Match Photos
Gresley Rovers vs Weston-super-Mare
Points shared
On
a day when it would have been easier to stay beside the fire, those hardy souls
who braved the fog saw, if that is the right word, an entertaining game between
Gresley Rovers and high-flying Weston-super-Mare.
Although the score line might suggest otherwise both sides made the match watchable
through the gloom of a foggy afternoon in which the elements threatened at times
to bring to an end prematurely.
Weston soon showed their league position credentials putting Gresley under
pressure from the start and reducing the home side to only one decent chance
in the first half.
On 18 minutes a flying left wing run by Chris Gray ended with the ball falling
to Andy Bourne across on the opposite flank.
His superb cross found the head of Chris White whose powerful downward header
looked a goal all the way until the Seagull's agile keeper Mark Bryant made
a miraculous save and turned the ball round the post as it bounced up and headed
for certain into the top corner.
On 22 minutes the visitors almost took the lead that their first half domination
deserved. A David Hunt free kick found Justin Pritchard unmarked but his header
rebounded of the upright and to safety.
Former
West Ham star Stuart Slater came close with a well taken free kick which dipped
late but just over the bar and Jimmy Cox was well tackled by Ian Bluck as he
raced through on goal.
As the half was beginning to draw to an end Simon Tucker had a chance when
he was put through by Bourne but, with only the keeper to beat, the recently
returned striker tried to go around Bryant and was forced to go wide and his
cross was easily cleared by the Weston defence.
Gresley came out looking a different side after the break and on 48 minutes
could have snatched a lead. Tucker received the ball from Gray and flashed a
shot across the box but unfortunately there was no Gresley player able to get
on the end of it.
On 52 minutes White latched on to a threaded ball by Tucker but the young striker
waited a fraction too long and allowed Hunt to make the tackle.
Ian Roberts in goal for the injured Deeney almost blotted his copybook when
he sliced a clearance but thankfully Pritchard could only put his shot wide
of the upright.
Bryant, not one of the tallest goalkeepers in the league, was off his line
and Woolley tried a looping header, which again just cleared the bar.
On 82 minutes the visitors looked to have broken the deadlock when Pritchard
beat both Roberts and Evans and fired a shot toward the open Gresley goal but
the Gresley defender dashed back to clear the ball off the line.
On
88 minutes Gresley had what looked like a sure penalty turned down as Mike Kilgour
clearly handle the ball in his own area. Matters could have been a lot worse
as Jody Bevan beat the offside trap at the other end just seconds later. Roberts,
who did not know he was to play until late on Saturday morning, came off his
line, made himself big and beat Bevan's shot away superbly.
The manager's view of the match
"I thought the game was very entertaining and open today with two decent
sides. They've some good players throughout their side with some well-known
faces and they are near the top of the league and they are there for a reason.
"I thought we acquitted ourselves quite well I felt today because there
were chances at both ends. Young Ian Roberts made a magnificent save towards
the end when one-on-one with the boy. He came out, made himself big and he did
really well. Today will go towards him getting the experience he needs to come
in at first team level and he certainly did himself no harm whatsoever.
"Although he did not have a great deal to do you must remember as a young
lad he was probably nervous. But everything he had to do he did right. He lined
up the defensive walls, players were talking to him and making sure he was parading
the edge of his line - he did everything right. It was a good debut for him.
He didn't know until late this morning that he was going to play and he came
in and did great.
"I felt overall their keeper had far more to do than Ian did; he made
three absolute fantastic saves during the match especially the one off Stuart
Evans' header.
"I thought the game could have gone either way, I felt the first team
to score would win the game. They were two well-matched sides and it was end-to-end
action. It was 0-0 but it was a fairly exciting 0-0.
"Stuart
Evans marshalled the back line extremely well because the biggest threat they
have in their team is pace up front. Stuart's positional play today was excellent.
A couple of times Stuart and the other two Ian Bluck and Andy Cheetham just
got away with it no more with a toe poke away from the boy's feet, but I thought
he marshalled the back three very well.
"With regard to the match on Monday at Ilkeston, Ian Bluck has taken a
knock and we will see how he is tomorrow. He's the only one that I'm aware of
that has picked up any sort of injury. Saul Deeney should be in the reckoning
as well. But that gives us a headache because what do we do on Monday? Ian Roberts
has done nothing wrong today and that's credit to him.
"It's a funny game football because two weeks a go we had a goalkeeping
crisis. We got an offer from Notts County and we decided to go with him and
young Ian was probably disappointed at that time because we didn't go with him.
Fortune has turned it around and he gets his chance toady and he has done great.
"We are hoping that James Lindley will get a game on Thursday for the
reserves and I'm hopeful that Mark Sheils will play Saturday.
"Mark has had a good week's training this week. If he continues the progress
he's been making and has another week then he's going to be in line for a game
on Saturday for the reserves.
"Monday's game is massive for us because it's the only cup competition
we are left in. Ilkeston will want to win as much as we do. They came here in
the league cup and there was nothing in the game. We managed to win it 1-0 somewhat
fortuitously but it will be a different ball game at their place. But we will
go with what we've got, with the players we have available and give it everything
we've got. The boys are keen for it but we are expecting a very hard game."
Gresley Rovers (0) 0
Weston-super-Mare (0) 0
Gresley Rovers: Roberts, Bluck, Cheetham, Wardle, Woolley, Evans, Bourne,
Peters, White (Moran 72), Tucker (McGinlay 80), Gray. Sub not used: Withers.
Weston-super-Mare: Bryant, Miller, Hunt, Bird, Kilgour, Bailey, Bennett
(Bevan 72), Pritchard, Slater, Thomas, Cox. Subs not used: Mehew, Harris.
Rovers
Star Man: Stuart Evans - Marshalled the back line with class.
Referee: A Marriner (Birmingham).
Attendance: 347
