UniBond League Division One
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Tuesday, 27th November 2007, 7.45pm
Rovers' Rally Stuns The Millers
A superb 'goal-of-the-season' from midfielder Nick Clarke seemed to be the catalyst that enable Gresley Rovers to turn this game on it's head.
Rovers included two new signings in their line-up - midfielders Jordan Lambert and Chris Waldrum with Jermaine Hollis dropping to the bench along side Stefan Marshall and Lloyd Hutchings.
Carlton went close on 8 minutes when Rovers' keeper David Clarke had to block Fabian Smith's shot at his near post.
Clarke repeated the block 9 minutes later this time denying Aidan Brady a goal as the visitors continued to apply the pressure.
Rovers did have the ball in the net when David Blenkinsopp beat two of his markers before feeding the ball through for Carl Slater to hammer home. Unfortunately for the midfielder the linesman's up raised flag cut short his celebrations.
However, the home side didn't have long to wait for a goal that counted. Somewhat against the run of play a superb through ball from Danny Blair set Blenkinsopp off on a run towards goal. The striker's first shot was blocked by the legs of Carlton keeper Steve Brearley but Blair following up tapped the rebound back to Blenkinsopp who stabbed the ball home from close range.
Carlton hit back and it took another good block from Clarke to prevent Steve Chaplin from getting his side back on terms.
Clarke was much the busier of the two keepers and was needed again to block a shot from Dean Gent at his near post. The keeper than produced a fine save holding onto a crisp free kick from Martin Ball.
Unfortunately, for Clarke all his good work so far in the game was undone as he conspired with defender Tom Groves to gift the visitors a goal right on the half time whistle.
Groves, instead of hoofing the ball out of the ground and into the neighbouring gardens, chose to put the ball back to Clarke. With the ball bouncing and a forward rushing in Clarke tried to clear the ball but his kick was a poor one and it fell to Brady who returned the ball first time into the empty net with the keeper completely stranded.
Rovers made the first chance of the second period when Groves was sent down the flank and sent over a fine cross from the bye line that Marshall, on for the injured Craig Hanson, headed just over the bar.
Marshall had another chance a minute later when he was picked out by Carter. The striker cut into the area but his shot was well blocked by Brearley.
Rovers went close again on 63 minutes when a short corner between Chris Waldrum and Groves ended with a cross that Marshall put over.
Carlton took the lead a minute later in a bizarre fashion. A long range speculative shot by Ball seemed to deceive Clarke who made no attempt to make a save as the ball flew past him and into the net.
Manager Gary Norton was forced into another change on 67 minutes when Hollis replaced Carl Slater who was suffering from illness.
Clarke did redeem himself a little on 73 minutes when he bravely grabbed the ball at the second attempt after blocking Chaplin's initial shot.
A minute later Rovers drew level and they did so in spectacular style. Collecting the ball just inside the visitor's half Carter strode forward a couple yards or so and spotting Brearley off his line hit a superb shot, with his weaker foot, that flew over the head of the stranded keeper and into the net off the underside of the bar.
That goal seemed to spark Rovers into a more determined effort and they were now snapping at every ball in midfield closing men down.
Rovers took the lead with just four minutes remaining when a long kick by Clarke found Marshall who made his way into the area and despite the attention of two defenders slotted the ball past Brearley.
Carlton looked a beaten side now and Rovers added to their misery two minute later when Blair robbed Dominic Jones with a fine tackle on the halfway line and raced down the left cut into the area and unselfishly squared to Blenkinsopp who totally unmarked smashed his fourteenth goal of the season into the empty net.
Manager's View
"I'm still pinching myself and I'm not going to pull any punches, there's no way we deserved three points out of that. We barely deserved one!
"I'm not being condescending or disrespectful to Carlton because they fully deserved to take three points tonight in an offensive capacity.
"If we were going to get anything out of the game, and I've had Carlton watched a couple of times and for me some of the football they play going forward is fantastic, my own perception and others I've spoken to in the circuit have said that if they have a weakness it's defensively.
"We were a bit lucky with Nick's (Carter) goal - a great strike - I'm not sure if I've ever seen Nick swing his wrong foot at anything in his time here but he did and it's gone in the net and from a situation where we were struggling to create anything it's opened the game right up and the little bit of quality we did have came in the last ten minutes and we managed to get the two goals to make it a score line that flattered to deceive those who where here tonight.
"I've let the lads enjoy it and we'll take the three points and we'll enjoy it for a second but we have to remember that if we play anywhere near that against side like Carlton they'll take us to bits.
"Dave's (Clarke) has made a couple of questionable errors tonight. I not so sure of the second one because it swerved a lot but certainly, with the first one, going into injury time and you're going in one nil up somehow we let Carlton back into the game with our poor play. We've got to be doing the bits and bobs better in games. There's a still lot to do as we are a bit low on confidence, we are a bit low on bodies and we've tried to inject some new bodies in tonight.
"I thought Jorden Lambert was superb tonight. He's a bit short on games but you could see what he's got - he adds a little bit of height in midfield, he breaks things up and he's done really well tonight.
"Chris Waldrun did okay in the first half. He was feeling his way in as he didn't know too many of the lads before hand and he did better in the second half."
