UniBond League Division One South
The Dovecote, Shepshed
Tuesday, 1st January 2008, 3.00pm
Blenko Grabs A Brace
Gresley Rovers completed a league 'treble' over local rivals Shepshed Dynamo with a victory on New Year's Day at The Dovecote.
All three games have been tight affairs as both sides where desperate to claim the bragging rights.
The first half chance fell to the home side when James Whitehead picked out Jamie Clarke who lifted his shot well over the bar.
Stefan Marshall then began the move for Rovers' first chance when he found Chris Mawbey who in turn found Carl Slater but the midfielder's shot flew well wide of the mark. Chris Sleath then tried his luck but again the final shot sailed over the bar.
Dynamo went close minutes later when Robbie Banks sent over a fine cross to the far post. The Rovers' defence seemed to dither allowing Sam Saunders to almost embarrass the visitors by snaking in at the far post but fortunately the winger could not connect with the ball.
Rovers took the lead on 24 minutes when Shaun Ridgway sent David Blenkinsopp racing down the right flank. Dynamo keeper Gary Hateley came racing off his line to try and clear the danger just outside his area but the striker beat him to the ball and coolly slotted it past the keeper and into the unguarded net.
Two minutes later former Moatman Matt Millns had a glorious opportunity to strike against his former club. A quickly taken free kick to Banks saw a cross into the Rovers area but the defender hit a weak shot straight at keeper David Clarke.
The action went to the other end and Rovers almost doubled their lead when Leigh Platnauer headed Ridgway's corner goalwards only for his effort to be cleared off the line by Millns.
On the half hour Blenkinsopp superbly turned his marker on the edge of the area but his shot was well saved with Hateley pushing the shot away.
Rovers thought they had scored a second when Marshall headed home Tom Groves cross but the referee apparently saw the slightest of touches on Hateley and disallowed the goal.
Dynamo almost levelled when Banks hit a speculative shot-cum-cross that bounced off the top of the bar. They had one more chance just before the break when James Whitehead's corners was helped on by Lee Mellon to Tim Wilkes at the far post but Clarke made a superb black to snuff out the danger.
On 55 minutes Marshall helped on Clarke's long kick to Blenkinsopp who expertly controlled the ball before threading a pass through to Sleath but the youngster's volley flew wide.
Rovers went close again when Groves sent over a cross that Marshall could only head straight at Hateley.
Dynamo were searching for an equaliser and they had a good opportunity to level the score on 66 minutes when Russell Peel made a good run into the box but fired his shot into the arms of David Clarke when he should have done much better.
The homeside were looking dangerous and likely to grab the goal they were desperately searching for. Chris Parr hit a shot that Wilkes instinctively got his head on to but could only steer the ball past the far post.
They didn't have to wait too much longer to grab the goal but it came a little fortunately. On 77 minutes Dan Douglas attempted clearance was deflected and fell nicely for Jamie Clarke who needed just one touch before hammering the ball into the top corner.
Five minutes later Peel should have given his side an unlikely lead but he could only put his header wide when well placed.
It looked as if the game was going to end with both sides sharing the points but up popped Blenkinsopp to grab his second goal of the game and his twentieth of the season.
Substitute Craig Hanson made a terrific forty-yard run into the Dynamo box leaving Millns in his wake before sending in a low cross that Blenkinsopp met at the far post poking the ball past Hateley.
Dynamo tried to get back on terms with a series of long throw-ins from Millns into the box. One of them almost paid off but Tom Guiney's header went agonisingly wide and Rovers hung on for all three points.
Manager's View
"I only judge my Christmas and New Year by football so this year it's been a nice one again.
"Always highly charged and league form and league position go out the window whenever we play Shepshed and to have taken nine points from them through the course of the season is a good achievement. We did the double over them last year as well.
"The manner in which we got the winner - we were dead on our feet to be honest and I turned to the goalkeeping coach on the bench and said I'll take this to be honest because some of the lads were dead on their feet.
"We had one player who was thrown into the starting line-up today because Jordan Lambert's car broke down on the M1 and not managed to get in. We had put Chris (Mawbey) on the bench to cover for Hemmo (Tony Hemmings) who is carrying a shoulder injury but Chris as done superb for sixty-five minutes today.
"We had Carl Slater who's had two weeks with nothing - no training, no games. He's had a little bit of time out for personal reasons and again he's been thrown into fold today and he's been superb.
"To get the three points today we are delighted. I think that's six wins on the trot, five in the league and I don't think as a manager that I've had five league wins on the trot so that's a personal milestone. It was a perfect Christmas and New Year.
"I can't see why the referee has given the free kick for Stef's (Stefan Marshall) header. Yes he was leaning a little bit on the chap but Stef's gone and got the ball and put a perfectly good goal in the back of the net but the referee has given it.
"It was a bit of a lifeline for Shepshed because I think going in at half time two-nil up I would have liked to have thought we have won.
"We knew there was something to come from Shepshed. I'm pleased we've played them and got the games against them out of the way because they may have lost a few on the bounce since Lee (Wilson) has come in but if you look at the quality of player Lee is bringing in here it's only a matter of time, genuinely, I'm not saying it in any condescending manner at all.
"He's a great manager and has a lot of contacts and it's only a matter of time before they start rising up the table.
"We were lucky today, we scrapped a three points when maybe it should have been a draw. It was a battle and I'd sooner have taken a draw with ten minutes to go so to sniff the winner out in the manner we did was very exciting.
"We were under the cosh for a while and we knew it was coming. We'd got some tired legs out there. Our midfielders when they were clearing their lines in the first half we were turning fullbacks, turning Millnsy (Matt Millns) and Tom Guiney and squeezing out but for whatever reason Shaun Ridgway and Carl Slater, when clearing our lines, it was only going in front of their back four and they were sticking it back on us.
"When our central defenders and full backs were clearing their lines it was only going in front of their midfielders and we weren't clearing our lines and turning them and it was coming back.
"The goal was always on the cards. Dan Douglas dropped in at centre half for us - it's the first time I've seen him play there - with Miles (Chamberlain) absence and I felt sorry for him because he had a good opportunity to clear the lines and didn't and Jamie Clarke has put the ball away nicely in the top corner and it was one-one and they are on the front foot.
"It was concerning as we had some tired limbs out there and we were stretched to the limit. Nick Carter out, Miles Chamberlain out, Jordan Lambert out. We've still got Danny Blair out and there were other lads I've not mentioned as well so it was a real team effort today and we are delighted with the three points today."
