UniBond Challenge Cup 2nd Round
Causeway Lane, Matlock
Tuesday, 12th December 2006, 7.45pm
Gresley Rovers travelled to Causeway lane to play their UniBond Challenge Cup second round clash against Matlock Town but in the end it was a wasted journey as the game was abandoned at half-time due to floodlight failure.
The playing surface was arguably fit to play on after days of constant rain leaving one corner in particular a muddy mess.
Referee Mr Martin chose to start the game and it was the home side that dominated the opening half going close on several occasions.
Gresley were finding the conditions very hard to acclimatise to and hardly ventured into the Matlock half of the field leaving the home keeper Andy Richmond a spectator.
Town's Tom Cahill went close after just two minutes but Gresley keeper Tommy Whittle got down quickly to grab the ball.
On 11 minutes the home side went close again when Steve Warne collected a throw-in and found Kris Bowler whose low shot was blocked by Whittle for a corner.
Four minutes later visiting manager Gary Norton was forced into a change when Gary White, not helped by the heavy conditions, succumbed to a hamstring injury that had seen the defender miss several games already this season to be replaced by young defender Lewis Gadsby.
On 20 minutes another chance for the home side was again denied them when Whittle dived to his right to touch away Bowler's drive from just outside the area.
Bowler was denied yet again by the Gresley keeper four minutes later when he punched away the winger's 25-yard free-kick.
On 28 minutes one of the sets of lights close to a corner flag went out that led to the referee leading the players off the field while repairs were carried out.
After a delay of some 25 minutes, both sides came out to continue the match with the home side continuing to dominate the match.
Gresley's Aaron O'Connor seemed to injure an ankle when he tried to turn on the heavy surface and limped off and managed to return after treatment but struggling to run with any freedom.
Halftime came with both sides somehow still level and just as they were about to emerge from the dressing rooms for the second half the same lights went out again. After some work by the electrician one light came back on but the Stafford referee Mr Martin then made the decision to abandon the tie even though, as the announcer gave out the news, another of the lights came on.
Manager's View
"I was not happy about starting the game, to be honest, because of the condition of the pitch.
"Within five minutes of the warm-up, it had become a farce in the centre of the pitch as the ball was just not bouncing.
"I alerted the referee about my concerns, but agreed to start the game and see how things went.
"Then, halfway through the first half, the lights went out and the referee came over to consult me about the situation — we have a duty of care for the players.
"Obviously then at half-time they have gone out again and the referee has made the decision to abandon the game.
"But if that pitch was playable tonight after the rain we had, then, in my opinion, it certainly would have been playable the previous two weeks."
