Match Photos
Gresley Rovers vs Racing Club Warwick
Moat King Richard stoops to conquer - Andy Parker - Burton Mail
Richard
Wardle has weighed in with his fair share of goals during his long career at
the Moat Ground but none has been greeted with such relief as his 91st-minute
decider against Racing Club Warwick on Saturday.
The midfielder stooped to head in a deep, right wing cross from substitute
Paul Grant and thus end a 10-game run without a Dr Martens Western Division
win for John McGinlay's team.
With another 10 games to squeeze in before the end of a roller coaster campaign,
McGinlay hopes Wardle's strike will provide the inspiration his team needs to
finish the season on a high.
In
truth, though, it needed a moment of magic to earn the Moatmen victory for,
despite having dominated a depleted Racing Club, Rovers had rarely looked like
putting the ball past the visitors' highly rated teenaged keeper Ben Foster,
who was subject of a rejected bid from Stoke City last week.
The youngster only had to show his mettle once during a lacklustre game.
Wardle, looking offside, broke clear as Jamie Roberts' over-the-top ball caught
Warwick flat at the back then unselfishly squared the ball to striker Shaun
Bedward.
The recent recruit from Bromsgrove should have given Foster no chance from
10 yards but instead shot close enough to the keeper to enable him to make a
blocking save.
That was just one of a string of chances made and missed by Rovers during the
afternoon.
Steve
Coates would have been celebrating his first goal for Gresley had he not shot
disappointingly wide from 18 yards when set up by Bedward in the 17th minute
them Bedward saw a mis-hit effort deflected wide after good approach play by
Barry Woolley, Simon Tucker and Richard Gardner had ended with Neil Broadhurst
heading across the face of the goal.
Gardner saw a shot deflected to safety off a post and Woolley a volley comfortably
saved as Rovers dominated with a Keith Marlow header, athletically pushed away
by James Lindley, virtually the only goal attempt of note produced by the visitors.
Rovers had even more possession after the break but could not find a way past
Foster with Bedward firing over from 22 yards and Woolley twice seeing headers
easily held by the keeper.
Indeed, Warwick might have snatched the game themselves when a 89th minute
cross from Justin Wiseman picked out an unmarked substitute Tom Sidwell at the
far post but the youngster headed high and wide.
That would have been an injustice to Rovers while, after so many games without
a morsel of good fortune, their late, late winner was anything but that.
Gresley Rovers (0) 1
Racing Club Warwick (0) 0
Scorer: Wardle 90
Gresley Rovers: Lindley, Roberts, Gardner, Donaldson, Woolley, Forsyth,
Wardle, Broadhurst (P Grant 71), Bedward, Tucker (Sangha 87), Coates. Sub not
used: Middleton.
Racing Club Warwick: Foster, Hodson, Titterton, Wells, Marlow, Goodman,
Wiseman, Weston, L Grant (Adams 65), McSheffery (Elvin 75), Lovelock (Sidwell
84).
Rovers
Star Man: Richard Wardle - scored Gresley's golden goal.
Referee: A Hendley (Rowley Regis)
Attendance: 311
