FA Carlsberg Trophy Preliminary Round Replay
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Tuesday, 9th October 2007, 7.45pm
Rovers Are Spot On
Gresley Rovers and Brigg Town needed penalties to separate them after the latest encounter finished 3-3 after extra time.
The first match at the Hawthorns ended 2-2 with the home side scoring two goals in the final two minutes of injury time to force the replay.
Rovers couldn't have started any worse when Brigg scored with less than a minute on the clock. A swift move down the right after a free kick left Rovers defender Chris Mawbey flatfooted and Jack Muldoon hammered in a low shot beating keeper David Clarke and in at far corner.
Things got even worse on 17 minutes as again Rovers defence went missing allowing Jason Maxwell a free header at the far post.
Rovers did respond and reduced the arrears six minutes later when Stefan Marshall stabbed home the ball from Shaun Ridgway's corner - the striker's first goal for the club.
The home side was now pressing and almost drew level on 26 minutes. A fine cross from Mawbey picked out Carl Slater on the far post but the midfielder put his header over the bar.
Rovers didn't have long to wait however, because the goal they were looking for came five minutes later. A cross from the left missed the far post where Morgan Hurley recovered the ball and put it back in the danger area and David Blenkinsopp was on hand to poke the ball home from close in.
The visitors showed great character and instead of allowing their heads to drop after being pegged back they were looking to get back into the lead.
A terrific run through the middle ended with Maxwell hitting a vicious shot that whistled just the wrong side of Clarke's far post.
Brigg did reclaim the lead on 37 minutes and again it was as a result of some poor defending. Paul Grimes' cross was headed back into the middle of the area from the back post by Tommy Spall and Maxwell, in acres of space, gleefully powered his header past Clarke.
Right on the half time whistle Brigg could had increased their lead when a low shot from the left went through a crowd of players in the box and out just missing the far post.
Rovers were much the better side in the second period and should have had the game won in normal time.
Slater had the first opportunity to level the scores on 51 minutes when he collected Jamie Hood's long throw but he placed his shot straight into Steer's arms.
The scores were levelled five minutes later when Ridgway swung in a corner from the right where Hood powered in a header that was blocked by Steer but the defender was quick to react and smashed the rebound into the net.
There was now only one side looking likely to score and it was Rovers but despite creating the chances some resolute defending from Brigg denied them from getting the goal they were seeking.
On 65 minutes Hood almost got on the score sheet again but this time he could only put his header wide from Ridgway's corner.
Brigg rarely ventured into the Rovers' final third but when they did on 72 minutes the game could have been theirs. Maxwell made a superb run into the area and with only Clarke to beat fired a poor shot well wide.
The game finished all square and so 30 minutes of extra time was played. Neither side created clear cut chances except for one just seconds from the end when Marshall turned his marker raced forward and hit a low shot that was well held by Steer.
The penalties were as follows: Rovers Blenkinsopp - scored, Town Borland - shot saved, Rovers Marshall - shot saved, Town Barrett - missed, Rovers Ridgway - scored, Town Ainsley - scored, Rovers Groves - scored, Town Altoft - missed.
The shoot out victory means Rovers will meet Guiseley at the Moat Ground in the next round on 20th October.
Manager's View
"It's an understatement to say I'm relieved. I've not really slept since the weekend to be honest mulling over in my mind how we threw it away on Saturday.
"To go through in the end no matter how cruel it is to the opposition is a massive relief.
"We don't half do things in a difficult way and my heart goes out to Brigg. I sound a bit soft because I'm always saying this but we went out at Sheffield after a terrific performance and Brigg have come and showed great character tonight.
"They started where they finished off on Saturday with the last minute of injury time on then and tonight I'd not even taken my seat looking for the subs board before I came out so I didn't even see the first goal go in. Last minute Saturday, first minute tonight they've scored three goals against us and they must want to play us every week!
"The way we defended in the first half - the first twenty minutes was kamikaze. You wouldn't see it on a under 9's pitch. Having said that I've got into a few people who I haven't got into before at half time.
"One of the young people, Chris Mawbey, who needed to stand up and be counted I got into at half time. He started right on the back foot, very sloppy and I gave him a shooing of his life in footballing terms at halftime but the kid has stood up fantastically well. He could have gone either way and I know what I've got there - an honest lad who wants to listen, wants to learn. There were some shouting get him off after the first twenty minutes but he stood up and he came through and had a fantastic second half and first and second periods of extra time.
"There were a number of big performances in the second half. Nick Carter came on because I was forced into the substitutions. Dan Douglas had a fitness test before the game because of his ankle but he was really struggling. There kid Grimes was causing him all sorts of problems so we were forced to take Dan off and Paul Edwards was being sick at half time. We were going to make a different change but we were forced into that one.
"Nick Carter has gone in the middle of the park and really got amongst people in there adding a physical presence.
"The front two - I said Stef (Stefan Marshall) was raw when I got him. He is raw but he causes all sorts of problems but we've got to work on his first touch and a couple of other things but he causes a hell of a lot of problems.
"David Blenkinsopp has a tight hamstring but he's kept going for ninety minutes. We didn't see the best of him tonight in terms of what we have seen but he's got his goal showing he can scramble a goal as well as score a good goal - his run continues.
"There were several big performances second half. Jamie Hood is a terrific character and after the tackle their guy had to come off after a couple of minutes. Jamie took a big whack and I'm expecting him to be sore in the morning and we'll have to check up on him before Saturday."
