Match Report  |  Rocester vs Gresley FC

This was a game of two halves with a blustery wind having a say in the matters. The game played for the impressive Don Hill Memorial Trophy was won by a solitary goal scored in the first half by Gresley's Lee Sutton.

Gresley playing with the wind at their backs were quick into attack with Brian Woodall making a good run down the right but his low cross into the area just eluded Royce Turville running into the box. Sutton then went close firing Tom Betteridge's cross from the left just wide of the post.

The first chance for Rocester came on 10 minutes when Connor Bird attempted to chip Gresley's keeper Gary Hateley but his effort went well over the bar.

Five minutes later Woodall drove a hard low shot that Roman's keeper Richard Froggatt did well to grab at the second attempt.

The visitors continued to press and Woodall made yet another good run down the right flank before picking out Turville whose first time low shot was well held by Froggatt.

However, on 25 minutes Froggatt couldn't prevent the visitors from taking the lead when Sutton fastened on to the end of Richard Butler's superb cross from the left blasting the ball home from close in.

Rocester then produced their best move of the game but a poor finish from Luke Chapman spoilt the effort as he blasted well wide of the target.

Frogatt was on hand again to prevent his side from slipping further behind making a good save as Sutton poked the ball towards goal from Woodall pass.

On the stroke of halftime a bizarre piece of refereeing almost handed Rocester an undeserved equaliser. Jamie Barrett sliced his clearance from a Rocester free kick and the ball ballooned thirty feet into the air and towards the by-line for what would have been a corner kick.

The wind caught the ball and as it dropped just inside his area Gresley keeper Gary Hateley caught the ball and to everyone's total unbelief and amusement, well almost everyone, the referee Mr Faunch adjudged that it was a back pass and awarded a free kick but justice was done as the kick went well wide.

Rocester made the better start to the second half and aided by the wind put the visitors under pressure forcing several corners but to no avail.

Gresley themselves forced a corner on 59 minutes with Tom Land heading Mickey Lyons' kick wide. It was then Rocester's turn to try their hand from a corner but Ashley Justin could only head wide of the far post.

On 70 minutes Rocester almost grabbed a leveller when Jack Langston powered a header that looked all the world to be heading into the bottom corner of the net but keeper Hateley make a superb athletic dive to his right pushing the ball around the bottom of the far post.

In the final fifteen minutes Gresley went close to extending their lead. A ball into the area saw Woodall have two bites of the cherry with shots that the keeper did well to block and right at the end of the game Sutton had an effort cleared off the line by Bird.