UniBond League Division One
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Saturday, 23rd December 2006, 3.00pm
Unlucky Gresley hit by Steels leveller
Gresley Rovers ended this game knowing they'd missed out on all three points against high-flying Stocksbridge Park Steels.
Manager Gary Norton had included Mickey Lyons who was back in the area for the festive period and had made himself available for selection.
Gresley started the brighter of the two sides and on 17 minutes Paul Edwards blasted his shot on the turn over the bar.
Two minutes later Edwards went even closer but Steels keeper Steve Hodgson did well to parry the strikers attempt at the near post.
Nicky Carter then put Gresley into attack when Edwards helped his cross from the left on into the path of Liam Hebberd but again the Steels keeper prevented the home side from taking the lead by acrobatically tipping the shot over the ball.
Gresley were dominating proceedings and went close yet again on 24 minutes when Mark Smith found Barry Woolley with a great cross but the defender put his header just wide.
One of the very few chances Steels had in the first period came on 35 minutes when Curtis Bernard put a header wide.
The home side took a deserved lead just four minutes later when a sublime long cross-field pass from Lyons sent Smith flying down the left he cut into the area before unleashing a tremendous shot that beat Hodgson but clattered an upright. However, Edwards took his chance and slotted the rebound home.
Gresley came out looking to increase their lead and went close on 52 minutes when Hebberd's cross gave Edwards a header on the edge of the area. The striker's clever looping header didn't have quite enough power to find the net and Hodgson, who had been stranded in no-man's land, had time to scurry back to catch the ball before it crossed the line.
The advantage should have been doubled five minutes later. Shaun Ridgway swung in a cross from the left touch line and Edwards tried to head the ball down for one of his team mates but a Steels player clearly handled the ball in the area but to the amazement and utter dismay of players and supporters alike both the referee and assistant either missed it or chose to ignore it and turned down all the appeals.
To rub salt into the wound the ball was cleared down the right flank to Dean Calcutt whose cross found Bernard in space and he had time to pick his spot placing his header beyond the dive of Gresley keeper Tommy Whittle.
On 77 minutes Edwards scuffed a Tom Groves shot wide and Lyons smashed a volley over the bar.
Steels had one further half chance with only a few minutes remaining when their free kick on the edge of the area was deflected off the wall. A shot was aimed at the Gresley goal but was headed over the bar by a Gresley defender.
When the final whistle blew Gresley felt as if they'd lost the game rather than claimed a point against one of the promotion hopefuls.
Manager's View
"From our first half performance I'm disappointed to be honest because we had long periods of dominance. We got our just rewards, we got our noses in front and go in at half time and say to the lads repeat performance and again we've let teams off the hook.
"Disappointed to concede the goal the way we did. Overall picture it keeps the run going one all, take the point - happy with it.
"I thought from we were looking it was a clear. Everyone thought it was a penalty - yet again it's the referee's decision and you have to accept it. It's a part of football, you are not going to change his opinion, and just get on with the game. Part and parcel of the game. Maybe over the course of the season those little bits of luck or things like that go for you so you just take it. Take it on the chin and accept it it's as simple as that.
"We've just said in the dressing room that the disappointing thing from our point of view that we've worked the ball in good areas in the final third and we've not worked the keeper. They done exactly the same, plenty of dominance second half but not tested our keeper so really it's been good. Fair play to the keepers when they've been called on they've done a professional job and a good job and that's part of the game.
"Micky has given us something different today. He's a footballing player a fantastic player without doubt. There are certain areas where he's got that little trick where he likes to check back out and we've said that sometimes you just have to thrash it across the six yard box, anything can happen a ricochet a ball drops for you and you've punished teams. To check back out you'll take the pressure off then suddenly you've let teams off the hook.
"It's pleasing and nice to have him (Micky) back. He's good for the dressing room, he's good for morale and the boys were pleased to see him and it gives us a that little spring in the step when you see players of that quality coming back to home.
"We've only got Micky for the Christmas games but we'll take that because of the injuries situation and we've only got a small squad and players of Micky's quality don't come around very often so any little bit he can help us out we'll take.
"Confidence, it proves with a goal that confidence breeds confidence and Paul's starting to show what he's capable of doing. And, fair play to him, he's gambled and he's got his just rewards and that's the Paul Edwards we know and that's the Paul Edwards we want to see week in and week out. So we'll stick with it at the moment and we'll take everything Paul's given for us and with Liam (Hebberd) working along side him they are quality players both of them."
