Match Photos
Gresley Rovers vs Cirencester Town
Gresley go sixth
John
McGinlay included both of his new signings in the starting line up against Cirencester
Town at the Moat Ground last night.
And both players made an impact on their new boss by not only playing well
but both getting on the score sheet which delighted McGinlay.
It was the visitors who started the better of the two sides and played some
attacking football that belied their lowly league position.
On 5 minutes Andy Woollen almost capitalised on a mistake by home goalkeeper
Saul Deeney as he failed to deal with a corner by Keith Knight.
It was not until the 13th minute that Gresley had a real attack on goal with
new boy Dave Whittaker going close. Deeney launched a long kick that was helped
on by Matt Goodwin in the visitor's defence and fell kindly for Chris White.
The Gresley striker sent in a fine cross that Whittaker got his head to but
the downward header was deflected and cleared.
On 23 minutes White looked as if he was going to give the home side the lead
but Cirencester's keeper Kevin Sawyer managed to get a finger tip to the ball
and then it was cleared off the line by Andy Minturn.
Gresley continued to apply pressure and a goal looked certain to come. And
on 27 minutes it came. A free kick taken by Mark Peters found the head of Barry
Woolley and his header looked to be flying past the post but Whittaker running
in got his head to the ball and scored on his debut.
On 33 minutes Cirencester were unlucky not to equalise as Adam Mayo crashed
the ball into the side netting after another handling error by Deeney and then
on 35 minutes Sean Terry went close with a volley.
On
36 minutes Peters scored Gresley's second. White made a superb run into the
area and looked to be going in on goal. However, the striker looked up and saw
Peters in a better position an unselfishly laid the ball on to the midfielder
who took his chance with ease.
With two minutes remaining of the first half, Gresley increased their lead
and looked to be cruising home to an easy win. Peters took a free kick that
found Chris Parkins on the right and the striker unleashed a vicious volley
into the roof of the net scoring his 13th goal of the season.
This was, unfortunately, a false dawn as the visitors hit a goal right on half
time. Justin Miller collected the ball 35 yards from the home goal, took a couple
of strides forward before smashing an unstoppable shot which beat Deeney all
the way and crashed into the top corner of the net.
This goal and the almost certain roasting by the visitor's manager at half
time seemed to gee them up and they came straight out of the blocks at the start
of the second half.
On 50 minutes Cirencester could easily have scored again when some 'pin ball'
defending in the home area led eventually to a shot by Ashley Read that thankfully
Richard Wardle managed to clear of the line.
Cirencester still pressed for another goal and on 56 minutes it paid off. Knight
made a run down the right flank and crossed for Mayo to fire in a half-hearted
shot that amazingly ended up in the back of Gresley's net.
What looked like a comfortable home victory now was rapidly turning in to a
knife-edge contest.
The
points looked certain just before the break for Gresley but now an unlikely
share for the visitors was on the cards.
However, relief came for the home supporters on 75 minutes when the other debutant
Aidan Callan scored. A shot by White was blocked by Woollen and fell into the
path of Callan who finished well from the edge of the box.
The manager's view of the game
"We made heavy weather of the second half. In the first half I thought
we played some really good stuff; the movement was good, the passing decent
and we got our goals at the right time."
"It was disappointing that they scored on half time. It would have been
nice to have gone in with a clean sheet because that gave them a little bit
of hope. They've obviously gone in at halftime and got a bit of a roasting from
their manager."
"They came out for the second half with their tails up, which I thought
they would, got another goal and they really made a fight of it. They were putting
themselves about in the middle of the park and there were some 'tasty' tackles
flying about in the game. I felt the referee never really got hold of the game,
to be honest, at certain points."
"At 3-2 we had a couple of scares and it could have gone either way but
thankfully we got the fourth goal at the right time which settled us down a
bit."
"The two boys making their debuts both scored which was nice to see. I
felt Dave Whittaker tired a little towards the end as did Aidan Callan but that
is because Leek have not been training on a regular basis and they have missed
out on that bit of fitness."
"I was impressed with the two of them tonight. Their debuts were very
good. Aidan on the left gives us that balance we were looking for and he's good
on the ball and Dave up front will be a good acquisition for the club."
"There is plenty of competition for places now at the club. Tonight we
were without Simon Tucker, Jake Fairbrother, Andy Bourne and Ian Bluck."
"That shows you that when we get everyone fit and raring to go then we
will have a fair job on to pick the side and that's what we are looking for."
"We also have Lee Withers and Matt Moran on the fringe of things at the
moment which all adds to the competition."
"Chris Gray was left out tonight because he's been off work a couple of
days ill and I felt that if things were going well enough tonight I wouldn't
play him because when you have a virus and you are feeling a bit down, you can
run yourself into the ground. That's the reason Chris was left out and for no
other reason. In the end I put him on for the last 15 minutes to try and stretch
them a little bit and to give us another option."
"I was pleased with the three points because it puts us into the top six
which is good. I was disappointed with the two goals we lost. We felt Saul could
have done a bit better with the second one but the first he had no chance with."
"Tonight's game should have been in no doubt but we put ourselves under
pressure in the second half which was disappointing, but we have three points."
"Simon Tucker is to see a chiropractor tomorrow, Jake tried kicking a
ball tonight but he found that running in a straight line was OK but when he
came to twist and turn he felt his knee so I don't know when he will be ready
to return."
"Ian Bluck won't play on Saturday, it's a little too soon. We have no
matches midweek so that will give us a chance to work on people a little bit
more. I would expect Ian to be back the following Saturday.
"Bringing in the two new boys gives us a bit of strength in depth so I
really want to make sure that the players are right coming back. I don't want
them back for a week and then breaking down. Although it would be very, very
nice to see them all back we will make sure they are right even if it means
us being over cautious with them we will be."
Gresley Rovers (3) 4
Cirencester Town (1) 2
Scorers: Whittaker 27, Peters 36, Parkins 43, Callan 75 (Gresley Rovers):
Miller 45, Mayo 56 (Cirencester Town).
Gresley Rovers: Deeney, Wardle, Cheetham, Peters, Woolley, Evans, Callan,
Coates, Whittaker (Gray 78), Parkins, White. Subs not used: Moran, Withers.
Cirencester Town: Sawyer, Minturn, Knight, mayo, Woollen, Goodwin, Terry
(Blastand 71), Horgan, Miller (Godley 83), Read, Clark. Sub not used: Probert.
Rovers
Star Man: Aidan Callan - Impressive debut.
Referee: A Hendley (Cradley Heath).
Attendance: 281
