UniBond League Division One
The Stan Brown Stadium, Kidsgrove
Wednesday, 17th September 2008, 7.45pm
Last Gasp Goal Rocks Rovers
For the neutral this game was certainly an entertaining one with action flowing to both ends of the pitch but it was extremely frustrating one for the travelling supporters.
Rovers had hoped to bring to a halt the run of defeats but their hosts had a different idea as they needed to get their season going with just one win under their belts.
The visitors set off looking well in command and could easily have been two or three goals to the good in the first twenty minutes if they'd have taken their chances.
Defender Nathan Morris almost gave Rovers a perfect start having a header cleared off the line and minutes later Jamie Barrett put a header just over the bar.
On 11 minutes a fine cross from Robbie Banks was headed wide by Oliver Hancock as Rovers continued to dominate proceedings. Mickey Lyons then had a chance after David Blenkinsopp had supplied a good cross but the midfielder couldn't quite connect fully and his touch went into the Kidsgrove's keeper's arms.
The pressure did tell on 14 minutes. Sam Wilson made a good run down the left before sending a low pass infield to Carl Slater who cracked a thunderous shot from 20 yards and despite the keeper getting both hands on the ball, couldn't stop it hitting the back of the net.
Kidsgrove refused to lie down and were back level just eight minutes later. Craig Dove was allowed to run deep into the Rovers' half before sending over a cross that Dave Shaw headed powerfully home at the far post.
The action switched to the other end and Lyons shot just over from Hancock's corner and then a mix-up between Morris and keeper Simon Baldwin almost gifted Shaw a second goal but Miles Chamberlain cleared off the line.
Banks then went close for Rovers went he burst into the area but with Blenkinsopp in space to his left he chose to try his luck firing a shot across the face of goal that home keeper Adam Wilkes grabbed low down at his far post.
With the home side pushing forward just before the interval Shaw almost sent them in for their break ahead when he was inches away from knocking the ball in at the near post.
The second half started much the same as the first with Rovers well on top. On 53 minutes Blenkinsopp was very unlucky to see his superbly curled shot hit the bar leaving Wilkes rooted to the spot.
Minutes later Wilkes needed to attempts to grab the ball after Hancock had fired goalwards. Hancock then turned provider sending an inviting cross that Blenkinsopp glanced just past the far post.
On 70 minutes Kidsgrove should have taken the lead when Tim Sanders picked out substitute Andy Hurst who somehow put his free header wide.
They went even closer two minutes later and again with the goal exposed Tim Sanders managed to blaze a shot well over the bar from close range.
Rovers' defender Morris headed off the line and within minutes it was Rovers going close when Blenkinsopp almost got on the end of a long Baldwin clearance. Blenkinsopp was handed another chance when Mitch Shenton's slip let the striker have a clear shot at goal that frustratingly flew wide.
The visitors had one last chance to grab all three points but substitute Jamie Hood powered a header from Jordi Gough's corner fractionally wide.
It looked a dead cert to finish all square but in the second minute of injury time Kidsgrove grabbed the winner. Simon Eldershaw's flick on found Aiden Matranga who slid the ball past Baldwin and into the far corner.
Manager's View
"It was a bitter pill to swallow tonight, it always is when you lose in injury time but if I'm honest we were the victims of our own downfall.
"We stared both halves very, very well and I was really, really pleased with some of the football we played and some of the chances we created but you've got to put them away and we didn't. Kidsgrove's workrate and the will to win and desire got them home in the end.
"The lads are dead on their feet in there (dressing room) but that's no consolation because in the final twenty minutes of each half we didn't do enough to press home the foundations we'd built in the first twenty minutes of both halves. We created enough chances, we didn't take them and we got punished.
"When the ball gets to our penalty area we've got to deal with it. We've got to move across as a unit, we've got to stay collective and we've got to get red shirts in the way because otherwise we are going to get punished.
"A couple of times tonight we've given away opportunities where our organisation has let us down and that's down to one thing and that's hard work and there were a couple of players not quite at it work wise, looked very tired and lethargic you lose concentration and you concede a goal in the ninety second minute.
"When we did get the ball we used it well at times and as I said we created some good chances. We had at least three one-on-ones and worked some good opportunities but we've not taken them.
"Particularly in the first twenty minutes we could have been two, three possibly more up but we didn't and they weathered the storm and they came back at us with a nicely taken goal and they finish the half stronger the last fifteen minutes or so and it was exactly the same pattern in the second half.
"It looked as if we were going to get our noses in front but we didn't and we had no answer and they looked a little bit fitter than us if I'm honest for the last fifteen minutes or so.
"Simon (Baldwin) did okay. I can't hold him responsible of any of the goals. He kicked well, he handled well and what he's done he's done very well and I'm very pleased with Simon tonight.
"We are looking at one or two other options and we've spoken to Simon in the last couple of days explaining the situation we're in and he's done well tonight and is in our thoughts for Saturday.
"Simon is twenty three, twenty four years of age and as played at this level and we set him some targets at the beginning of the season in terms of his training and he's done a lot of work losing weight but there is still more work to do and we're pleased with his development at the moment.
"He's experienced at this level without making lots and lots of appearances and we hope he can continue developing. We've got a great goal keeping coach and this club is a good place for Simon to be at the moment and he's not done himself any harm with that performance.
"We've got other keepers within the club that could fill the void in the reserves if Simon stays with the first team. We have been talking with one particular club about the possibility of doing something and we will continue those talks tomorrow but that's not to say we have any doubts in Simon's ability
"But I explained my position to Simon and have given him an opportunity tonight and he's done very well so we'll sit down and asses that when our emotions have calmed down and we'll see where we go from there.
"The only difficult decision I've got is if I break the partnership of Miles Chamberlain and Nathan Morris up. The way they are playing at the moment I'm very happy with Miles and Nathan and Jamie (Hood) won't be playing centre half on Saturday put it that way.
"Jamie has three games, I believe, before his suspension kicks in but I won't break Miles and Nathan up at the moment because they are doing very well. They are possibly two of the people who come out of the game with any credit tonight. They were trying to drive us forward, they won the majority of things for us, got a foot in when it mattered and I'm very pleased with those two at the moment. Everyone with a Gresley bias today would say the same thing as well.
"It's important that we end this sequence. We would have been disappointed if we'd have managed to hang on for the point with the performance particularly the way we finished both halves and the fact that we conceded in injury time has made it a little bit worse for us.
"We against a good side on Saturday in Carlton. I travelled over to Lincoln to watch them beat Lincoln four-one. They are a very, very good side coming forward and if we don't work hard, if we don't get organised it's going to be a long afternoon for us.
"There are no big time Charlies in there (dressing room), there are no 'the big I am's' in there and as Tony (Hemmings) has said often we are trying to instil within the team that we win together and we lose together and if one of us has a bad game or makes a mistake we try and get round people.
"At the end of the day if people prepare for the game properly and have the right attitude and discipline and we try to do the right things you won't hear us too much. What we will get on to is people who are not quite at it, preparing properly and if that's the case they will not be around much longer.
"We've got the foundation of a very good side, a young side. Kidsgrove are a young side and it was an interesting game for the neutral tonight. It was very end-to-end with some good young players but we've not come out on top tonight, which is a bitter pill to swallow, but we move onto Saturday. Pete's (Ward, the Kidsgove manager) has got three points for Kidsgrove tonight and we've got to put it behind us and move on.
