UniBond League Division One
Dark Lane, Rossendale, Lancashire
Saturday, 1st October 2005, 3.00pm
O'Connor lights up Dark Lane for Gresley
Aaron O'Connor lit up Rossendale United's Dark Lane for Gresley Rovers scoring a hat trick, his first for the club.
Gresley started brightly with Carl Slater going close putting a shot just wide after having his first attempt blocked.
Minutes later a good one-two move between Mickey Lyons and Allan Davies ended with Davies firing over a low cross that O'Connor was unlucky not to get on the end of.
However, it was the home side who went closest on 8 minutes when Davies almost steered the ball past his own keeper but James Pemberton got down quickly to save at the foot of the post.
Davies was then involved in things at the other end when on 13 minutes he found Paul Edwards with a fine ball. The striker turned and hit a thunderous first time shot that shaved an upright.
Pemberton was called into action on 16 minutes this time making a good save from a Jamie Baguley pile driver.
The Stags were unlucky on 22 minutes when Baguley's free kick found the top of the cross bar.
On 24 minutes the lively O'Connor warmed the fingers of home keeper Andrew as the custodian excellently tipped his thunderous shot round a post.
Four minutes later, however, Robertson could not deny the Gresley front man from grabbing the lead for his team. Carl Slater did well to win the ball before putting in a fine pass to Lyons. Lyons put a pinpoint pass into the box for O'Connor who hit his first time shot past Robertson.
Gresley were two up five minutes later. O'Connor lost his marker Ollie McGhee before smashing the ball into the left-hand corner. He could have grabbed a first half hat trick but was denied by another fine save from Robertson.
The visitors were now well on top and Davies and O'Connor linked up well just before the break setting up Edwards whose goal bound shot was deflected for a corner.
However, with time almost up for the first period Gresley defender Gary White came to the rescue of his team when he cleared Stuart Tulloch's header off the line.
Rossendale went close within minutes of the re-start when a defensive slip allowed Tulloch to again try again but this time it was Slater who headed clear the danger.
Nathan Tate, suffering a groin injury, had to be replaced on 56 minutes by Tony Hemmings.
Chris Gray made a good run down right five minutes later and cut the ball back for O'Connor but his shot was deflected away for a corner.
Edwards put a shot over the bar after collecting the ball from a rebound from his free kick.
Gray was then denied on 76 minutes when he received the ball after a one-two between White and O'Connor but the final shot was blocked by Robertson's legs.
Three minutes later the home side was back in the game. Gresley failed to deal with a dangerous cross from the right and the ball fell just nicely for Pat Shaughnessy, who'd jut come on as a substitute, and with almost his first touch of the ball he hit a vicious curling shot that left Pemberton stranded as it flew into the top corner of the net.
This goal could have lead to a shaky last 10 or so minutes but Gresley took an even firmer grip on the game and made all the running putting the home defence under intense pressure.
The pressure paid off on 87 minutes when O'Connor got his coveted third goal arguably the best of the three. He was given the ball by Edwards and left his marked bewildered before slotting the ball home past Robertson.
A minute later Edwards got his deserved goal when Hemmings cut the ball back from the touch line for Edwards to knock the ball home from close in.
Gresley could have added even more to their tally as The Stags defence crumbled alarmingly. O'Connor put a volley just wide of the post and Lyons's shot needed to be acrobatically tipped round a post by Roberston in the final few seconds.
Manager's View
"There were some nervous moments obviously when they scored until Aaron completed his hat trick.
"I felt for the first fifteen minutes we played really, really well and played some great football. We popped it around really nice on the deck and cut them open two or three times and we were unfortunate not to get something. Paul Edwards flashed one just past a post and Aaron O'Connor had a good opportunity on twenty minutes. Then I felt we just took our foot off the pedal and they got a foothold in midfield and we were a little bit ragged for ten or fifteen minutes. The goal we got was a bonus. A move broke down and Allan Davies bust a gut to keep something in play but they got it and looked like they were going on a break but Carl Slater come from nowhere to make a fantastic tackle. He got the ball and got the move going. Mickey Lyons picked the ball up and fed a superb ball through to Aaron who put us one nil up and that gave us a bit more confidence and we knocked the ball around a little bit.
"The second goal was absolutely top drawer from Aaron. Paul made a great run to pull the defender away and Aaron was isolated one-on-one with the keeper and he decided to shoot early with his left foot and he caught it absolutely sweet. And we went in, perhaps fortuitously two nil up. Maybe we deserved a one nil lead at half time and I told the lads at half time that we were fortunate to be two nil up.
"Second half we knew they would come at us and we allowed them to a little bit. We weren't as fluid or slick as we were in the first half. We had one or two bits and bobs but they didn't have much really clear cut. For their goal the ball dropped on the edge and it was a great strike - two one and the nerves were on edge again.
"But it was fantastic that Aaron got his hat trick at last because he had one or two opportunities in the second half and was denied and I didn't think he would get a hat trick for Gresley but he has and I'm delighted. Tony Hemmings popped up down the left and set Paul up for a fourth. Mickey Lyons was unlucky not to have added a fifth right at the death.
"So, it was a great result and I'm delighted, It's always nice to come away and win. It is difficult despite what places you go to so the three points are more pleasing than the score line.
"Carl Slater was superb in the first half and the only reason we replaced him with Jamie Barrett was that he's been feeling a bit of a hamstring for the last couple of weeks. I just wanted to introduce some fresh legs and we brought Carl off as a precaution - that was the only reason.
"Nathan was substituted because he's pulled his groin and he could be doubtful for Tuesday. But Tony Hemmings went on and did well for us.
"It's great to get both front boys on the score sheet again. Paul and Aaron were both unlucky in the first half but Aaron today deserves all the credit. I know all the lads deserve a massive pat on the back because it is a team game but Aaron, in particular has worked very, very hard. The rest has done Aaron more good than anything because he's been carrying an ankle injury and he feels a lot better."
