UniBond League Division One South
Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field, Spalding
Saturday, 15th November 2008, 3.00pm
Blenko's Goal Grabs A Point For Rovers
The tears flowed and the applause rang round the ground as the final whistle ended what arguably was the darkest chapter in Gresley Rovers' 126-year history making the previous ninety minutes almost irrelevant.
Players, club officials and supporters were distraught as this present squad, which manager Gary Norton regards as the best in his tenure at the Moat Ground, played their final game together.
Every substitution Rovers made during the game was received with long applause thanking the player going off and welcoming the player coming on to the field.
The game began with skipper Carl Slater, back after serving a one-match ban, going close with a long-range shot.
Minutes later the visitors thought they'd taken a lead but the Miles Chamberlain's header from Robbie Banks' corner that found the back of the net was disallowed because the referee had apparently seen some pushing in the area.
Spalding took the lead on 6 minutes when Martin Wormall latched onto a cross from slipping the ball under keeper Lee Evans.
On 11 minutes Evans did well to deny the Tulips another goal when he got a hand to Ricky Miller's shot pushing the ball wide after the striker had found himself one-on-one with the keeper.
Wormall was proving to be a danger and his cross picked out Nicky Young whose stinging volley was well held by Evans.
Rovers then applied some pressure on the home defence when Louis Briscoe left his marker for dead with a superb turn and then ran forward and blasted a thunderous long-range effort that keeper Luke McShane did well to keep hold of.
The Slater, playing his heart out, found Tom Liversage with a superb pass and the winger then sent over a cross that was just too high for the onrushing David Blenkinsopp.
Rovers were on top now but the goal their play deserved wouldn't come. Briscoe went agonisingly close putting a shot wide from Chamberlain's throw and then the frontman now clearly back to full fitness beat the defensive line with a great burst of pace and his cross was fumbled by McShane but the keeper managed to grab the ball before Blenkinsopp could pounce.
Liversage had the last say of the half when he got on the end of a Briscoe pass just inside the box but with the keeper beaten the ball flew just wide of the post.
The second half started with the home side going close when a goalbound shot from Young was turned away by Evans.
Slater then went close at the other end hitting a dipping shot that just cleared the bar.
On 60 minutes Rovers were deservedly back on terms. Mickey Lyons and Jamie Barrett played a clever one-two with Lyons then picking out Blenkinsopp who smashed his first time shot and his 15th goal of the season past the helpless McShane.
Slater looked determined to score and put in another long-range shot that needed two attempts by McShane to grab the ball.
The Tulips had a decent penalty shout turned down on 74 minutes when Miller seemed to go down very easily in the box as Evans knocked the ball away for a corner.
Yet another 35 yarder from Slater needed to be dealt with by McShane pushing the ball away for a corner.
Rovers could have brought this particular curtain down with a victory when a corner was only half cleared and Lyons collected the ball and crossed over an inviting cross to the far post but Barry Woolley could only put his header wide.
Manager Gary Norton and his assistants have now got the unenviable task of putting together a squad that will hold its own in this league but the supporters can be assured that it won't be for the want of trying.
With two or three players with the grit and determination of skipper Carl Slater and this club will surely begin the tough task of pulling itself out of this dreadful period sooner rather than later.
Manager's View
"It felt as though we were going to sneak it, which would have been the perfect way to end the afternoon.
"It would have been nice to have ended up with the win for those players who are leaving us, but I don't think it would have made the mood any different - there were a lot of tears in the dressing room after the game.
"I would like to thank the players for agreeing to play one last time and for their commitment to the club in such difficult times.
"No-one can question the loyalty of the players, many of whom rely on the money they get from playing football to help cover things like mortgage payments and car payments.
"It is tough because we have worked hard to put this squad together - a squad I believe is the best I have had in my time as manager - and they have been a pleasure to work with.
"However, it is a new chapter now and we have to stop looking at the past.
"We have to look forward and try and rebuild the side, though that is not going to be easy to do halfway through the season.
"On the future of the players who were here today, there is nothing concrete to report in terms of them moving on.
"I think Gavin Saunders may go to Willenhall and Miles Chamberlain has a few options.
"There has been a lot of interest in the front two (Blenkinsopp and Louis Briscoe), but we would be looking for a fee for them if possible.
"Carl Slater has vowed to stay and it was a really tough afternoon for the skipper.
"He was in tears in the dressing room before the game and has run through brick walls to try and get us the win today as he is the skipper and very proud of the club.
"Olly Hancock and Kev Lock have said they will stay and I hope Jordi Gough will to, but I have told the lads that if they do stay, it has to be for the right reasons.
"It has been a tough week and a big week, but now we move on."
