Match Photos
Gresley Rovers vs Cirencester Town
Tucker makes a point - Andy Parker - Burton Mail
Dr Martens Western Division - Tuesday 10th April 2001
Simon
Tucker returned to the goal trail to earn Gresley Rovers a deserved point in
an entertaining and incident-packed Dr Martens Western Division clash with Cirencester
Town at the Moat Ground last night (Tues).
Rovers' top scorer had found the net just once in 11 games before last night
but he popped up with a spectacular goal to bring the scores level after the
Moatmen had seen an early lead overturned by the visitors.
Cirencester were playing their third game in four days after a weekend double-header
but looked anything but short of fitness and fire as they came back from gifting
Rovers a goal after four minutes.
Keeper Kevin Sawyer shaped to boot Andy Grange's backpass clear but miss kicked
horribly, allowing Neil Kitching to poach his first goal since returning from
a season out with a broken leg.
Rovers were buoyed by their lead and winger Paul Grant, justifying his first
starting call-up of the campaign, almost cued up a second with an excellent
piece of trickery and cross from the left with Sawyer forced to push Neil Broadhurst's
looping header from under the crossbar.
Then,
when Cirencester failed to clear Richard Gardner's corner effectively, the full
back's cross found three Rovers attackers unmarked but Kitching could only scoop
the ball into the keeper's hands.
Rovers appeared to be gaining the upper hand against a defence that looked
square at times but the home side were then undone by their own sloppy defending.
Russell James' long ball caught the Moatmen flat and although James Lindley
did well to save Scott Griffin's cross-shot as the striker burst clear Jimmy
Carter was on hand to slot home the loose ball.
Minutes later Lindley went down after injuring an ankle when collecting a cross
and although the on-loan keeper was able to continue after four minutes treatment
he was limping for the rest of the game unable to kick the ball.
Rovers' though, made a good job of protecting their last line of defence and
almost regained the lead when Tucker danced past a string of defenders before
forcing a smart stop from Sawyer with a low shot from 16-yards.
Tucker
forced a superb save from the visiting keeper as the second half got underway,
Sawyer leaping to push the striker's right foot shot out of the top corner then
producing another good save with his feet to keep out Barry Woolley's header.
Then Kitching's flick gave Woolley the chance to unleash a pile driver from
15 yards but the keeper again saved magnificently.
Rovers again appeared to be taking the initiative but, with 15 minutes remaining,
they were undone by a refereeing decision that incensed the home fans.
An unprecedented Michael Forsyth error gave Griffin the chance to break into
the Rovers box as Woolley got back to challenge the striker went tumbling in
what seemed like the most exaggerated dive since the Sydney Olympics.
Referee Brian Curzon, however, saw the incident differently from the majority
of the 302 crowd and pointed to the spot, Giles Harris firing easily past Lindley.
Rovers were stung with indignation and, after Woolley had helped on Gardner's
corner, Jamie Roberts almost levelled with a thumping, close range effort that
flew just wide.
Then came Tucker's moment of magic, the striker breaking clear onto Steve Coates'
flick and firing in a first time shot from 25 yards that Sawyer saw but could
not save as it found the bottom corner of the net.
Gresley Rovers (1) 2
Cirencester Town (1) 2
Scorers: Kitching 4, Tucker 79 (Gresley Rovers), Carter 23, Harris 75 pen (Cirencester Town).
Gresley Rovers: Lindley, Roberts, Gardner, Broadhurst, Woolley, Forsyth,
Wardle, Grant, Kitching (Sangha 87), Tucker, Coates. Subs not used: Middleton,
Warren.
Cirencester Town: Sawyer, Jones, Fraser (Terry 90), Blackler, Grange,
Bennett, Harris, Morgan, Carter, Griffin, Gee. Subs not used: Miller, Minturn.
Rovers
Star Man: Richard Gardner - dynamic display
Referee: B Curzon (Hinckley).
Attendance: 302
