UniBond League Division One
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Tuesday, 13th September 2005, 7.45pm
Three minute blitz shatters Tulips
A dazzling three-minute scoring blitz destroyed any hopes of Spalding United gaining their first league win of the season at the Moat Ground. Goals on 18, 19 and 20 minutes sealed the points for Gresley as they put on arguably their best first half performance at home for several seasons.
Gresley could have been on the scoresheet with less than a minute on the clock when Tulips Sam Wedieh needlessly gave the ball away to Aaron O'Connor who in turn laid the ball on for fellow striker Paul Edwards. Edwards smashed in a shot that was blocked by a visiting defender.
Two minutes later Edwards had another half chance this time after Nathan Tate had made a good run up the left touch line before crossing. Unfortunately the final shot lacked any power and went straight to Tulips keeper Ian Pledger.
Spalding were in a shambles defensively and found themselves being carved up by every attack Gresley mounted.
The goal that looked inevitable came on 18 minutes. O'Connor superbly controlled the ball on the edge of the box before firing in a shot that was blocked. The ball fell to Edwards who smashed the ball into the bottom corner of the net with Pledger well beaten.
Things got worse for Spalding a minute later when after a breath-taking move of fast flowing football Gresley doubled their advantage. Chris Gray made a fine run through the middle of the park before putting a pinpoint pass to O'Connor. O'Connor took one touch turned his marker before hitting a low shot past Pledger.
The third goal came in as many minutes. A long throw in by Gary White was flicked on to Gray waiting at the near post he expertly put the ball back to O'Connor who smashed the ball home from the edge of the area with Pledger stunned.
Gresley looked as if they could score with every attack and could quite easily have been over the horizon by the break.
On 24 minutes Edwards flashed a shot jut over the bar and Gary White tried his hand three minutes later with a long range attempt which again just cleared the bar.
Ten minutes before half time it was the turn of Edwards to hit a shot from long range that Pledger grabbed at the second attempt with O'Connor waiting to pounce.
Spalding's only attempt of the half came on 44 minutes when Andy Simpson failed to prevent Kevin Childs from getting past and the striker tried his luck with an attempted lob that Gresley keeper James Pemberton dealt with comfortably.
Whatever, was said by Tulips manager Steve Welsh in the dressing room at half time seemed to do the trick and they came out looking a bit more determined.
Within four minutes of the re-start, however, O'Connor brought off a superb save from Pledger as the keeper got down to his right to deny the rampant Gresley striker.
O'Connor thought he'd scored his third on 54 minutes when Gresley were awarded a free kick just outside the Spalding's area. Gary White hit a hard low shot that rebounded to O'Connor who fired the ball into the net only to find that the assistant referee had adjudged him to be offside and the goal was ruled out.
Spalding were a little unlucky not to have grabbed a goal two minutes later when a slip from Gary White allowed Childs to get into a dangerous position with only Pemberton to beat. With the young keeper advancing Childs curled a shot around him only to see the ball come back off the post and put away to safety.
To be honest that was the only scare for Pemberton who had possibly one of his easiest games so far in this campaign.
The tempo of the game had dropped from that of the first half as Gresley allowed their visitors more space. But, they could not take any advantage from it. Lee Sowerby did try a shot on 65 minutes but it sailed well over the bar.
On 76 minutes O'Connor had a half chance but his shot was held by Pledger and as the game ran down to a finish Gresley had one more chance.
Allan Davies' cross on 84 minutes found Carl Slater on the edge of the box but his first time shot went wide of the far post.
Manager's View
"I can't remember a first half performance like that, I really can't. The disappointing thing was that we haven't managed to maintain that for a longer period during the game.
"Having said that, I said to them at half time that it was more difficult giving a team talk when you're three nil up than perhaps it is when the games a little bit tighter. Because what we were looking for was to keep that tempo up but the football we played in the first half was a hard act to follow.
"The way we started in the first five, six minutes of the second half we were in for a similar second half. But, credit to them, they've obviously had a bit of a rollicking at half time and they came out and had a right go at us, and we let them to be fair.
"We've just said to them in the dressing room that it was a massive, massive credit to the lads for the first half performance. Some of the football was absolutely fantastic and it could have been four or five. But second half we need to make sure we keep doing the right things because there are going to be a lot of games this season where we need to be a little bit sharper in a tackle, we need to be a little bit closer and we need to be a little more clinical because there are going to be better sides that come here that will punish us if we don't.
"All three goals were quality, absolutely brilliant and I'm particularly pleased for Aaron. He's not had a lot of luck in the opening games and he took his goals fantastically well. Paul Edwards had a big part in all the goals tonight. He was absolutely fantastic in the first half. Not just his goal or the goals he was involved in but his passing, movement and touch play from Paul, Aaron and several other players as well - too many to mention. The lads at the back were superb; they didn't give them a sniff. They cleared the lines and squeezed out. But in the second half, if I'm being honest and overly critical, there were five or six players who came out for the second half that have not played ninety minutes. Two or three were a little below par and perhaps got the cigars out a little too early which was a little disappointing. But as I've said it is hard to maintain that for ninety minutes.
"I said to Paul Edwards that he'd get twenty goals this season and he's on four already and he's had a big hand in Aaron's tonight and that puts Aaron on three now. It's nice when you get both your front men on the scoresheet."
