Gresley Rovers vs Bashley
Aston off in Bash 'n' Grab – Andy Parker – Burton Mail
On the face of it, a home draw against struggling Bashley might not seem the best of results, but Gresley Rovers boss Steve Dolby had cause for some consolation at the Moat Ground on Saturday.
Having seen his side look at one stage as if they were all set for a sunny afternoon beanfeast against a side that looked all at sea defensively, Dolby was forced to sit and watch Rovers suffer a series of bodyblows that would have felled teams of lesser resolve.
Leading through David Holmes' 26th-minute strike, Rovers first lost Bob Aston, then their lead and finally in the second half influential midfielder Ian Straw after an apparent Eric Cantona style stamping from Jim Sheppard.
To add to the air of chaos West Bromwich referee Timmins infuriated players and fans alike as he struggled eccentrically to maintain control of the game, eventually sending off Bashley midfielder Stuart Kerr.
Amid the confusion Rovers might easily have suffered a cataclysmic defeat, but it was a measure of the growing confidence of Dolby's team that they not only held onto a point, but could and should have had all three in the end.
When Gresley produced their best attacking movement of the match. Holmes who has potential to easily surpass both Mark Blount and Colin Loss in the find of the season stakes, again rounded Flowers onto Mark Hurst's through ball only to be impeded by defender Andy Bye.
Flower flung himself to his left to beat out Hurst's unconvincing penalty then blocked the striker's effort from the rebound but there, almost inevitably, was Holmes to tuck in the loose ball.
A minute later the new boy was a whisker away from a second, meeting Tony Marsden's cross with a rising sidefoot shot only to see the ball crash against the underside of the bar.
Rovers fans settled back with glee in anticipation of a fourth successive win – but it was not to be.
Nick Stanborough's horrendously under-hit backpass put Dave Perrett in a one-on-one with only Aston only for the Bash striker to eat dirt as the Rovers' keeper hurtled out of his box. Timmins took his time about it, but the eventual red card was inevitable.
Marsden gamely donned Aston's jersey but his first job was to pick the ball out of the net as left back Dominic Jackson hit the free kick awarded against the banished Aston high into the top corner.
To Rovers' credit, they never allowed Bashley to look like a side with a numerical advantage, protecting Marsden to the extent that his second half contribution amounted to catching two crosses, excellently punching out another and heroically saving Lee Walker's shot towards the bottom corner.
Aston would have deemed it an easy day's work, but for stand-in it was a commendable contribution.
Flower was far busier, racing from his line to knock Richard Wardle to the floor only for Timmins to award a corner then, in the midst of eight minutes' added time, somehow blocking Holmes' goalbound drive.
Gresley Rovers (1) 1
Bashley (1) 1
Scorers: Holmes 26 (Gresley Rovers); Jackson 40 (Bashley)
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Dick, Rigg, Denby, Evans, Stanborough, R Wardle, Straw (Devaney 68), Hurst, Holmes, Marsden. Sub not used: Elliott
Bashley: Flower, N Wardle, Jackson, Bye, Ingman, Sheppard, Stagg, Kerr, Walker, Perret, Stickler (Harbut 79). Sub not used: Adams
Gresley man-of-the-match: Tony Marsden
Referee: D Timmins (West Bromwich)
Attendance: 704
