East Midlands Counties League
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Saturday, 18th September 2010, 3.00pm
Olympic Torched By Blenkinsopp
It took just 30 seconds for David Blenkinsopp to herald his surprise return to Gresley with the prolific striker adding three more to round off a spectacular first appearance at the Moat Ground this season.
Supporters had barely taken their places when Gresley went one up almost straight from the kick off after Oliver Hancock slid the ball into the area where Blenkinsopp was waiting to slot the ball past the stunned Olympic keeper David Parkes.
On 7 minutes Gresley's Rob Spencer almost made it two as again Hancock supplied a tempting cross that Spencer almost got on the end of.
Gresley had Radcliffe back on their heels with Royce Turville hitting a shot that Parkes spilled. Blenkinsopp collected the loose ball and slipped it back to Spencer whose shot was well blocked.
The pressure told on 27 minutes when a superb long pass from Jordi Gough landed perfectly for Turville who controlled the ball before firing in a low cross and Blenkinsopp beat both keeper and defender to push the ball into the net.
The second goal seemed to awaken Olympic who started to get back into the game playing some good passing football and they reduced the deficit on 33 minutes. A short corner by Ben Richardson was returned to him by Phil Massingham. Richardson then picked out Massingham, who'd moved into the area, with a high ball that the forward flicked on with his head and into the far corner of the net.
Just after the hour Gresley's Tom Land went close but put his header straight at the keeper but then on 39 minutes the home side won a penalty when Hancock was tripped as he ran into the area giving referee no alternative but to point to the spot.
Blenkinsopp took the penalty kick but Parkes somehow managed to stick out a hand and direct the ball up and it clattered the underside of the bar and bounced out. Richard Butler then hit a well placed volley but Parkes again made a fine save to push the ball away for a corner.
With the second half only three minutes old, Massingham beat a flatfooted Gresley back line but his shot was well saved by Gresley keeper Gary Hateley.
Blenkinsopp was close to adding to his tally turning on the edge of the box but flashing his shot just past the far post and minutes later Hancock went close hitting Butler's cross from the left with a spectacular overhead kick which also flew the wrong side of the upright.
Gresley desperately needed another goal as Olympic were having the better of the play in the second half and they should have levelled the game on 68 minutes. Aaron Korol raced down the left and provided a low cross which the onrushing Carl Westcott should have smashed into the net but his half hearted effort was cleared by Land.
Olympic were to rue that oportunity because that man Blenkinsopp made them pay for the miss two minutes later.
Substitute Adam Betteridge, who'd replaced Spencer five minutes earlier did well to get down the left and somehow Blenkinsopp got a flick on the ball and send it into the far corner of the net.
Mickey Lyons, who'd replaced Oliver Hancock, had a hand in Gresley and Blenkinsopp's fourth goal. His pin point cross from the right picked out Blenkinsopp who duly planted his header past Parkes and into the far corner.
The last chance of the game also fell to Gresley when the hard working Turville's replacement Richard Hanslow dribbled into the area and hit a low shot that brought out a very good save from Parkes making the block to deny the youngster.
But, the day belonged to Blenkinsopp who, at the end of the game, was applauded off the field by supporters and team mates alike.
Manager's View
"David Blenkinsopp we take all the plaudits but there were several good performances out there today. Jordi Gough has really come into his own in that left back slot this season. We are delighted with but there is work to do with him where he needs to improve. It sounds silly to say this after some of the passing today from him but it's more when he's got the ball at his feet and he's got simple options on he tends to give it away a little bit more than we would like.
"It was a big game for Jordi today and we're really pleased with how he's doing. He's strong, he's quick and comes forward well and he did very well. The other thing is he had a few opportunities and we know he can smash them from twenty, thirty yards and he's just got to work on getting his head over the ball and driving through it because when he does strike them and catch them it's going to give keepers problems but he troubled the ball boys more today from in front of goal rather than the goalkeeper!
"The game changed when Westcarr missed the chance. I think we had a little spell similar to the Gedling game when we just couldn't get out of our half. I thought the central two, the six and the eight, for Radcliffe were fantastic in midfield. They picked a lot of the loose balls up and then got them playing both sides trying to get it in to the big fellow Massingham up front who I rate a lot and they were also trying to thread Westcarr through looking to play of shoulders and stuff.
"They had a fifteen, twenty minute spell were we couldn't get hold of the ball and it cumulated in that chance. Westcarr is probably going to rue that because it was a chance to make it two-two. Fortunately we rode that one and we managed to get another couple. Fantastic finishes by David Blenkinsopp to get the third and fourth and we pressed on to get the goals that mattered.
"It was a huge bonus to get Royce Turville and Oliver Hancock on the pitch for seventy minutes. Royce, I made my mind up last night. Richard Hanslow hasn't done a lot wrong at all but you could see when he came on what a big threat he can be.
"We were keen to give Royce some more pitch time and we spoke this morning and said we would try to give him at least an hour and he was instrumental in the second goal. It was a fantastic cross to Dave Blenkinsopp for his second goal and Oliver Hancock as well with the cross after thirty seconds. It was a cross-cum-shot but he's been positive got something in the box and Dave stuck a toe out and it went in.
"Oliver is struggling a little bit with his back and a tight hamstring but we're very encouraged with that. Obviously we've got players to come back for potentially Tuesday's game.
"Both Lee Sutton and Chris Bate have had a run out with the reserves today so I'll be interested to see how they've gone on. It's important that we keep as many of the players match fit as we can. We've got a good competitive squad at the moment and the two signings we've made this week are to galvanise that and to give us options and it may mean one or two of the lads not getting as much football as they'd like but we'll have to see what happens about that but those two are very much part of our plans and with them having time on bench we thought it important to get them sixty - eighty minutes with the reserves, maybe ninety minutes because it was important for them.
"I've just said to the lads that except for Tuesday losing in the FA Cup we've been fairly good at home this season and we've just got to try and transfer that into our away performances. I still wake up in the middle of the night thinking of the Greenwood game because it was a bit horrific and we've got to make sure when we go away from home and win battles before we start worrying about winning games which is the most important thing.
"It'll be a tough game away at Barrow. A nice pitch and I'm hoping the pitch is as nice as last year. They've had a change over there with their manager leaving in the summer. New guys have gone in there and I don't know a lot about them.
"We have a few little knocks but we'll have Brian Woodall to select from and we're hopeful Liam Hebberd may be fit. Jack Coulson will be back in the frame as well. At the moment we have some good options and we may have Tom Betteridge fit as well. We've got to sit down and see who we've got available and pick the strongest squad we can for that game.
"It was a very good win for us today against a very good side who will be up there at the end of the season but it will not mean much if we don't capitalise on it in the next couple of games."
