nine minutes.
Richard Gardner produced a pearl of a cross from the left and Neil Broadhurst
made firm contact with a six-yard header, only to plant the ball into the midriff
of the keeper Dean Thomas.
Rovers continued to press and probe with Barry Woolley, possibly the most potent
attacker in Rovers' line-up, heading over after a short corner routine.
Gradually,
though, Shepshed began to come into the game. There was a let-off when Steve
Wilkinson's shot rebounded off the foot of a post into the arms of keeper James
Lindley but when Wilkinson crossed from near the right corner flag, Woolley
could only head his clearance to the feet of Kevin Budge who rifled home from
the edge of the box.
Rovers had even more of the ball after half-time with Gardner seeing an early
shot blocked and Simon Tucker forcing Thomas into a good save after weaving
his way past two defenders.
Tucker almost lightened the gloom with an angled shot that flew just wide from
20 yards while Woolley forced Thomas to clear from beneath his bar with a header
from David Donaldson's well-flighted free kick.
Substitute Kevin Allsop was introduced in the 90th minute and almost carved
his name in glory with an 18-yard effort that narrowly cleared the Shepshed
bar but Budge finally ended the misery when he strode clear of an undermanned
defence to loft the ball over Lindley.
Shepshed Dynamo (1) 2
Gresley Rovers (0) 0
Scorers: Budge 35, 94
Shepshed Dynamo: Thomas, McDermott, Commander, Manning, Davies, Holton, Quincey, Budge, Wilkinson (Tanner 68), McGlinchey, Bah; subs not used: Newbold, Armstrong.
Gresley Rovers: Lindley, Verity, Gardner, Broadhurst (Roberts 73), Woolley, Warren, Wardle, Donaldson (Allsop 90), Bedward, Tucker, Coates; sub not used: Middleton.
Rovers
Star Man: Steve Coates - tried hard to make things happen.
Referee: C Sargisson (Rugeley).
Attendance: 293
