UniBond League Division One South
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Wednesday, 26th December 2007, 1.00pm
Rovers Dim The Dynamo
Gresley Rovers should have had this Boxing Day 'local' derby won inside the first thirty minutes as they ran the Shepshed Dynamo defence ragged in a very entertaining game at the Moat Ground.
The visitors had no answer to the constant threat on their goal and it was only wasteful finishing from Rovers that kept the score to just one goal in that period.
Rovers began brightly and almost got through on goal when after just three minutes Chris Sleath sent David Blenkinsopp racing in on goal but a superbly timed tackle from a defender preventing the prolific frontman from getting onto the scoresheet.
However, Rovers didn't have long to wait as they took the lead just two minutes later. Miles Chamberlain sent over a deep free kick which Jayson Munn only half cleared as far as Sleath who unleashed a terrific first time volley that left Dynamo's keeper Gary Hateley grasping at fresh air.
On 12 minutes Rovers had the chance to increase their lead when Stefan Marshall ran through a static Dynamo backline to collect Blenkinsopp's pass but the striker blazed his shot over the bar with only Hateley to beat.
Four minutes later Marshall evaded the attention of Dynamo defender Shaun Booth before sending a low cross into the box that neither Blenkinsopp or Sleath could capitalise on.
Dynamo's defence was looking very shaky as Rovers pressed forward and yet another good chance opened up for the home side. Leigh Platenuer sent a long kick over the visiting defence where Sleath was waiting.
Unfortunately his composure deserted him and in acres of space and with all the time in the world he hit a weak shot straight at Hateley.
A rare first half attack by Dynamo almost caught Rovers out. On 18 minutes a free kick by Booth was flicked on by Lee Mellon but Rovers' keeper David Clarke did remarkably well to push the looping header away as it headed for the top corner of his net.
Rovers hit back and a goal bound free kick by Shaun Ridgway was deflected away for a corner and from the resultant flag kick Nick Carter could only shoot over.
Marshall then beat the offside trap yet again picking up Tony Hemming's pass but Hateley blocked the shot with his legs.
Dynamo had a couple of decent chances on the half hour when Jamie Clarke headed Rhys Powell's free kick just wide and then he turned superbly on the edge of the area before firing a low shot that had David Clarke beaten but the ball went wide of the upright.
Rovers were left to rue all those many chances when a poor throw from Hemmings was knocked up field for Jamie Clarke who in turn picked out Robbie Banks who took his chance well lofting a shot that beat David Clarke.
Sleath had a golden opportunity to get his side back in front just moments later. He had made a good run down the left but, instead of passing early to the waiting Blenkinsopp and Marshall unmarked in the box, waited a little too long. However, Sleath's eventual cross seemed to strike the arm of Mellon but referee Mr Meeson waved away what were to be honest only half hearted appeals.
Rovers were back in front on 41 minutes when Blenkinsopp collected Ridgway's pass down the left. He did well to avoid the lunging tackle of Munn before stepping forward and curling a sublime curling shot round Hateley and into the far corner of the net.
Dynamo manager Lee Wilson's words in the half time talk seemed to have their desired effect as the visitor's defended far more solidly and created far more chances in what was an equally balanced second half.
Indeed, they pushed Rovers back for the first ten minutes with Powell firing over and David Williams only just failing to get a foot to substitute Chris Parr's cross.
Rovers' keeper David Clarke made the save of the game minutes later when he held onto a fine Powell shot. The action swung up to the other end with Tom Groves firing wide of the mark.
Dynamo carved out another chance Powell was allowed to cross from the left and Williams, arguably the smallest player on the pitch, managed to head fractionally wide of the far post.
On 80 minutes Dynamo missed the chance to level. A poor clearance by the Rovers defence landed for Parr who returned the ball to Jamie Clarke unmarked in the area who controlled the ball superbly turned but managed to blaze hit shot well over the bar with just the keeper to beat.
Hateley almost gifted Rovers another goal when bizarrely he decided to dribble the ball just outside his area rather than hoof the ball out of the ground. Unfortunately, Blenkinsopp, who had managed to rob the ball off the keeper, couldn't fire the required shot home.
Second half Rovers substitute, striker Joshua McKenzie almost scored with his first touch of the game after being set up by fellow substitute Jermaine Hollis. But again another chance flashed wide of the far post.
Blenkinsopp then put in an inviting low cross into the Dynamo box but even the long legs of McKenzie couldn't connect with the ball.
Dynamo could have snatched a late point right on the final whistle but Andy Mottershead could only head Powell's cross into the midriff of David Clarke.
Manager's View
"I turned to Hinksy (Steve Hinks) halfway through the first half and said: "this is going to cost us you know" because arguably we should have been three or four - one up!
"Some of the chances we created were superb. Obviously, I think Lee Wilson was a little perturbed with his defence with the ease of some of our chances. We really didn't have to work to create some of them and Lee's had halftime to address some of them.
"Lee made a good tactical change at halftime and it was a more even game second half but we'd only got the one goal to show for it at half time.
"You see it in football you miss all those chances and then get bitten on the backside later in the game. Fortunately our defence held firm today and we've held on for the three points.
"Our last defeat was the five one at Grantham - a very painful defeat one that has possibly contributed to us looking more a little more solid defensively.
"We've made one or two harsh decisions letting Jamie (Hood) go and Martyn Rowntree found himself eased out bringing Leigh Platenauer in and he and Miles have formed a decent partnership.
"No small mention of Tony Hemmings who has played the full ninety minutes - our 40-year-old coach will all the injuries and illness we have at the moment. Hemmo has been pressed into service and I think he's been superb in the two games apart from the lead up to their goal. It was a weak throw in and we got caught on the break and Shepshed have scored. The first goal against us from open play in four games so we are disappointed with that. That apart Hemmo's has done superb for us in the past two games.
"Defensively we do a little more solid but we still know there's work to do definitely in that department.
"Stef (Marshall) is always going to be the sort of player who will get those sorts of chances. Anyone who was at Spalding on Saturday saw that he can keep his composure. He had the keeper one-on-one and left the keeper sitting down and dinked the ball into the top corner.
"But today that composure was a little lacking when he blazed an effort over the bar. He's done well today but he'll know he ruined his chances of coming away today with one or two goals.
"It wasn't just Stef; Chris Sleath had one or two good opportunities we had one or two quality balls flash across their six-yard box. Time after time we got balls over the top in the first half but they snuffed that out in the second and any chances we did make in the second we were made to work for and earn but we didn't make any clear-cut chances.
"It was unfortunate because I'd wanted us to go on and make the game comfortable but we'll take the three points no matter how they come."
