East Midlands Counties League
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Saturday, 13th February 2010, 3.00pm
Slater Double Helps Gresley To The Points
Gresley's last league defeat was at the hand of today's opponents Gedling Miners Welfare in a game which Gresley dominated but could only take one of several good chances. Whereas the hosts scored from two of only three chances of the game to luckily take all three points.
So today was a chance to put that travesty behind them but it didn't look too promising as Welfare took the lead on 20 minutes but the home side struck back with four first half goals to deservedly take the spoils.
Welfare's Lance Walker was the busier of the two keepers making smart saves from both Royce Turville and Mickey Lyons within the first twelve minutes of the game.
Despite all the early pressure Gresley went behind from a set piece. A needless free kick conceded by Jack Coulson - which earned him a booking - just outside the area was confidently despatched into the top corner by Welfare's Craig Boulton.
The lead lasted just five minutes as the home side responded positively. A corner from the left by Matt Hill swung into the box and Gareth Langford ducked at the near post and the ball sailed into the far top corner of the net with the keeper helpless.
Three minutes later Gresley were ahead when Royce Turville laid the ball back for Carl Slater to hammer from 20 yards into the top corner again with Walker rooted to the floor. Mickey Lyons then tried a shot from distance that Walker did well to hold on to.
Just after the half hour mark, referee Mr Rowbotham had to be replaced by his colleague Mr Murfin due to an injury which led to a lengthy period of stoppage while a replacement assistant referee was called for out of the crowd. Thankfully one volunteered and the game was able to continue.
Gresley's third goal came on 37 minutes as a result of a very poor pass back. Lyons pounced and slipped the ball back to Slater who replicated his earlier goal beating Walker again from distance.
The game was a good as ended with five minutes of the first half remaining when Lyons picked out Rob Spencer with a cross from the right and he duly powered home his header.
Gresley began the second half strongly with the hard working Turville heading Slater's cross powerfully towards goal only for Walker to make another good save low down to his left to deny the striker a deserved goal.
On 68 minutes Welfare almost reduced the deficit as Chris Ison beat the offside trap and raced through but the outstretched leg of home keeper Gary Hateley prevented a goal.
Jordi Gough then had a half chance but flashed his shot across the face of the goal and wide of the far post.
Warren Hatfield then went close with a stinging half volley that flew just the wrong side of the far post. The visitors had an even better chance on 83 minutes when Barry Payne was put through down the right but he chose to try and put a pass across the area to two team mates waiting in space but it was a poor effort and the chance had gone.
Gresley substitute Adam Betteridge went close to adding two more goals in the dying minutes of the game. The first when he flashed a shot across goal and the wrong side of the far post and then sending a flying header just over the bar.
Manager's View
"After today's game it's a bit early to know if we've got any fresh injuries. Nobody has said they are struggling. The substitutes today were nothing to do with injuries so hopefully we haven't.
"We are concerned with Richard Butler who's getting on a bit now and his groin was getting a bit stiff. He was in at one o'clock for a fitness test and come through that. The last two games he's complained of a tight groin afterwards and it was a heavy pitch so I would expect maybe him to be a concern for Wednesday but we'll see how he settles down.
"Brian Woodall could be in contention on Wednesday. He was on the bench today and we could have sent him on with twenty, thirty minutes to it go but the situation the game was in we felt we'd take the opportunity to get him a little bit nearer one hundred percent fitness. He's probably around eighty five, ninety and an eighty five, ninety per cent fit Brian Woodall is going to be a handful for anybody. So, we thought with the position of the game being four one up and the second half a bit of a none event we didn't really want to risk sending him on and we were able to hold him back a little bit.
"At four one up at half time in some respects it was a little disappointing that we couldn't extend the lead in the second half. I said to the guys in the dressing room at half time that an absolute minimum we want the score to stay the same.
"Unfortunately we didn't quite get going in the second half it was a very bitty affair. The movement, the passing and the fluency we saw for spells in the first half which were very, very good we just didn't get to the heights.
"Whilst a lot of the guys are disappointed in the dressing room at the end of the day four one against a very, very good side we've effectively won the game in a fifteen minute spell maybe a twenty minute spell when we've come from one down on twenty minutes to be leading on forty minutes - okay we had the break for the referee's problem in the first half - but we scored four goals in that period and most were very, very good goals, the corner was a bit lucky.
"It's a difficult one at four one because we cause ourselves problems in situations like that. Last week for example we went four one up and were cruising controlling the game, we only needed a goal to go and fair play to Gedling Miners Welfare they never stopped battling and had a few half opportunities. Some they worked and some we presented them and had one sneaked in then it would have been a bit more of an edgy affair.
"It's good to see the goals being shared about. The skipper has come up with another two today and I think he's probably in double figures now this season and it's nice to have him on the sheet. Matt Hill scored one rather fortuitously from a corner but Brian Woodall was warming up down there and told him to shoot apparently, how true that is I don't know and Rob Spencer then popped up with another goal.
"So it is nice to be sharing the goals around. Royce Turville hasn't scored today but a massive performance again today from him and he was a very unlucky at the end with a header. Mickey Lyons went close once or twice in the first half - we've got threats all over the place let alone we've got a twenty three, twenty four goal player sat in the dugout as well so it's pleasing.
"Simon Baldwin has played for the reserves today and Stefan Marshall is ill. He rang me this morning and there is a bit of a bug going round at work and Stefan has unfortunately caught that. Hopefully he'll be recovered in time for Wednesday.
"I was a bit concerned because of the balance of the bench. It meant that with Matt Weightman working today and Stefan's illness we were a little light with forward options so we brought Tom Land into the squad and Tom Betteridge was named on the bench but he probably needs another week or so to be considered in realistic terms."
