UniBond League Division One
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Monday, 13th April 2009, 3.00pm
Woodall Plugs The Leek
Gresley Rovers won a deserved point and could have grabbed all three against a Leek side who failed to beat the Moatmen in all three meetings this season.
Rovers started brightly with Carl Timms lifting a shot just over the bar with less than a minute on the clock.
Seven minutes later John Shales went even closer as his free kick from 25 yards clipped the top of the bar.
The home side was having much the better of the opening period and on 20 minutes Chris Knight controlled the ball superbly on the edge of the area, turned and smashed a shot that Town keeper Matt Cooper did well to parry.
Leek made one of their better chances a minute later but as Leon Ashman looked odds on to score as he broke through the Rovers back line a superbly timed tackle just inside the area by Chris Mawbey denied the front man as he was about to pull the trigger.
Knight was causing the visitors problems and once more expertly brought the ball down before hitting a shot on the turn that flew a fraction wide.
Richard Bailey should have opened the scoring for Town on the half hour when he made a fine run down the left and then poked a shot that flew across the gaping open goal and wide of the far post.
The opening goal was as a result of a slip by home keeper Simon Baldwin. A cross from the right by Leon Ashman slipped through the grasp of Baldwin and fortunately behind him and out for a corner.
Wayne Corden slung over the flag kick, which was met by Mark Ruddock who headed home via the underneath of the bar.
Leek could or rather should have increased their advantage with just five minute of the half remaining when Bailey was in sight of goal but fired his shot wide.
The last chance of the half came to the home side but Lee Fell missed his shot with the goal at his mercy.
Leek started the second half threatening to breach the Rovers' defence once more within the first nine minutes with Ben Mills heading Andy Taylor's cross straight at Baldwin and Nick Ward heading Corden's corner over when well placed.
Rovers hit back and a free kick by James Davies was met by Brian Woodall but Cooper managed to get a touch on the ball pushing the ball wide of the target.
Woodall went close minutes later when he noticed Cooper out of position but his looping shot landed onto the roof of the net.
The action swung to the other end with Ward planting his header wide with Baldwin beaten.
On 72 minutes Timms carved himself a chance collecting Davies' throw in, beating two defenders but skewed his shot wide.
However, Rovers only had a minute to wait to get back on terms. A run down the right by Knight ended with the young striker determined to get a cross into the box despite close attention of two defenders. The low cross was missed by Ryan Spittle but Woodall pounced smashing the ball past Cooper.
It was no more than the home side deserved but they almost gave the precious point away with just three minutes of normal time remaining.
A mix-up between substitute Micky Lonergan and John Shales just inside the Rovers' half allowed Matt Johnson the chance to race down the right before sending over a cross that was met on the half volley by Ward but Baldwin made the save of the game pushing the stinging shot away.
Rovers may well have grabbed the winner as time run out when a run from Woodall seemed to create panic in the Leek box but somehow the visiting defenders managed to scramble the ball away for a corner before any Rovers' player could get the vital touch.
Manager's View
"We are disappointed with the point if I'm honest because I felt that if we'd have been at it for ninety minutes we might have been able to come out with three. No doubt Wayne (Johnson) will feel the same for Leek; he'll be disappointed with the point.
"But I looked at the chances we created in the first half and we forced their keeper into two smart saves and I don't think Leek forced us into a save at all and the only chance they had really was the goal. The frustrating thing it's come from an unforced situation with a routine ball that Simon (Baldwin) let slip through his grasp.
"On the flip side of that Simon has kept us in the game with a big save late on so it balances things out sometimes. Simon was not to blame, the unforced error, but from the corner Ryan Spittle let his man get off him and get that yard. Ironically, Mr Ruddock who I tried to sign a few weeks ago has got the goal and I felt at half time one-nil down perhaps undeservedly so.
"It was a similar game to how other games had been. Second half similar to Quorn a very scrappy, battle of a game. Not a lot of chances created and fortunately we managed to pop up and Mr Woodall has got the point for us and equaliser and we felt we had enough time and momentum to push on and get the winner but it wasn't to be.
"We had very few options today regarding team selection. It's been frustrating because two or three weeks ago we had twenty men to pick from and one or two players left the club because they wanted to play regular football and at that time we could offer that too them. Ironically, if they'd have stuck around chances would have come to one or two.
"We've picked up a couple of injuries and some unavailability particularly down that left hand side the left back slot. Three or four weeks ago we could have had three left backs battling for that one place and Jordi Gough has done his back and Nathan Rolph failed the fitness test and looks unlikely to feature, especially in the first team, for the last week and a bit of the season.
"John Shales did what he did at Stocksbridge and dropped back into left back and I thought he performed admirably today. Young Matt Weightman has picked up a calf problem, Callum Keenan is away on holiday and we were hoping to get Paul Edwards from a weekend away but he's not managed to get back so we were stretched so today we had Micky Lonergan who hasn't been in the squad the last few weeks and Anthony Hemmings on the bench.
"Ryan Spittle had run himself into the ground and probably we would have made the substitution ten minutes earlier but Ant's not as fit as he used to be - he keeps himself in fairly good shape - but we just wanted to try get him on to use his experience, maybe to draw one or two free kicks and to use his experience to bring one or two others into play. Fortunately he didn't have to last much longer than six minutes. It was a nice response from the crowd when he came on to the pitch.
"It was important for me personally not to finish bottom of the league. When we sat down with the chairman in late October and we discussed the options I couldn't have envisaged what would unfold. I naively perhaps though we could put a really competitive side together for nothing and maybe pick one or two results up but it's not turned out that way. Yes we've picked some results up, three or four draws, and we've been competitive in many games.
"The top sides have shown us why they are the top sides and we found ourselves in a bit of a situation where we've been looking over our shoulders. It was a big result for Brigg on Friday and I had a bit of a depressing weekend. For some reason I kept worrying about. That was the disappointing thing about today that we didn't pick three points up to make sure of it ourselves we've had to rely on results elsewhere. But from a personal point of view and my own pride and that of the players it was important that we didn't finish in that relegation slot. Demotion as opposed to relegation if that's what the FA decide to do we as a club decide to do that's the way forward it's an entirely different thing.
"It's been a long tough old season and a lot of people might have said it really didn't matter but to me and the players it did matter not to be in that relegation slot.
"The players who have come back and played for nothing when they could have been being paid elsewhere like Carl Slater, Jamie Barrett and Brian Woodall, have had a huge impact. Since they've come back we've looked a lot more solid and more organised. Jamie Barrett for example has been immense almost every game and I don't think he's put a foot wrong in every game he's played.
"Carl Slater has led the way and he leads by example and we've had a discussion today and regardless of what happens to us next season he wants to consider being here next season regardless of our position. I'm sure we'll have to fight off a lot of interest from other clubs but that sums up the guy, he's been inspirational for us.
"I fairness to Brian Woodall it was fairly easy decision for him. He was at Atherstone but not getting games and it was unfortunate that he got sent off and missed three games and then one through personal commitments but he showed today that he's got that bit of quality that perhaps the players we had at our disposal perhaps didn't possess and he's got an important goal for us today.
"Credit to them for coming back from the situation we were in and we were pleased about that. There are a lot of young players who have come through and have learnt a lot from this level of football this season and that's going to be important in future years for them personally let alone whether they remain Gresley players in the summer.
"A spin off of the situation we are in is not being able to discuss next season with the players but it's one I'm happy to work under. The players know that our hands are tied because we can't plan at this stage. From my point of view regardless of what people think its job done, we've not finished bottom.
"Brigg may well be saved yet at this level of football it remains to be seen but I'd rather the administrator, FA or UniBond determine our future than have it determined for us by finishing bottom.
"It is frustrating but I'm sure that as soon as the season finishes maybe even before we might see some action in terms of what may take shape next season.
"I've seen on the club forum that there is a discussion about whether we prefer to stay at this level with a points deduction or whether we'd be happy to play at a lower level and get ourselves in order and come forward. I'm very open minded as far as I'm concerned personally. Whatever the best for the club is the thing I'm going to be one hundred and ten percent behind. If that's going down a league or two many other teams have done it but some patience is needed maybe because we haven't got the finances if things are sorted out, to throw money at big budgets.
"Whatever happens next season, whatever level we play at we'll have a very modest budget but obviously it will be a budget compared to what we've got now which is nothing.
"There are people in the club who feel we should have been doing better than we are. One example Stocksbridge are clearly a better side than us head and shoulders and you look at their bench they had the likes of Vil Powell available and they are not playing there for nothing.
"We are disappointed that we've not put more points on the table but you can't compare us to the likes of Stocksbridge, Belper and Retford and the resources they have and fair play to them as well. They've got their clubs in order and they've got the resources to pay half decent wages out at this level.
"We thought we had and for two or three seasons now it's been very difficult and there are things I would like to say about the last two or three seasons and maybe at one stage I will do. But it has been difficult trying to manage a side paying half decent wages for the first half of the season and for the second half couldn't so it's been frustrating.
"The key thing is which is bigger than me or any individual at the club is the fact that Gresley survive and we have a future and at this stage would like to be part of that future but that remains to be seen.
"We've got two games left Stamford next week and Grantham on the last day and once the final ball's been kicked we can put our feet up and look back on a frustrating but challenging season one that for the most part everyone stuck together.
"I'm delighted with the gate today, fantastic support and the supporters share my frustration no doubt and during games you can hear the frustration from them but respect to some of the players they are limited to what they can do. But to have the gates we get, and yes they've dropped off a bit in the last few weeks, is credit to the people of Gresley and the local community and it does show the potential if people do want to make sure the club survives."
