East Midlands Counties League
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Saturday, 23rd April 2011, 3.00pm
Slater Stunner Hits The Ton
On a very warm sunny afternoon Gresley crashed through the one hundred league goals barrier with captain Carl Slater having the privilege of scoring the goal.
Gresley manager Gary Norton played the same side that won at Radcliffe on Tuesday with the addition of Barry Woolley to the bench and they started very well in front of the second highest home gate of the season.
The homeside were unfortunate not to have had a penalty on 7 minutes when the bounce beat Prims keeper David Kinder but as Royce Turville looked to capitalise Kinder pulled him back and amazingly referee Mark Pursglove waved away the protests.
However, Turville got his revenge a minute later when Brian Woodall picked him out and Turville coolly lobbed the stranded Kinder.
Another good shout for a spot kick came on 30 minutes when Matt Adcock and Matt Brown both dived in sending Tom Betteridge sprawling inside the area but astonishingly once more Mr Pursglove saw nothing wrong with the tackles.
Gresley should have added to their total a minute later when Woodall bedazzled his marker and then feeding Turville who held the ball up superbly well before setting Mickey Lyons up for the shot which unfortunately he blazed well over the bar.
Again Gresley went close this time a great cross from Danny Holmes saw Gareth Langford connect with the ball but stretching to reach it he could only spoon it over the bar.
Prims only real chance of the half came on 36 minutes when Rob Fretwell met Brown's corner from the left but his powerfully headed attempt was acrobatically palmed away from the top corner by Gresley keeper Gary Hateley.
Despite Gresley piling on the pressure they were caught cold on 41 minutes. They were left to rue the two or three missed opportunities when a long ball through the middle saw Alex Bolt run forward beating the offside trap and although Jordi Gough caught up with him Bolt was strong enough to hold off his attention before slipping the ball past Hateley.
The second half began in a similar vein as the first with Gresley pressing the visitors back into their own defensive third and Woodall tested Kinder with a shot that the keeper did well to push away and second later Turville had a chance to add to his tally when he ran onto a through ball but the normally efficient finisher scooped the ball over the bar.
Although the home supporters were a little anxious it looked like a goal would some be forthcoming with Gresley peppering the Prims goal with shots. Turville fired over again before Holmes hit a shot from distance that went straight into Kinder's midriff.
The pressure told on 57 minutes when Lyons raced across the edge of the area and slid a perfect pass for Turville to hammer home.
The home side were in complete control with the midfield dominating proceedings and the chances were coming thick and fast with Tom Betteridge going close with a shot that whistled past the far post and moments later Prims keeper Kinder somehow managed to prevent Woodall's header from Tom Betteridge's cross, from finding the back of the net.
Kinder was in action seconds later when Woodall played a one-two with Turville before hitting a shot that the keeper juggled before grabbing the ball.
Gresley's third goal was a memorable one for the club. Woodall passed the ball back Turville who in turn laid the ball back for Slater who hit a thunderous volley from 20 yards that beat a static Kinder and arrowed into the top corner for Gresley 100th goal of this campaign.
Turville was replaced by David Blenkinsopp with 20 minutes remaining and as in previous games he was soon in action. Lyons dribbled through the defence and pushed a perfect pass to Blenkinsopp who was unlucky to see his side footed shot fly the wrong side of an upright.
Blenkinsopp soon made up for the miss in superb style four minutes later. A great pass from Gough was expertly controlled by Blenkinsopp who then turned his marker before hammering his shot beating the keeper at the near post.
The only Prims second half effort came on 77 minutes when Fretwell put substitute Jim Slack though on the right of the area but the final shot was a poor one going straight at Hateley.
That was the last attempt on goal for the visitors as Gresley continued to push forward looking for another goal.
Blenkinsopp went close after being put through by Gough but his shot was well smothered by Kinder but the keeper could do nothing to prevent Gresley from adding a fifth goal. On 90 minutes a Tom Betteridge cross from the right found Lee Barrow whose looping header beat Kinder and landed in the back of the net.
Manager's View
"I've just told the lads that they are through to the quarter finals now. That's how it is now we've just got to grind out the results and we've managed to do that today. The score should have been a few more to be honest.
"It was a spirited performance in the first half but we didn't take the chances presented to us which were really good ones and they may have knocked the stuffing out of Prims a little bit. But we missed them and at still one -nil down they had something to hang onto. Prims were competing and running all over the place and we were pegged back just before half time.
"We were a little bit sloppy in the build up, not getting to things first, a couple of chances to get on the ball first and then one ball got in behind us and Jamie Barrett was just a yard or so behind the line we had keeping Alex Bolt on side and he showed some great strength because to hold Jordi Gough off like that there are not many players who could hold him off like that upper body wise, but he composed himself and made it one-one.
"I was really pleased because we had a bit of a dig at half time and I felt that for the whole of the second half Prims were on the back foot and but for some fantastic goalkeeping and wastefulness in front of goal maybe it would have been one or two more. But to be honest if you'd have offered me three points this morning I'd have just taken that because that's all I was interested in.
"In fairness to Prims perhaps they tired a little in the second half becaue it was a very hot afternoon out there and I hope they are not too tired for Monday as they've got a big game against the Vics.
"Carl Slater's goal, which took us through the one hundred goal barrier, must be up there with one of the top goals of the season. It was quite important as well only being two-one up anything could have happened because at the time Prims still had something to hang onto. The longer it remained with the one goal advantage perhaps we'd have got a bit nervous like I felt we did in the first half. But, what a time to pop up and get a cracking goal and how fitting that it was our one hundredth goal. And then David Blenkinsopp went on and his attitude has been absolutely fantastic of late and every time he goes on he causes a threat. It's such a dilemma now to know whether we go four-four-two with Blenks in there or to stick with the system we've got with Royce Turville and Mickey Lyons just off.
"Mickey set the first goal up after seven minutes and then set the second up with a deft little through ball so we've got great options at the moment and it's a great position to be in.
"Barry Woolley wasn't close to starting because I don't see any reason to change the back four who have played in the last couple of games. He was there in case we picked a knock up or whether we wanted to throw him up there as a big threat in the game if we needed something. It was comforting to have him on the bench to look round and to see him there but Lee barrow has done really well as has Gareth Langford who has dropped back with him so we are pleased with that at the moment. But it's good to have that competition and quality on the bench if needed.
"We've now got to concentrate on our own results and what will be, will be. With having a free week will help with any tired limbs or knocks we may have. We'll have a training session in the week and then travel over to Gedling Town to try to keep things rolling."
