UniBond League Division One South
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Saturday, 8th September 2007, 3.00pm
Rovers and Nailers Draw At The Moat
Gresley Rovers manager Gary Norton included David Blenkinsopp and Oliver Hancock to the line-up to face Belper Town at the Moat Ground.
Blenkinsopp was a surprise inclusion as it was thought that the young striker would be sidelined for another few weeks due to a back injury. However, the specialist he saw decided that the injury had been miss-diagnosed and could resume his career.
Hancock was signed from Burton Albion just in time to be included in the squad and both he and Blenkinsopp made quite a difference to the front line.
However, it was the visitors who made the first attempt on goal after just three minutes when a cross from Danny Toronczak was met by Ross Hannah but the final header was a weak one and was comfortable for Rovers keeper David Clarke to save.
Two minutes later it was Rovers' turn to go close when a short corner from Hancock to Tom Groves resulted in Groves shot being blocked and Hancock firing the rebound over from the edge of the area.
Rovers took the lead on 16 minutes. Hancock ran onto a through ball into the area only to be brought down by Nailers' keeper Adam Ogden after he'd lobbed the keeper. The referee Mr Gratton didn't hesitate and pointed to the spot. Nicky Carter smashed his shot high into the net.
The Nailers were back on level terms 13 minutes later when the referee awarded yet another penalty. Toronczak's cross hit the arm of Martyn Rowntree in the area and the official harshly adjudged that it had been deliberate. Toronczak gave Clarke no chance leaving him rooted to the spot with a powerful kick.
On 33 minutes Hancock managed to get on the end of Tony Hemmings' cross and sent it back into the danger area. Carter made contact and was unlucky to see his effort come back off the bar. Blenkinsopp got a toe to the rebound only to see Andy Rushbury clear off the ball off the line.
Two minutes later the action was at the other end with Toronczak curling a superb shot around Clarke but Hemmings made an equally superb diving header to steer the ball over the bar.
Belper should have taken the lead on 61 minutes when Hannah got on the end of Danny Hudson's deflected shot but with only Clarke to beat he somehow managed to blaze his shot high over the bar from the edge of the box.
Five minutes later Shaun Ridgway picked out Blenkinsopp who's first time shot also cleared the bar from 18 yards.
Belper were unlucky on 73 minutes when Rushbury picked out Lee Stevenson with his free kick. The defender hit a terrific shot that brought out the save of the game with Clarke diving full length to his left to push the ball away for a corner.
Clarke did well five minutes later when he reacted quickly to smother the ball at the feet of the on-rushing Toronczak.
On 84 minutes Rovers' defender Jamie Hood went close but his header, from Ridgway's corner, was blocked by Ogden on the line.
Blenkinsopp looked to have grabbed all three points for Rovers right on the final whistle when he was put through and hit a shot that looked to have beaten Ogden at his near post. However, the keeper made an outstanding save sticking out a hand to touch the ball past the post.
Manager's View
"We played okay today - it's coming gradually. Positives to come out of today are the return of Tom Betteridge and Morgan Hurley who got another sixty odd seventy minutes.
"It was a big defence with Dave Blenkinsopp up front. He's very disappointed that he didn't get the winner for us. He had a chance right at the end, he gave the keeper the eyes and in tow games time that buried into the net. But credit to him he's come on today and it was his first ninety minutes for a long time and I thought he made a big difference for us because, no disrespect to the guys who have been playing up there, his workrate - and there's more to come from him when he gets his match fitness - was good and he held the ball and brought others into play.
"Olly Hancock was a positive and I thought Morgan Hurley did okay and as a front three they looked fairly good.
"It wasn't the best of performances and we've still got a long way to go but compared to some of the performances in particular the last two games that we've seen, Evesham and the one prior to that at Nantwich.
"We had the lads in at half eleven and worked on several things and you've seen examples of it today when we tried to get the ball down and work it across the midfield and switch it and then go and drive in and stick it into feet or get it to the wide players.
"We were disappointed with their penalty. One of their players said it was ball to hand the referee has deemed it otherwise and has given them a passage back into the game. But, having said that I did think Belper deserved something from the game. They looked good particularly going forward and to have Ross (Hannah) and the big guy Toronczak not score from open play was a bonus.
"We had one or two gaps at the back and we had a bit of luck particularly when Ross blazed his shot over but equally we had a big chance at the end when Ogden had to make a good save from Dave (Blenkinsopp)."
