UniBond League Division One
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Saturday, 2nd December 2006, 3.00pm
Blenkinsopp's late, late show!
This game could have had a hat full of goals by the half time break but for the performances of both goalkeepers and it took a special goal to break the deadlock in the end.
Gresley keeper Tommy Whittle was in inspired form as was his counterpart John McLaughlin in the Railway goal.
The home side made a bright start and went close to opening the scoring on 8 minutes when Carl Slater met Tom Groves corner from the right with a thunderous header but McLaughlin pulled off one several fine saves to deny the midfielder. The loose ball was shot goalwards by Aaron O'Connor and was unlucky to see the ball cannon back off the upright.
Six minutes later O'Connor went close again after slotting Shaun Ridgway's pass past McLaughlin but Ryan Haigh cleared his shot off the line.
Railway's first meaningful attack almost gave them the lead but this time it was Whittle who was the hero tipping over Chris Howarth's at full stretch.
One of the visitors' best moves of the game came on 27 minutes when a good move down the right ended with Graham Marchant's close range shot being blocked by Whittle.
Six minutes later O'Connor was put through by David Blenkinsopp's header but put his shot wide. Minutes later the striker went close again but this time he was denied by McLaughlin's block.
Ridgway then tried his luck with a long-range shot that just cleared the bar but the final say of the half came from the Railway. Phil Turner's free kick was met by Marchant but again Whittle was up to the task and tipped the powerful header over the bar.
Almost from the re-start Railway had a chance to take the lead but Whittle managed to clear the danger as the visitors tried to capitalise on a slip by Colin Hoyle.
On 58 minutes Blenkinsopp hit a volley on the turn that McLaughlin did well to hold on to with Gresley forwards rushing in.
Whittle was in action again diving low to save a shot from Nathan James and minutes later the action swung to the other end. An O'Connor cross from the left found Slater but again McLaughlin saved the goal bound header.
McLoughlin saved his side on 69 minutes when Rigway's free kick was headed towards the far post by Matt Millns where O'Connor attempted to poke the ball home but the keeper reacted superbly to block the attempt. From the resultant corner Millns put his header wide.
Mark Smith had two decent chances towards the end of the game the first from a swift move down the left but he shot straight at the keeper and then from a long Whittle punt down field O'Connor put Smith through but he lifted his shot over the bar.
The referee Mr Banks had indicated one minute to be added on and that was all it took for Gresley to grab a late, late winner. Millns long throw from the left was flicked on by the deftest of touches by Ridgway and although the ball seemed to be slightly in front of Blenkinsopp somehow the on-loan striker executed a tremendous bicycle kick and the ball flew past the helpless McLaughlin and into the net to the delight of the home supporters and the dismay of the visitors.
Manager's View
"In fairness I think most of us on the bench had resigned ourselves to a nil-nil deep into stoppage time.
"It was a scrappy first half but having said that quite a few half chances, three quarter chances for us so I was quite confident at half time that we should be able to turn it up a notch in all departments and we could go out there and win the game.
"Again the lads have responded and again they've dug in and we've created some fantastic opportunities in the second half and it was just going to be one of those games I felt. Their keeper was a brick wall and we were a little bit wasteful in certain respects in the final third if we have to be critical of the lads. But, we did turn up a notch in the second half.
"The goal wasn't even a chance - Millns tossed the ball in and I think Shaun Ridgway got the faintest of little flicks on it and it's actually in front of Blenko (David Blenkinsopp) and somehow he's managed to pull that one out. I couldn't believe my eyes when it hit the back of the net because I honestly thought the way our luck was going today we could have been here until midnight and not get the goal. It was literally seconds to go - deep into the minute added on at the end and it was just a relief because I really felt we deserved the three points.
"Having said that it was harsh on Harrogate because they've dug in and their keeper has made four or five absolute top drawer saves and they probably felt they'd seen it out for a hard earned point. So I was quite apologetic in the end but relieved we managed to get the three points.
"Tommy Whittle kept us in the game - a big save just before half time when he just tipped it over the bar. We switched off on the second or third phase ball leading up from a corner someone had left their man at the far post and he's got a good header in and it was going in and Tom just tipped one over. He's made a couple of good saves as well during the game and over the course of ninety minutes he's come into it when needed and made a couple of good saves.
"I was quite pleased defensively how we were. No sides are going to come here and not get any chances in the ninety minutes and let's have some respect for them. They are eighth in the league and are going quite well. But, we've kept ourselves in it defensively and it was a fantastic strike at the end to win it and it keeps his goal a game ratio going. That's now three in three games. He could have possibly got one or two others today the same with Aaron (O'Connor) and Mark Smith.
"Carl Slater said to me that he felt he was going to score today. He had a great header in the first half and the keeper's made a great save and Aaron hit the post on the follow-up and then he (Carl) put a cracking header in almost point blank and I almost feel sorry for Slates now. In four years he's been playing for me I don't think I've seen him head a ball in the eighteen-yard box so he's done two today and the keeper as pulled off two great saves. So I'm dead pleased for everybody."
