Racing Club Warwick vs Gresley Rovers
Dismal Rovers beaten by ten men
John McGinlay had promised a roller coaster season and how true it is turning
out to be.
On Saturday Gresley were the best side by a mile in the contest with the league
leaders Clevedon Town and tonight at Racing Club Warwick they could not even beat 11
men and gave up the fight to allow the home side to score two in the last 13
minutes.
Before the game had even started Gresley were dealt a blow when Mark Peters
was ruled out with a hamstring injury and on-loan signing Nick Kennerdale going
down with flu.
Warwick started the better and it was Barry Woolley who had to make a saving
tackle to deny Darren Weston a goal on 11 minutes.
On 17 minutes Lee Hughes picked up on a missed clearance by Woolley but could
only fire straight at James Lindley much to the relief of the defender.
Andy Cheetham took a corner on 22 minutes, which resulted in Gresley's first
attempt on goal. Woolley neatly headed his high ball on but Chris Parkins failed
to connect.
Gresley had a second chance on 39 minutes when Woolley again put a superb ball
though to Parkins who held it up then shot at goal. This was cleared only as
far as Ian Bluck who could only put his shot well over Craig Dutton's goal.
Just three minutes before the break Warwick almost conceded an own goal when
Kevin Elvin over hit his back pass which completely caught his keeper on the
wrong foot, but Dutton managed to kick the ball clear after racing back towards
his goal.
Right on halftime Warwick had Keith Marlow sent off for kicking Kevin Allsop
and this should have given Gresley the advantage, but it wasn't to be.
After the break Gresley began to take control and Chris Gray put a shot wide
and then a shot tipped over by Dutton.
On 52 minutes Lee Westwood caused the home keeper to save well when he fired
in a shot from distance.
Parkins hit a volley just wide from a Bluck cross but still Gresley could not
make the breakthrough. McGinlay replaced Allsop with Craig Hanson to try and
freshen up the front line.
Then on 77 minutes it was the home side that broke the deadlock. John Allcock
was unlucky to give away a foul on the edge of the box and the resulting free
kick was hammered against the defensive wall. Gresley did not react quick enough
and failed to clear the danger and in the scramble Chris Goodman smashed a shot
by Lindley.
Then to had insult to injury on 88 minutes the defense must have fell asleep
to allow Craig Martin to get in front of both Allcock and Woolley to head home
the home sides second.
The manager's view of the game.
"All I can say about tonight's match is that it was embarrassing. It was not
acceptable - an absolute joke.
"We thought that Saturday's performance would get our season going, but tonight
it was as if some of our players had not turned up.
"There are no excuses about players being out with illness or injuries we should
have won. The performance of some of the players was a disgrace to the club,
staff and the fans - they have let everyone down.
"We played against 10 men for the whole of the second half, but some of the
players were not even bothered and have failed to impress me. They moan about
not getting a chance and when they do they don't take it. Before the game I
told them that they had won a shirt and make it hard for me to take it off them,
but none of them responded tonight.
"They (Warwick) deserved the win because they worked hard for each other and
when they went down to ten they looked as if they were playing against nine."
Racing Club Warwick (0) 2
Gresley Rovers (0) 0
Scorers: Goodman 77, Martin 88.
Racing Club Warwick: Dutton, Elvin, Titterton, Wells, Marlow, Hodson, Goodman,
Yates, Hughes, Martin, Weston. Subs not used: Wiseman, Massingham, Gray.
Gresley Rovers: Lindley, Bluck (Lonergan 84), Cheetham, Allcock, Woolley,
Middleton, Bourne, Westwood, Allsop (Hanson 73) Parkins, Gray. Sub not used:
Lewsley.
Rovers
Star Man: Andy Bourne - Another good game.
Referee: I Bachelor (Oxford)
Attendance: 110
