Weston-super-Mare vs Gresley Rovers
More woe for Rovers - Burton Mail
Gresley Rovers' miserable conclusion to their Dr Martens Western Division campaign
continued over the weekend as the Moatmen slumped to two defeats in 48 hours.
At Weston-super-Mare yesterday (Sunday), both teams were playing their second
game in two days but produced a highly entertaining game, the result of which
was in doubt up to the final whistle.
Played in driving rain throughout and with a strong wind, the sides adapted
well and Rovers will be disappointed their second-half display did not earn
the share of the spoils it warranted.
The first chance fell to the hosts just four minutes in when a free-kick from
Butler found the head of leading scorer Bevan but his effort flashed just wide
of Mark Sheils' right-hand post before Rovers' defence was stretched when a
neat move involving Pengelly, Bevan and Watts ended with the latter's cross
safely collected by the Rovers keeper.
Disaster struck the Moatmen on 12 minutes when, after Sheils had managed to
punch away a corner, the ball eventually fell to Parselle wide on the right,
his hopeful cross into the box heading straight into the keeper's hands but
somehow slipped through his grasp and into the gaping net.
The second-half was a different story though with Gresley in control for long
periods. Simon Tucker managed to get his head to a free-kick and force Weston
keeper Weaver into his first real save of the game, going down to his right
to turn the ball around the post for Gresley's first corner of the game.
Paul Grant then had a shot before Tucker followed up on a weak clearance from
the keeper only to hurry his shot and ballooned over the bar.
But the home side nearly doubled their lead on 70 minutes when Butler crossed
and Sheils palmed the effort away, unfortunately the ball only fell to Bevan
but the striker, off balance, could only hook the ball over the bar.
Rovers almost equalised late on when Barry Woolley rose to meet a free-kick
but his fierce header was tipped over in magnificent style by Weaver, then minutes
later they came even closer when a back header from player manager John McGinlay
was cleared off the line by Parselle via a post.
At the Moat Ground on Saturday, a freak goal gave Tiverton Town the points;
Carl Middleton's clearance deflecting off Steve Ovens and into the net after
the striker had run past two defenders in the Gresley penalty area.
The goal came after 29 minutes and, at that point, Tiverton were good value
for their lead.
The Devon side were more enterprising from the off with Rovers forced into
a familiar pattern of in-depth defending and playing hopeful long balls towards
a forward line seriously lacking in mobility.
For all their superiority, though, the visitors forced Sheils into only one
noteworthy save, the Rovers keeper scrambling Oven's header towards the top
corner and safety.
At the other end, only Woolley forced Paul Edwards into meaningful action,
the keeper punching away the tall defender's header following a Mark Peters
corner.
Rovers looked much better after the break and could and perhaps should have
equalised seven minutes into the second half, Woolley again making good contact
with a Peters corner and McGinlay putting in a point blank header that ended
up in Edward's grasp when it could have easily have gone into the net.
Rovers continued to press with Tiverton only occasionally threatening on the
break, most notably when Ovens broke clear onto Kevin Nancekivell's through
ball only to be robbed by a superbly timed interception from Andy Cheetham.
The late introduction of Neil Kitching gave Rovers extra momentum but the nearest
they came to grabbing what would have been a deserved equaliser came when McGinlay's
first time shot from 18 yards flew wide in injury time.
Weston-super-Mare (1) 1
Gresley Rovers (0) 0
Scorer Parselle 12.
Weston-super-Mare: Weaver, Parselle (Smith 88), Butler, Pengelly, Bird, White,
Watts, Wharton (Price 84), Bevan, King, Relish (Wilson 65).
Gresley Rovers: Sheils, Roberts (McGinlay 74), Gardner (Warren 62),
Broadhurst, Woolley, Middleton, Wardle, Grant, Kitching, Tucker (Peters 63),
Coates.
Rovers
Star Man: Richard Gardner - cool under pressure, distribution was excellent.
Referee: Kevin Johnson (Bristol).
Attendance: 65
Gresley Rovers (0) 0
Tiverton Town (1) 1
Scorer: Owen 29
Tiverton Town: Edwards: Winter, Saunders, Tatterton (Smith 23), Marker,
Rogers, Nancekivell (Conning 88), Ovens, Everett (Pears 77), Daly, Chenoweth.
Gresley Rovers: Sheils, Roberts, Cheetham, Peters (Donaldson 87), Woolley,
Middleton, Wardle, McGinlay, Tucker (Kitching 74), Coates, Broadhurst: sub not
used: Warren.
Rovers
Star Man: Barry Woolley - effective at both ends of the field.
Referee: C Henry (Northampton)
Attendance: 366
