UniBond League Division One
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Saturday, 22nd October 2005, 3.00pm
Barrett & Tate on form again
A bookmaker would surely have given some long odds for the same two players scoring the same number of goals in consecutive games. But that's how it happened for Jamie Barrett and Nathan Tate.
Fresh from their goal-scoring escapade at the New Manor Ground in midweek Barrett and Tate were on the goal sheet again against Ossett Albion.
However, it was the visitors who had the first sniff of goal after just two minutes when a half cleared ball found Rob Edwards who directed it back with his head but it looped well over the bar.
On 5 minutes Gresley had their first chance. A Gary White corner from the right was inches away from connecting with Andy Simpson sliding in at the far post.
The home side then had a decent penalty shout on 10 minutes when Chris Gray in on goal was brought down by Ossett keeper Michael Clark in the area but the referee Mr Lever decided that the midfielder did not have full control of the ball and waved away the appeal.
The play swung to the other end and it was Carl Slater's superbly timed tackle that prevented Derek Kier as he eyed up his shot.
On 19 minutes David Holmes found himself through on goal after a defensive mix-up but after beating Clark's dive was dismayed as his shot skewed past the upright.
Gresley didn't have to wait too long for the goal they been searching for. A tremendous through ball from Mickey Lyons on 25 minutes put Barrett in on goal. He coolly rounded the keeper before firing home.
Within a couple of minutes of taking the lead Gresley could have added two more to their tally. Slater hit a long-range shot that Clarke gathered at the second attempt and Gary White's shot went just wide.
Holmes went close again on 30 minutes but he put his header, from Gray's cross, straight into the keeper's arms.
Tate doubled the advantage seven minutes later when Allan Davies's long clearance found him about 25 yards from goal. He easily beat his marker before unleashing a dipping shot over Clark and into the net.
On 39 minutes it was Lyons's turn to try a volley from distance after a clever nod down from Gray, but this time Clark managed to get a fingertip to the ball and put the ball over the bar.
Gresley continued where they'd left off after the break and straightaway were putting Albion's defence under pressure.
Gary White's cross on 50 minutes found Holmes but his header went wide. On another day and with a bit more luck he could have helped himself to a hat trick as he continued to impress up front.
A third goal looked certain as Ossett's defence were finding Gresley too much of a handful.
It came on 56 minutes. Gray made a good run down the left before sending over a dangerous cross that was missed by defender Sean Hazleden. However, Barrett was waiting in space and hammered the ball home.
Four minutes later another let off for the visitors when Gary White's long-range shot went narrowly wide.
Ossett got a goal back somewhat against the run of play on 64 minutes. An Adam Fretwell corner from the left found the head of Keir and the ball skimmed past Gresley keeper James Pemberton and into the far corner of the net.
Despite the goal it was Gresley that looked the most likely to increase their tally in the final 15 minutes or so of the game.
On 67 minutes Gresley defender Paul Wardle starting his first game of the season, put a header just over and minutes later Clark denied Lyons getting down well to prevent his shot from going into the net.
Substitute Eric Graves, on loan from neighbours Burton Albion, went close to scoring on his debut when he connected with a Barrett cross but his shot went wide.
The fingertip of Clark again denied Lyons and Graves put a shot over the bar.
Barrett almost completed his hat trick in time added on when he found himself through on goal but in trying to lift the ball over the onrushing keeper put it also over the bar.
Manager's View
"I am really, really pleased. I thought it was going to be one of those days because prior to the opening goal we'd had some good possession and some really good half chances. David Holmes went through one-on-one and the keeper made a fairly good save but fortunately we got the breakthrough.
"Jamie's bang on form at the minute. Coming from that little deeper role he was put through by Mickey Lyons and he got us in front. We still managed to take the game to them and Nathan hit a fantastic strike and it was just was we deserved at half time.
"My only worry was the chances we'd spurned would come back and bite us but the cushion of that third goal from Jamie gave us the opportunity to relax a little.
"I was disappointed with the manor of their goal - it would have been great to keep a clean sheet. We are always on to the lads to concentrate in defensive situations during set plays. Their No.11 got a free header for the goal, which was disappointing but we managed to keep control.
"We were just talking in the dressing room that it's ironic that since we've asked the midfielders or rather pointed out to the midfielders that we've not been getting goals and now I think the last ten goals have come from midfield. Jamie and Nathan were heroes the other night and they've got on the sheet again for us. They were all heroes the other night but they took the plaudits because they got the great goals. Again today they got the goals but it was a good all round team effort.
"Lots of players are due some praise today as well. Paul Wardle has come in and done a great job at the back again. He hardly missed a header all day, just lacking a little fitness but to be fair you wouldn't have known that today. David Holmes led the line well, the lads in midfield Carl Slater, Mickey Lyons and of course Jamie Barrett have done a good job in there. Unsung heroes like Gary White, Allan Davies and Andy Simpson really battled well for us.
"Carl and Mickey in midfield have a good rapport. Mickey's craft and guile can on his day bring other players into play and play the fantastic ball and create stuff. There was a spell of about fifteen or twenty minutes when both he and Carl were pulling strings in midfield for fun. Carl is more of a combative type. He'll go and break things up; he's got a great engine on him. If he makes a mistake he's back in there before you know it. When things broke down Carl went in there and won it back. I've always said he's got a heart as big as a bucket.
"Eric Graves did well when he came on. He's not had too much football and he's just said in the dressing room that's the most he's seen the ball for quite a long time. He looked a bit leggy at the end and you could tell he's not had much pitch time. But some of his touches were good and he hardly gave the ball away and we are excited by what we've seen. He looks good."
