UniBond League Division One South
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Saturday, 27th September 2008, 3.00pm
Poor Decision Denies Rovers
Gresley Rovers were once again subject to a controversial refereeing decision that could have cost them all three points.
Loughborough Dynamo visited the Moat Ground for the first time and opened up with former Moatman Kris Nurse blasting a shot well over the bar but Rovers responded with David Blenkinsopp having to be bundled over as he looked to get into a good shooting position.
The best move of the first half came from the homeside on 18 minutes when a one-two between David Blenkinsopp and Brian Woodall ended with Blenkinsopp's shot being blocked.
On 30 minutes Woodall was again instrumental in another Rovers chance. He controlled the ball extremely well before slipping his marker and racing onto the edge of the area but his shot flew just wide.
Minutes later Carl Slater sent Blenkinsopp on his way and the striker sent over a fine cross that Kevin Lock was unlucky to put wide.
Woodall once more picked out Blenkinsopp who superbly controlled the ball before slamming the ball on the junction or bar and post.
Despite a period of pressure from Rovers it was Dynamo that almost stole a halftime lead. Jose Moreira managed to get in behind the defence but keeper Simon Baldwin made a superb block at his near post.
Rover's manager Gary Norton made a change at half time bringing on Jordi Gough for left back Sam Wilson who had been struggling with a knee injury picked up earlier in the game. The first chance of the second half fell to Woodall who hit a shot just over the bar.
On 55 minutes Rovers went very close to opening the scoring but it was a visiting defender who almost did the damage.
Gough swung in a superb cross that was powerfully headed fractionally wide of the post by a defender with his keeper rooted to the spot.
Four minutes later Rovers did take the lead when Gough charged down an attempted clearance by Tim Wlkes before blasting an unstoppable shot past visiting keeper Matt Nurse.
Rovers debutant Louis Briscoe came on to replace Lock and made an immediate impact firing a shot unfortunately straight at the keeper.
Briscoe then found Blenkinsopp on the right who returned the ball back into the area but just in front of his fellow frontman.
Dynamo were handed a chance to level on 75 minutes when Baldwin was a fraction later getting to a ball wide on the right of his area. Kris Nurse, who'd beaten the keeper to the ball was bundled over and the referee Mr Day pointed to the spot. Substitute Neil Morgan took the kick but embarrassingly powered his shot wide of the post.
Briscoe was showing glimpses of what a good signing he could become when he brought out a stunning save from Matt Nurse who managed to get a fingertip to the new striker's vicious shot.
The new man was evident again when he found Nathan Morris who'd come up for the corner but the defender's shot was blocked.
Dynamo drew level on 81 minutes in yet another moment of controversy at the Moat Ground. A clear foul was ignored by the referee and as the Rovers players and some of the Dynamo players had stopped expecting the Rovers' free kick Craig Noble lumped the ball towards the home goal and with Baldwin walking forward out of his area the keeper stood no chance in getting back to his line.
The ball clattered the underneath of the bar and bounced out and into the arms of Baldwin. However, the assistant linesman adjudged that the ball had crossed the line and indicated the goal much to the anger of Rovers players and supporters.
With just a couple of minutes remaining of the game Dynamo almost stole all three points, which would have been totally undeserved, when Kris Nurse stuck out a foot in the area and poked the loose ball against the base of the post.
The final chance came to Rovers skipper Carl Slater who had been picked out by Woodall but his shot just cleared the bar.
Manager's View
"Arguably we should have won that game because over the ninety minutes in terms of chances created.
"We went one nil up and we had a really good little spell. We took the lead and then we had two or three decent chances that just flashed wide and had one of those had gone in it would have been a comfortable three points because we hadn't been tested too much.
"The turning point was their goal because after that it was a little hairy for us. I don't know whether in the back of our minds we had the drawing at Kidsgrove and the late one going in.
The disappointing thing is that we were slow to react to what we thought was a foul on the goal. There's no excuse for that, you play to the whistle and expect the worse. All of the back three stopped, Simon (Baldwin) stopped but it was a great finish from Karl Noble - it hit the bar and went over the line you could see that the angle it went back and came out and you could see it had gone over the line.
"We had a bit of luck with the penalty. That was disappointing, one touch and Simon's just come off his line a little late to give the penalty away.
"We are a little disappointed not to have won it. I think we didn't really get going today but I think we didn't play well but should have come out with three points.
"It's good for a manager or coach to have a keeper who's alert and is coming to sweep things up. On that occasion he's not been helped by his team mates I must add but he wasn't far off to be fair. At one stage he looked favourite but Kriss (Nurse) got there first by a split second.
"I'm not going to be too harsh on Simon for that one because the last thing I want him to do is to dwell on it and I think he'll be pleased to have seen the penalty go wide and we immediately told him not to worry about it. It's a confidence game and he'll reflect on that and I'm sure the next time he comes to that position he'll collect it and no problem.
"We have been impressed with Simon if I'm honest how he sweeps things up and talks. We had a chat with him along with all the other coaching staff and we are all in agreement that at the moment the shirt's his to lose. I don't want him to listen to this and rest on his laurels and then have one or two average performances. But Simon's done well and we are pleased with him. He talks, he organises, and I think the back three or four whatever we play have a degree of confidence from that as well. We can hear him off the bench, you can hear him organising things and he's quite commanding when he comes out of his goal area.
"I was happy to sign Louis Briscoe but the way Kevin Lock played the other day I think it would have been harsh to leave Kevin out. We had a decision to make because David (Blenkinsopp) was up a lot last night not feeling very well but we made the decision to start Dave but for the last twenty minutes he looked a little bit leggy so hopefully that's a short term thing and he'll soon be firing again on Tuesday.
"We thought Dave might give us that little flash of magic as he nearly did when he put the cross in for Louis to almost get on the end of. So we did have a decision to make but it was always intended that Louis start on the bench today but he's done enough to show us that he's got some nice touches. He's not as fit as he could be because he's been on the bench a bit at Hednesford but in the period of time he was on today you could see he's going to be a good addition to the squad.
"He put some good shots in on goal and that's what we want from him. He's strong and can go either way and the one that just flashed wide on another day that's nestling in the corner.
"Another one when Jordi Gough's come on and scored - a cracking goal - he's put a fantastic ball in and the defender's nearly given us a two nil lead. If we can get Louis and Jordi in the final third they are both powerful lads and they are going to create chances and we'll get some goals from it."
