East Midlands Counties League
The Greene King Stadium, Hinckley
Saturday, 13th March 2010, 3.00pm
Gresley Downes And Out
For the umpteenth time this season Gresley were the authors of their own downfall as they failed to put away some gilt edged chances and gave away some sloppy goals. The inconsistency of the match referee didn't help giving Downes a penalty but then waving away an arguably more certain spot kick late in the game to deny Gresley at least the chance of grabbing a point.
Gresley had a half chance on 8 minutes when a weak shot from Mickey Lyons was unbelievably spilled by Wayne Connolly and Royce Turville was on to the loose ball like a flash but his shot cannoned off the keeper for a corner.
Four minutes later Turville went even closer when he beat Connolly to Matt Hill's right wing cross. Turville's header seemed goal bound but was held up in the very stiff wind and cleared off the line by Josh Rapley.
Gresley took the lead on 16 minutes when a good inter change of passes between Hill and Lyons ended with Hill slotting the ball past Connolly and into the far bottom corner of the net.
The visitors should have doubled their advantage just minutes later when Brian Woodall picked out Tom Betteridge to his left in acres of space but with only the keeper to beat the final shot went well over the bar.
Gresley were well on top but couldn't take advantage of the good positions and chances they were creating. Turville was provider but a shot from Lyons lacked any power making the save from Connolly an easy one.
To their credit Downes got themselves back into the game after being under pressure for the first 30 minutes and levelled on 39 minutes.
A needless free kick conceded by Richard Butler was swung into the box from the right by Sam Young that perfectly picked out the unmarked Tom Hodson who powered his header past Gresley keeper Gary Hateley.
A freak back header almost gifted the home side the lead just seconds later when Chris Gray's effort to get the ball back to Hateley flew wind assisted over the head of his keeper but thankfully also past the outside of the upright.
The second half started in a similar vein to the first with Gresley making the early pressure. On 55 minutes Turville had a good attempt saved but two minutes later he made sure of his next effort.
A long punt out of defence was well flicked on by Woodall who calmly strode forward to slot the ball past Connolly.
It looked so comfortable for Gresley but things were soon to change as Downes began to get on top. Another free header this time from Jarrod Pickering brought out a good save from Hateley before a decent overhead shot from Danny Newton flew just over the bar.
On 69 minutes Connolly was caught wide on his right touch line trying to clear the ball by Turville who laid the ball back for Lyons. Lyons tried his luck from distance but saw his shot deflected for a corner by the retreating defence.
Gresley defensive frailties were evident again on 69 minutes when after losing a 50/50 ball down the right Ben Laxton was given free rein to run down the wing before picking out Pickering at the far post who slotted the ball home.
Another glorious chance went begging for Gresley 70 minutes when Turville made a great run down the right and sent over an inviting cross for Lyons who looked odds on to plant his header into the gaping net but somehow the end result went wide.
Downes sensed the possibility of snatching the ball and raised their game for the final period of the game and was the width of the bar from taking the lead for the first time.
Newton stole the ball off Gray just outside the area and fired a ball that cannoned back off the woodwork and then at the other end Carl Slater fired a shot straight into the midriff of Connolly.
Downes did take the lead on 78 minutes when Sam Taylor was brought down just inside the area by Jamie Barrett - substitute Adam Cayless sent Hateley the wrong way from the spot.
A moment of controversy denied Gresley the chance of grabbing at least a point out of the game. With just minutes remaining Turville beat the Downes defence only to be hacked down from behind as he ran into the area. The inconsistency of the referee Mr Pearce was evident as he waved away what was a more certain spot kick than the one he's awarded ten minutes or so earlier much to the annoyance of players, management and supporters alike.
Gresley had another couple of half chances but they were to no avail and they slipped to their fifth league defeat of the season leaving their title hopes hanging by the thinnest of threads.
Manager's View
"This was a hugely disappointing result. It was very similar thing to the other night with the chances we had in the first half. A couple of chances we had in the second half that would have been easier to score.
"I'm thinking of getting my own boots out because I could have put some of those in to be honest. It's very frustrating.
"We played a very young side who tried to get the ball down and play with it. Having got in front we were controlling the game and we've simply thrown it away. Even if we weren't going to score any more at least try to defend properly. The manner in which we defended again leaves a lot to be desired. It's sounding like a broken record at the moment but we need to sort it out quickly.
"It's fair to assume that there may be changes on Tuesday. We've backed the lads to be honest and it was only a few weeks ago when we'd had just one defeat in twenty five games and in the quarter-finals of the FA Vase.
"I always maintained throughout that good run that there was a blip to come. Football's a funny game enjoy it while you can because you're going to hit a blip sooner than later. That isn't being negative it's being realistic, it's football and we are in a blip so we've got to sift the wheat from the chaff and see those who want to roll their sleeves up give it a good go and have got the qualities and the appetite for the remainder of the season and try and shift those out who haven't.
"Yes, there'll be changes on Tuesday. I'll back the lads from pillar to post this season but there comes a time when you have to say 'okay you've been behind them enough this season and been saying the same things to them'.
"I said to Tom Betteridge at half time about composure in front of goal and that's all it is. We try to walk the ball in, just hit the target, it's not hard but we try to take the leather off the ball. Mickey Lyons's header - it was easier to score form there rather than miss.
"It's frustrating. Should we have had a penalty towards the end? Even their bench said it was a penalty because he got the man first but the referee thought he's got a bit of the ball. But that's how it goes when you're not getting the best of luck and at the minute it's not going for us but we don't throw the towel in we keep going.
"Their first goal came from a cheap needless free kick. Richard Butler has had a torrid first forty five minutes and capped it off by giving a free kick away. They've tossed the ball into the box and they've two players challenging for the ball. There was a lot of talk at half time about their players climbing all over our defenders for the ball but I said to them just get on with it. We weren't on the right side, we were outside the guy who put the ball in the net rather than on the inside defending properly as I call it and from my point of view we've got to defender better than that.
"Adam Betteridge was not in the sixteen today. Richard Butler has been doing well up to recently and we've got Rhys Powell who can play at left back and Jordi Gough who plays left back and a number of other positions so Adam has not been in the sixteen just recently and we're going to review that and see if he gets a chance.
"Jordi has expressed an interest to play at left back and he played at left back for us all last season so we've got to look at the balance of the bench and the versatility we have within the squad and that's why Adam hasn't been involved."
