Match Photos
Rocester vs Gresley Rovers
Romans get one over on Rovers - Andy Parker - Burton Mail
Gresley
Rovers boss John McGinlay excused a dismal derby display by his team on the
grounds yesterday's trip to The Hillsfield was their fourth game in six days.
Opposite number Martyn Smith, however, pointed out his team had dominated the
first half of the game when tiredness did not come into it.
What Smith did not really need to say was that weary or not, Gresley had failed
to match the Romans for passion or for football on a gluepot pitch equally sapping
on both sides' stamina.
The bottom line is McGinlay, whose team will narrowly escape relegation from
the Dr Martens Western Division this season, must produce motivational powers
that have hitherto not been in evidence for next season, when the Rovers chief
is expected to turn a hugely under achieving side into championship-chasers.
On the evidence of yesterday's display, Smith is doing a much better job with
a club that exists on gates that average around a third of Rovers'.
The Moatmen were second best in every department for most of yesterday's 90
minutes, only putting their hosts under pressure in the closing stages.
Rocester's mastery lay in midfield were Rovers were consistently out battled
and out passed.
All
the threat in the first half was on the Gresley goal with Mark Sheils making
his first save on 17 minutes when Andy Holmes' firm header was clutched to safety
on the line after the defender had been left unmarked from Martin Ridley's corner.
Ridley then linked with Emeka Ejiofor to release Richard Knight into the Rovers
box with Richard Gardner saving the day with a last-gasp interception.
When Ejiofor was next to threaten with a break down the centre, the striker
was hauled back by former team mate and Rovers skipper-for-the-day Barry Woolley,
referee David Adcock leniently producing only a yellow card.
McGinlay later supported the decision, saying the original foul had taken place
just inside the Gresley half and "too far from goal for a sending-off."
Andy Bourne floated a cross shot wide after breaking onto Alex Hook's through
ball and Ridley fired a long range effort high and wide before seeing an in
swinging corner cleared off the line, Gardner again the Rovers saviour as Rocester
came close to turning their domination into goals.
The Moatmen were fortunate to reach the interval on level terms but Ejiofor
soon put a more telling look on the score line.
Again Hook provided the through ball and Ridley laid the ball into the path
of the striker who took advantage of Woolley's slip to shoot past Sheils.
Rovers
produced their first shot on target with more than a hour gone, Paul Grant's
effort easily held by John Endensor, but Rocester then went close again with
Knight producing an excellent save from Sheils after Bourne had set up a shooting
chance.
Rovers were looking a beaten side but a double substitution with three-quarters
of the contest gone, Richard Wardle replacing the out-of-touch David Donaldson
and Neil Kitching the service starved Simon Tucker, changed the game if not
the final score line.
Steve Coates saw a shot blocked, a Grant cross was scrambled clear with Rovers
appealing for a handball decision and Shaun Bedward fired over after a run through
the centre.
As the game entered stoppage time Kitching seemed set to earn an unlikely draw
when he seized on Neil Broadhurst's through ball only for Endensor to save,
somewhat fortuitously, with his legs.
Then Gardner burst into the Rocester penalty area but his goal bound shot was
cleared off the line by Holmes, the Rovers full-back them meeting Grant's corner
with a six yard header that flew over.
Rocester (0) 1
Gresley Rovers (0) 0
Scorer: Ejiofor 51.
Rocester: Endensor, P Ede, Knight, Hook, Holmes, M Ede, Bourne (Rawlinson
85), Ridley, Ejiofor, Bostock, Owen; subs not used: Simpson, Jennings.
Gresley Rovers: Sheils, Verity (Warren 54), Gardner, Donaldson (Wardle
68), Woolley, Middleton, Grant, Broadhurst, Bedward, Tucker (Kitching 68), Coates.
Rovers
Star Man: Richard Gardner - set an example his team-mates failed to match.
Referee: D J Adcock (Long Eaton).
Attendance: 155
