UniBond League Division One South
Cannon Park, Retford
Saturday, 18th August 2007, 3.00pm
Rovers Lose First Game
Gresley Rovers had an uphill battle as they faced big spending Retford United at Cannon Park for their first match of the new UniBond One South season.
Rovers were without eleven of their squad due to injury and other reasons and had to draft in, at very short notice, striker David Brown on loan from Hednesford Town to bolster the squad.
The home side, one of the favourites to be challenging for a play-off place at the very least, were almost rocked back onto their heels after just 3 minutes when Shaun Ridgway picked out Tom Groves with his throw and the midfielder beat United keeper Chris Kingston with a long range shot that unfortunately crashed back off the cross bar.
Mick Godber then had a chance at the other end flashing a shot wide of the far post after a fine cross from Adrian Littlejohn.
United took the lead on 8 minutes when a mix-up between Jamie Hood and Martyn Rowntree allowed Neil Harvey a free run on goal and with only David Clarke to beat coolly slipped the ball past the exposed keeper.
Rovers continued to try and get back into the game and on 19 minutes went close but a shot from Karl Wayte took a deflection that took it straight into the arms of Kingston.
The impressive Godber almost doubled his side's advantage seconds later flashing a shot on the turn just wide.
Hood then went close for the visitors firing a shot past the post after connecting with Ridgway's corner from the right.
Clarke then did well to block a shot from Godber as United continued to apply pressure on the Rovers defence.
Rovers had another chance on 39 minutes when Paul Kelly managed to get himself in space on the right before sending over an inviting cross into the box that just eluded the outstretched foot of Wayte racing in at the far post.
Godber again went close on the halftime whistle putting a shot across the face of Clarke's goal.
Within 5 minutes of the re-start United increased their lead as a result of another defensive slip.
Full back Dan Douglas's clearing header was caught by the stiff wind and flew sideways where Godber was waiting to collect the ball and put a superb pass through to Ryan Hindley who gave Clarke no chance with a low shot into the corner of the net.
Rovers were unsettled by the second goal and United almost took advantage when Greg Wright's free header from Hindley's corner seemed to be heading home before Adam Barradell cleared the danger off the line.
On the hour Rovers began to regain their composure and went close when Chris Sleath flashed a shot just wide.
Clarke came to his side's rescue making a superb block at his near post to deny Hindley.
United looked certain to extend their lead on 73 minutes when Harvey ran through with only Clarke to beat but the keeper produced a fine block yet again.
Rovers almost got on the scoresheet on 75 minutes. Ridgway, who had been made skipper for the game, made a good run down the middle before firing a stinging shot that Kingston could only palm away resulting in a scramble in the box before the ball was cleared for a corner.
Godber again looked to be in on goal minutes later but a superbly timed tackle from Hood denied the front man yet another chance.
The game, which had largely been well contested from both sides, was marred when Hindley reacted to a tackle by Barradell and attempted to head butt the young defender giving the referee no choice but to show the former Ilkeston man a red card for violent conduct. Godber received a yellow for protesting against the decision too vigorously.
As time ran out Rovers had one last attempt on goal with Ridgway firing over from long range.
Manager's View
"We were always going to be up against it with all the injuries. It wasn't the ideal preparation as this pre-season has been one of the most difficult I've experienced and on the top of that the amount of injuries we've got.
"We said to the guys at training on Thursday and said we've got to roll our sleeves up, go out there and give some of the guys the opportunity sooner than we may have thought early in pre-season and we go and see what we can achieve from it.
"Obviously we lost the game two goals to nil but the disappointing thing is that both goals have come from mix ups or errors on our behalf.
"One or two lads have shown some good stuff today and some have grown up significantly. There were two or three who aren't ready to play in terms of the level of fitness and form we'd have liked them at but they've gone out there and given it a go.
"The pleasing thing, to a man, never really gave up. It was an attritional performance from us. We never got the ball down and played like we'd started to play in patches in the recent friendlies.
"We've obviously got a lot of work to do and we are not hiding from that and we knew today we wouldn't be the finished product obviously with the volume of players we have out injured and waiting to return.
"We've got nine of the squad injured, two on holiday one who returns on Sunday. There is also Luke Edwards who is on Tamworth duty but we've got strength in depth in ninety five per cent of areas but the area we don't is up front. We made a very late signing last night of Dave Brown to just make us up to fourteen players today.
"We were second best but away from home we've got to dig in with some shifts and I felt we did that in good chunks of the game. There wasn't that many clear-cut chances and we had one or two half opportunities of our own but we've lots to learn getting shots off a bit early particularly in the first half when I thought with the wind and the conditions and the greasy surface I felt we could have got one or two shots off a little bit earlier and tested things.
"It was the same in the second half we really didn't get many efforts on target and I thought we had opportunities to test the keeper a little more and I've just said to the lads in the dressing room that we've got to learn and learn quickly in these situations.
"We were a little disappointed at half time. We felt we'd battled well and we had one or two half opportunities as well notably the cross from Paul Kelly for Karl Wayte who incidentally played well. I must admit it was a late decision to start Karl today. We had a long chat with him before the game and we recognised the potential that's there and we're frustrated that we are not seeing more of his potential in pre-season but today he's gone and shown us he's done a good seventy five, eighty minute shift in and put himself about a little bit and he's learned a little bit more about UniBond football today. So that's been encouraging from Karl's part.
"It was frustrating. Adam Barradell went for the ball and the centre halves went for the ball as well and there's been a mix up and the guy's ended up waltzing through and slotting it past Dave (Clarke). But we have to learn from those sorts of things because the communication wasn't quite there and the organisation wasn't quite there on that particular goal.
"But the lads rallied and got us to half time. It's frustrating because Dan (Douglas) tried to head the ball down the line but it came off the side of his head then all of a sudden Ryan Hindley was behind the full back and it was a very nice finish showing the good side he can do!
"Karl Payne gets back from his holiday on Sunday. Before he went away he'd surprised us with his level of fitness and form in some of the pre-season games so he'll come into contention. As for anyone else being back fit - we've had Paul Edwards who didn't even manage the fitness test so he remains a severe doubt for Tuesday night. On the positive side Liam Shirley who wanted to declare himself fit but he was obviously in a little bit of pain during the fitness test and we felt we'd give him those extra few days so hopefully, he'll be in contention.
"I think Tuesday will be a bit too soon for Chris (Mawbey) more like the weekend but we'll have to wait and see."
