Stapenhill vs Gresley Rovers
This was another of those proverbial 'games of two halves'. Stapenhill were clearly the better of the two sides for the first half but Gresley had the upper hand in the second.
The Swans could have been two goals to the good within the first ten minutes with Stephan Marshall putting a shot over the bar and then forcing a good save from the visiting keeper Tommy Whittle.
Fifteen minutes had gone by before Gresley had their first half chance of the game when Carl Slater put a shot over the bar.
On 18 minutes former Moatman Greg Smith was denied twice by the Gresley defence blocking two consecutive shots.
Marshall was causing allsorts of problems down the left and again he was denied on 21 minutes by a good save from Whittle and then on 36 minutes when he ran through on goal only for the keeper to block his shot with his legs.
On 40 minutes the Swans took a deserved lead when Smith fired a low shot past Whittle and into the net.
Almost on the halftime whistle Smith should have doubled his tally but he missed his chance after connecting with a superb cross from John Jenkinson.
The second period was a complete reversal of the first. Manager Gary Norton made brought on Matt Millns, Gary White, Paul Edwards and Aaron O'Connor and the changes almost brought immediate results.
Ben Davies made a good run down the right flank before sending over a good cross that fell to Jamie Barrett but he put his shot straight into the keeper's midriff.
The Gresley pressure continued and on 59 minutes they forced a corner that was swung in from the left by Gary White and after some half blocks by the home side Millns managed to slot the ball home.
Gresley took the lead on 73 minutes when Aaron O'Connor controlled the ball on the edge of the area before smashing a low shot past the keeper at his near post.
Substitute Richard Lonsdale then went close six minutes later but the Swans' keeper pulled off a terrific save to deny him.
Gresley were in complete control and O'Connor increased their lead on 84 minutes collecting a pass from Lonsdale and slotting the ball home.
Edwards almost added a fourth for the Moatmen right at the end of the game when he ran through on goal and tried to lob the onrushing keeper who somehow managed to jump high enough to just grab hold of the ball.
