FA Trophy Preliminary Round
Moor Lane, Kersal, Salford
Saturday, 4th October 2008, 3.00pm
Rovers In Another Cup Exit
Gresley Rovers put up another poor display to crash out of the FA Trophy at the first hurdle.
On paper this should have been a comfortable game for Rovers as their hosts had failed to win a single league game this season and although having some decent cup results had shipped enough goals in to give both David Blenkinsopp and Louis Briscoe a chance of increasing their Rovers' tally.
Unfortunately, football isn't played on paper and it was soon evident that this was going to be a very tough visit to Salford.
On a good surface Rovers looked listless, tired and devoid of any ideas on how to breach what had been, up to then, a leaky home defence.
Rovers made the first push forward forcing an early corner, which came over to the far post. Salford's keeper Martin Campbell came to pick up the ball but Briscoe beat him to it but the resultant cross went begging.
On 24 minutes a free kick by Mickey Lyons was blocked and Sam Wilson collected and sent over a good cross but Briscoe could only head wide.
Although Salford had had some decent periods of play they hadn't as yet made any serious attempt on goal. The first one came on 29 minutes when Dion Depeiaza smashed a shot just wide.
Rovers' Jordi Gough then had a chance to test the keeper but his header from Wilson's free kick also flew wide of the mark.
As the half drifted away Mattie Kay tried his luck with a shot that went well wide.
The travelling Rovers' fans were hoping for a much better showing in the second half but alas it didn't arrive with the home side taking control for most of the forty-five minutes.
On 50 minutes Salford should have taken the lead when a good cross from Steve Brackenridge found Lathan Forrester who hit a weak shot straight at keeper Simon Baldwin.
The home side did take the lead eight minutes later when they were gifted a goal by Baldwin. What seemed to be a pretty standard collect from a free kick Baldwin fumbled the ball and Kay was quick to react poking the ball home despite a brave attempt by Miles Chamberlain to prevent it crossing the line.
The home side went close to doubling their lead on 67 minutes but Chamberlain headed the effort off the line with Baldwin beaten.
A rare attempt on Salford's goal came on 74 minutes when substitute Jamie Barrett blasted his shot from Lyons' corner well over.
The Salford supporters in the main stand couldn't believe their eyes when Rovers almost handed them a second goal when Baldwin completely missed the ball trying to clear a Barrett back pass but thankfully there was no player from Salford close enough to take the up the offer.
Salford ensured their passage into the next round and a visit to Stourbridge with a second goal in injury time. Baldwin's poor clearance fell at the feet of Reece Kelly who sent Wes Bancroft racing down the right. The substitute beat Nathan Morris before cutting the ball back for Depeiaza to ram home at the near post.
Rovers' substitute Kevin Lock could have reduced the arrears late on but the shot went wide. But to be honest the game had well finished as a competition for Rovers long before then much to the disappointment of their travelling faithful.
Manager's View
"A bitterly disappointing afternoon. I'm shell-shocked to be honest - we were comfortably in the game neither side had imposed themselves in an offensive manner and yet again we stand here like a broken record and I'm sorry to say to the supporters that will pick me up on it but an individual error has killed us.
"Having said that we've really not done enough today to get ourselves out of the hole we found ourselves in. I think it was eighty-eight minutes when we played our best football of the game when we strung some passes together got it wide, put the ball in the box and that's the pattern of play we are working to and we struggled with it all afternoon.
"The goal right at the end we were setting up for one of Simon's big kicks and he's not quite get hold of it and they hit us on the break. There were arguments whether the ball had gone out or not but the damage had already been done before that stage.
"Tuesday's game is very important to us. We've had thirteen games now and there have been several false dawns. There's been some very encouraging performances but we haven't followed them up and the buck stops with me for that and I'm fully aware of that.
"We've got a good young squad of players and consistency is all that's lacking. You look around the pitch today at individual performances and there were very few positives. The one positive for me was Louis Briscoe came through the game full of running with energy, effort, application and quality. There were several others lagging behind and we have to have players playing to their potential week in week out and they can't just pick and choose. Players can't just have one good game and two or three bad because it's going to cost us.
"You can see in our performances that if we go a goal down and you look around the pitch the confidence level look very low. Nobody wanted the ball and players that normally when they are on top of their game are playing well and not making mistakes all of a sudden start making mistakes and it spreads throughout the team so we've got to nip that in the bud.
"We've just had some words in the dressing room and I asked if everyone was up for the challenge and they all are and we move on. Obviously we've got one or two to come back in and maybe one or two new faces appearing as well which is already organised. It's nothing new or reactive, we are not knee jerking after today. But ultimately the buck stops with me and the results haven't been good enough so far.
"It was a big decision to bring David Blenkinsopp, the top goal scorer off when you are one-nil down and you have to stand by your decision. Kevin Lock has come on and probably had the best chance and put the cross from Mickey Lyons over the bar.
"David had an off afternoon and he'll be the first to admit it. He's a honest lad and it wasn't quite happening for him, he was giving possession away cheaply and his first touch wasn't there and he just seemed a little bit desolate today which was frustrating having been patient and managed to get a striker of Louis Briscoe's quality and you really want the two of them to hit it off as they looked as if they were going to in the first half hour of the Belper game but it didn't happen for Dave today.
"The benefit of having somebody like Louis in the squad means we don't have to rely on Dave. Part of me wanted to keep him on and just hope that despite him having a poor game he might nick one for us but we made our decision and we stick by it.
"We are due to take Sam Hall on loan from Hednesford. I spoke to Sam on the way up and subject to anything scuppering our plans; the intention has been for over a week now that we take Sam after today's game. We could have got him in time for Tuesday but obviously with this game in mind they didn't want him cup tied in the Trophy but that's not going to be an issue now. We'll take Sam - I want him permanently but that's not down to me it's down to Hednesford and down to Sam but it's a player I admired a lot while he was at Burton. We went after him pre-season but didn't get him but he comes in now and adds a bit of spice in midfield.
"We've got a lot of midfield players and there's a lot of competition and probably Sam will come in and maybe pick up a midfield low on confidence.
"Jamie Hood will be available for the midweek match and he will play without a shadow of a doubt. His form before his suspension was good and frustratingly you need Jamie on days like today. His energy and attitude even if he's not having a good game he covers the ground and perhaps we need a lift from Jamie because some of the lads are looking a bit leggy and looking a bit low on confidence in the defensive unit as well. So even before today it was in our minds that Jamie would go straight back into the side on Tuesday."
