Match Report  |  Alsager Town vs Gresley Rovers

Gresley Rovers made their first trip to Alsager Town and came away with three well-earned points.

Shaun Ridgway was included in an unchanged squad after not being recalled to Tamworth.

The Bullets made the first attempt after they'd been awarded a free kick down the right. Karl Espley received a low cross from Peter Heler but the shot was blocked by a Gresley defender. They went even closer a few minutes later went a long punt by former Gresley keeper Phil McGing found Glyn Blackhurst who hit a first time shot from distance that was just wide of the target.

The best chance of the first half hour came for the home side when Paul Macari's quick free kick sent Dean Stokes down the left. His cross found Lee Madin in acres of space but as the striker tried to control the ball the danger was cleared by a defender.

Gresley took the lead on 38 minutes when a glorious ball over the home defence by Carl Slater found Aaron O'Connor who raced in on goal before lashing a first time shot across McGing and into the far corner of the net.

Macari should have got his side level in the final moments of the first half but fired his shot straight at Gresley keeper Tommy Whittle who couldn't hold on to the ball but recovered enough to prevent Madin from capitalising on the slip.

Within minutes of the start of the second half Heler was picked out by Macari but again the final shot found the midriff of the Gresley keeper.

Gresley increased their lead on 55 minutes when O'Connor grabbed his second goal of the game. Dan Sleath made a terrific run down the left and pulled the ball back to O'Connor. The Gresley striker hit his shot first time and although the ball took a slight deflection off Blackhurst it still beat McGing.

Gresley were on top but their advantage was cut in half when the Bullets grabbed a goal back completely against the run of play. On 67 minutes a move forward into the visitors' danger area allowed Blackhurst to float over a cross from the right. Heller, who was waiting on the far post knocked the ball back to Richard Mitchell, the former Rocester man, who smashed the ball past Whittle.

Five minutes later it could have been all square when Ryan Havicon made his way down the left before pulling the ball back for Joe Gibiluru, who fired a shot just past the post.

The home side were now sensing an unlikely point and was pressing the Gresley defence back but their efforts came to nothing because with just three minutes of normal time remaining Gresley made certain of the points.

O'Connor collected a throw and burst into the box before putting a pass back to Sleath, who controlled the ball before beating McGing for his first Gresley goal.