First Silverware For Gresley FC
(Steve Hackett Memorial Trophy Final)
Tuesday, 4th August 2009, 7.00pm
The Hawfields, Newhall
This Steve Hackett Memorial Trophy final between near neighbours Gresley and Newhall United began with a one minute round of applause in respect of the local young referee.
Gresley started with a cross from Andy Elliott being headed just wide by new signing Rob Spencer and minutes later Callum Keenan firing a shot straight into the arms of United's keeper Brad Clarke.
Stefan Marshall then went close for Gresley but his chip cleared not only the keeper but also the cross bar.
The tall striker didn't have long to wait as two minutes later he opened the scoring after beating the offside trap and slipping the ball under Clarke.
For the next twenty of minutes or so the game became very scrappy with both sides struggling to get into any sort of rhythm.
It wasn't until the 40th minute that any goal mouth action happened and it resulted in Gresley doubling their advantage.
A good move down the right saw Marshall get almost to the bye-line before picking out Spencer who confidently controlled the ball before smashing the ball into the far corner of the net.
United's Greg Smith went the closest to registering for his side when he managed to get down the right before flashing across the face of the goal.
Right on the stroke of half time Gresley made it three. Yet another good move down the right saw Marshall completely wrong foot a defender before squaring the ball to Spencer who tapped in from close in.
On 51 minutes Richard Draycott had a chance for Newhall but Gresley keeper Simon Baldwin made a fine block to deny him.
Marshall was causing problems down the right with the home defenders finding it almost impossible to contain him and once more he got into a good position but this time although he beat the keeper his shot went agonisingly wide and then from a corner by James Davies Marshall's effort went over the bar.
Gresley did add to their tally on 69 minutes when substitute Chris Burnham cross from the right picked out fellow substitute Royce Turville whose low header beat Clarke.
Keenan was denied by the two uprights as his shot clattered the far post, ran across the goal line, clipped the near post and away to safety.
The Gresley score could or rather should have increased by two or three towards the end of the game with Jamie Barrett heading a decent chance wide, Turville's shot blocked by Clarke and Burnham's close shot straight at the keeper.
United did claim a late consolation when former Moatman Jon Jenkinson beat two defenders in the area before lashing the ball past Baldwin.
Manager's View
"The game was awful for the first half. It was very scrappy and we just didn't get any passing going. We were looking like the first half against Stapenhill to be honest we just didn't get any passing or movement going as we'd done in our previous two games the Coalville game and the Shepshed game on Saturday.
"We've changed it around a little bit tonight. There are lads who need pitch time and we've left a few lads out because we've got Thursday, Saturday and Tuesday in mind.
"There were one or two players out there who perhaps are not where they ought to be in terms of match fitness but nevertheless it descended from a fairly comfortable start in the first ten minutes to being very scrappy with the ball getting caught under peoples feet and no tempo. There was no purpose to our play and we had a chat at half time and tried to address that.
"It was a little bit better in the second half but overall for the ninety minutes I didn't get much out of that in terms of effective performance just fitness really. Hopefully, we haven't picked any injuries up. Stef (Marshall) has come off with what we think is a tight hamstring or a slight tweak to the muscle but we'll have to see overnight how it settles down.
"It's nice to have won some silverware but at the end of the day you have to take a step back and realise why we are here (in the competition)to commemorate and remember Steve Hackett who was obviously well know in the local area from a footballing point of view.
"We are pleased to win it, a small piece of history in terms that it's the first silverware for Gresley FC and let's hope it's the first of a few over the coming years but time will tell on that but the main purpose for tonight for both Newhall and us was to commemorate Steve and remember him.
"Towards the end, although we weren't disappointed with the football it could have been a few more but for some wasteful finishing on our part and some good saves from Brad Clarke who did well. We were very wasteful in front of goal as Shepshed were on Saturday.
"Chris Burnham from the reserves came on and showed some good movement and got in some good positions and could have had a hat trick - should have had a hat trick to be honest. Perhaps the chances fell to the wrong people. I was itching for Royce Turville to get on the end of one or two but he had his chances and got his goal.
"Brad made a good save and pulled one out of the corner but if any of those half chances had fell to Royce I fancied him to have one or two more goals.
"We switched things about tonight and we put one or two people in the starting line-up that perhaps come Tuesday will be a little bit behind in terms of their match fitness. We could have one or two more bodies in the squad come Thursday and we will swap it about a little bit more and there will be one or two who started on the bench tonight will maybe start and one or two lads who weren't available will start on Thursday. We don't want many people having three games before we start next Tuesday."
