UniBond League Division One South
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Saturday, 21st March 2009, 3.00pm
Carlton Take Their Chances
This was a very harsh result for Gresley Rovers as they matched their high-flying opponents Carlton Town for much of the game and the only difference between the two teams was that Town took their chances when handed to them.
The first half was a close encounter with neither side carving out too many clear-cut chances.
The visitors had the first half chance when Darryl Thomas picked up a deflected ball in the area but John Shales comfortably cleared his cross.
Toen went close to opening the scoring on 36 minutes when Thomas found former Moatman Danny Blair just inside the area. Doing well to shield the ball Blair lay it back for Thomas but the volley went just wide of an upright.
Four minutes later it was Rovers who had a half chance when Town keeper Steve Brealey missed a cross and the ball landed at Callum Keenan's feet but the midfielder's scuffed his shot and Town managed to scramble the effort on goal away before any home player could get the final touch.
With the first half almost up, Carl Timms flicked the ball on for strike partner Chris Knight who hammered a volley past Brearley but also fractionally over the bar.
The second half started with a quick break from Town that led to a cross being volleyed goalward by Martin Ball but Rovers' keeper Simon Baldwin made a superb save pushing the shot away.
Rovers responded and on 50 minutes could have taken the lead. A freekick was flicked on by Knight to Timms who just couldn't get enough force on his header to beat Brearley.
Lee Fell then had a chance after he'd stolen the ball off Steve Fenton cut in the area and hit a shot that was on target but it took a deflection and amazingly referee Mr Perry signalled for a goal kick.
Baldwin then made another top save this time getting a fingertip to a vicious 35-yard volley from Marquin Smith to tip it over the bar.
Carton's first goal came on 67 minutes. Fabian Smith robbed Shales of the ball on the halfway line and flew down the right where he sent over a good low cross that Marquin Smith smashed past Baldwin.
On 80 minutes Thomas almost made it two when he turned just in the area leaving his marker for dead but fired across the goalmouth and wide.
Fell had a chance to level things but after collecting a cross from Knight could only fire straight at Brearley.
Town's second goal had a slice of luck about it when Baldwin made a good block at his near post deep in time added on only for the ball to fall nicely for substitute Anthony Robertson to blast into the roof of the net from close in.
Rovers had one more chance to reduce the arrears and put a more accurate look on the match when a corner from the left by Fell was met by Gough but again another chance went straight into the midriff of Brearley.
Manager's View
"For the third week running I feel hard done by today. It's coming because the performance levels over the last two or three weeks and the commitment shown by the lads out there on the pitch has been fantastic and it's almost matched the quality of the opposition we've been playing.
"The first twenty five minutes or so against Retford before Brian's (Woodall) sending off I count that as well but the last three games we've got to half time level and we've had something to play for.
"It was a good piece of football from Carlton resulting in the goal. I think it would have been a penalty anyway if the guy didn't stick it in and I think that was the only time that they undid us apart from the first couple of minutes when we were a little bit sloppy.
"I couldn't fault the commitment from the lads and we tried to play some decent stuff and in the end I think it was tiredness, the second goal was academic just going into injury time.
"Carl Timms had been done a bit easily down that side, just tiredness but that's the frustrating thing now that it is literally just fitness.
"We played well and arguably late on in the game Lee Fell's had another good chance. He had a chance at Leek last week and he didn't work the keeper enough and today seven or eight yards out with the ball at his feet an opportunity to take a touch but he didn't work the keeper hard enough and they've got away with it and then gone on and made the game safe in injury time.
"I'm happy with the overall performance if not with the result.
"Against Shepshed we particularly didn't create too much but at Leek last week we created some decent chances and today as well we have.
"It's more pleasing that we are creating chances and we are looking a lot more organised, a lot more solid and we do want to get that win. We keep trying and we've only got six games left but without sounding like a broken record we can't fault the commitment of the lads.
"We've been stretched as we've lost a lot of players today. Justis Hayden rang me at seven o'clock this morning - he'd had a problem with his stomach over night, Micky Lonergan rang me about nine o'clock as he's gone down with some virus and Matt Weightman was feeling poorly at work this morning, he felt sick, he was named on the bench but he's had to go during the course of the game.
"Ryan Spittle was working so we've shown the strength and depth by fielding Chris Mawbey who we weren't expecting to start today but he started and has done well for seventy minutes then his groin tightened so we got him off because we need him. The performance he showed today we were very pleased with that.
"Unfortunately, when we have good players like that injured we haven't got that strength and depth to pick another player up and put them in. We are looking - the deadline is on Thursday and I'll be trying very hard to see if we can bring any players in.
"I think we may well need a bit more strength in depth but quality as well with it. We've raided the Youth team, we've raided the Reserves and there's no more players to raid that in my opinion would be good enough to make the step up and make an impact. If we can pick any up, any of the old players or any players that would come and help us for the next month then we'll be looking at that option but it's going to be hard with no money.
"But if we keep performing like today we might not need to. It's a big game for us next week against Kidsgrove and it's one we feel we can get something from."
