UniBond League Division One
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Tuesday, 4th October 2005, 7.45pm
Gresley fight back to Stun Zebras
"A five goal thriller." That's what one supporter called last night's game against one of the pre-season favourites Brigg Town with end-to-end football and goals entertaining a decent crowd at the Moat Ground.
However, it all started so badly for the home side with Brigg catching them cold with two goals within the first ten minutes putting the Moat Men back on their heels. This time there were no dropped heads and the belief that Gresley would get something out of the game was clear for all to see as they battled and fought their way back to a fine victory and with it three valuable points against a side that will be there or thereabouts come next April.
Brigg took an early lead on 6 minutes. Andy Simpson only half cleared the ball as far as Gavin Bassinger who was allowed to run 20 yards before unleashing an unstoppable low shot past James Pemberton and into the bottom corner of the net from the edge of the area.
Mickey Lyons almost got his side on equal terms two minutes later but his shot found the side netting.
The Zebras double their advantage on 10 minutes through Simon Roach. Simon Drayton picked his captain out with a ball that scythed the home defence in two and in acres of space Roach was able to pick his spot giving Pemberton no chance this time from just inside the box.
Gresley were clearly rattled but gradually began to push forward and two minutes later O'Connor put a shot just wide after receiving a superb pass from Lyons. Now on top, they went close again on 14 minutes when O'Connor flicked on to Paul Edwards who was in on goal but the final shot went wide.
Simpson put his header wide on 27 minutes from Gary White's corner as the Moat Men continued to pin the visitors back in their own half.
The goal Gresley were looking for came with just a minute remaining of the first half. Lyons had done well to get into the box before picking out O'Connor sent a defender the wrong way before firing past Brigg keeper Damien Steer.
Gresley came out for the second period in a determined mood and after a sustained period of attacking play got back on terms. Awarded a free kick on the edge of the box on 50 minutes, surprisingly Allan Davies chose to take the kick and what a kick it was. His shot went round the wall and into the far bottom corner leaving Steer a mere spectator.
Edwards went close a minute later putting a header wide as Gresley now went looking for the winner.
On 58 minutes a shot from O'Connor was blocked by the legs of Steer and a short corner played between White and O'Connor led to White's cross being headed just over by Matt Millns.
The only meaningful save Pemberton was called on to make in the second half came on 66 minutes when he blocked a shot from Roach with his legs.
Gresley took a deserved lead on 73 minutes when Simpson headed home Whites free kick.
Indeed, the home side could have added further to their tally. On 76 minutes O'Connor managed to get on the end of a woefully short headed pass back but his attempted lob did not manage to clear the keeper and was caught comfortably by Steer. A minute later O'Connor found himself one-on-one with Steer who did extremely well to get down quickly to hold the striker's shot.
On 85 minutes a stroke of luck for the Zebras. A powerful header from Simpson hit Tommy Spall on the line and his attempted clearance spooned up into the hands of his keeper Steer with three Gresley players ready to pounce.
And in time added on, substitute Jamie Barrett had the chance to open his account on returning to the Moat Ground but his thunderous shot went agonisingly wide of the mark.
Manager's View
"I couldn't get my breath back after that! It was uncharacteristic for us to start in that manner. The last thing we said before we came out of the dressing room was that they had been on a run undefeated since being beaten by Kidsgrove by two late goals and that they'd be at us from minute one. The disappointing thing was that we'd had them watched and their strengths had led to both of their goals. The first one was from a break - they are very strong from the break. Simmo had a good shout for a foul in the build up but having said that you carry on and all of a sudden we found ourselves in a situation were we were three on three. It's a difficult one whether to go and press the ball and have the guy on the ball slip it in for the runner. But to be fair he got to within twenty, twenty five yards of our goal and let an absolute flyer go into the back of the net and we were on the back foot.
"Just as we were trying to get things steady and get a foothold in the game we had another similar situation. It was disappointing that the guy on the halfway line has come through two of our players and again they'd got us on the break and it was a nice tidy shot from the outside the box that caught us cold. All of a sudden you were wishing the ground to open up and swallow you.
"It was important to get a goal back before halftime. Ironically we'd had two really good chances just after that. Aaron had a really good move involving Mickey Lyons and just put his shot wide and then uncharacteristically Paul Edwards went one on one with the keeper but put his shot wide with his left foot. But just after that I turned to Mick Curry and said we are going to win this game. I was convinced we would because we would create openings.
"It was vital to get that goal just before half time because it gave us a foothold and a belief. And I said to the lads at half time 'if there is anyone in this dressing room who hasn't got the belief that not only we can come back and draw but win the game then let me know now because I'll take them off. It's a big lesson and a massive win for us and I'm delighted with that and full credit with to the lads and they fully deserve the three points.
"It was a great strike from Allan Davies. I was just about to have a pop at him because we'd not rehearsed that one. I've just said to him 'where did you get that one from?' I'm not too sure if he's scored many but he certainly is a candidate to taking one again after that. It was an absolutely fantastic strike and I don't think the keeper was expecting that. It gave us a big lift in the second half. And then we got the winner from another well worked free kick this time Simmo getting on the end of it instead of Matt Millns - a fantastic delivery from Gary White and a great header from Simmo. He's took some stick, unjustly at times during the course of the season, but he's a but he's a big honest lad with a heart as big as a bucket and I'm delighted that the skipper's got the winner for us.
"But, having said that, we could have wrapped it up a bit more comfortably at the end. Although they really didn't have anything clear cut in the last ten or fifteen minutes you just want the whistle to blow. Aaron had a great opportunity to put us four two up and then we had one or two other bits and bobs.
"I felt towards the end we were intelligent although some supporters behind us were asking us to be a little more direct and go for another goal but when you are in the last couple of minutes and injury time I thought my heart has taken enough tonight and I'd rather stick it in the corner which I think we did well tonight.
"Mickey Lyons is on a fine little run of games at the moment. Both him and Carl Slater did superbly well.
" Their (Brigg) shape caused us a few problems to be fair. That enabled us to introduce Jamie in there. They weren't playing with any width at all on the left hand side so we sacrificed Chris Gray who'd done well tonight and put Jamie in there.
"All the lads deserve credit tonight for that performance. Except for the first ten or fifteen when passes were going astray and we weren't at the races but the lads showed character. I said at half time that you are going to get games like this when things are not quite working for you and that's when you roll your sleeves up and try and grind one out and I'm over the moon that we have."
