East Midlands Counties League
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Saturday, 9th April 2011, 3.00pm
Five Star Gresley Close The Gap
Gresley closed the gap on the leading two sides Heanor Town and Borrowash Victoria with a great squad display in the warm Spring sunshine at the Moat Ground.
Before the game Gresley manager Gary Norton was concerned that he'd have a makeshift back line with Matt Hill, Jordi Gough, Barry Woolley and Jamie Barrett all carrying injuries and Tom and Adam Betteridge both out of the country on a stag weekend.
But, Hill and Barrett bravely decided to start with Gough taking a spot on the bench. Richard Butler, who had himself recently recovered from an injury, made his first start since early February slotting in at full back. Gareth Langford replaced Danny Holmes who took a place on the bench alongside Woolley who would only be used if absolutely necessary.
Gresley came out of the blocks quickly and were soon putting the Barrow keeper Adam Wilcox to the test with Turville hitting a shot, after making a good run down the right that the keeper had to gather at the second attempt with the striker threatening to pick up the rebound.
Barrett then went close but volleyed Woodall's cross from the right over the bar but the home side were ahead minutes later. A long free kick on 16 minutes was well controlled by Turville who then pushed the ball through to Mickey Lyons who slotted the ball past Wilcox and into the far bottom corner. Lyons almost doubled his tally a minute later but his effort went fractionally wide of the mark.
The first Barrow attempt on goal came on 21 minutes when a corner from the right by Craig Noble came to Jason Munn and his lopping header needed to be scrambled away for another corner from which they went close again. Noble's corner was not dealt with and the ball fell to Liam Fitzpatrick but he could only fire the ball into Gresley keeper Gary Hateley's midriff from close range.
Barrow were having the better of the play and they went even closer to levelling on 25 minutes when Ade Adelukan dribbled his way into the area but his shot lacked any power and was easily cleared off the line by Barrett.
On the half hour Gresley doubled their lead with a good footballing move down the right involving Lyons and Woodall which ended with Woodall smashing an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net.
Woodall was causing all manner of problems for the Barrow defenders and he controlled a long free kick superbly well but curled his shot just past the far post.
Barrow should have reduced the deficit with five minutes of the first half remaining when Adam Slater was picked out in lots of space but his shot from just inside the area was very well blocked by Hateley who had raced out quickly to snuff out the chance.
Gresley had a golden chance to put the game out of Barrow's reach minutes before the interval when a quick break down the left saw Turville cut the ball back for Carl Slater who blazed his shot over the bar from the edge of the area.
Norton made a change at the start of the second half with Danny Holmes replacing Barrett and it was the substitute who had a hand in extending Gresley's lead. On 56 minutes Holmes played a long ball that sliced the visiting defence in two and Turville raced forward and coolly slipped the ball past Wilcox and then Rob Spencer went agonisingly close to adding another when he met Holmes' corner from the right but headed the ball just wide.
Minutes later another telling pass from Holmes saw Turville again racing in on goal but this time the front man was denied by the legs of the advancing Wilcox. The hard working Holmes then robbed the ball off a dithering defender and fed the ball through for Lyons who ran forward but hit a shot into the side netting. Barrow went close but was denied by Langford clearing Adelukan's effort off the line.
Holmes was having a big effect in the play with some telling passes one of which picked out David Blenkinsopp, who had replaced Lyons, but again the final shot hit the side netting.
On 78 minutes the influential midfielder added goal number four. Spencer laid the ball back for Holmes who hit a tremendous shot from 22 yards into the top far corner leaving Wilcox grasping at thin air.
With only minutes remaining of the game Butler put a tremendous pass through to Blenkinsopp who got the better of his marker and was unlucky to see his curling shot fly the wrong side of the far post.
The game was ended with another fine Woodall goal. Spencer made a good run down the left and fired in a low cross into the box which eluded Turville but Woodall was on hand to smash the ball into the net.
A good result against one of the league's better sides made even better with the news that Borrowash had only drawn at Greenwood and Heanor had lost at Hinckley.
Manager's View
"There were a few decisions to be made before the game. We had four players in for fitness tests plus Danny Holmes had told me yesterday that he wasn't fit enough to play. Fortunately most of the lads passed their fitness tests so that was good.
"Matt Hill pulled up in the warm-up on Tuesday and I was quite surprised that he was fit enough to play. Jamie Barrett, although he passed his fitness test, had to come off at half time as he is being troubled with hamstring and groin problems. I'd have liked to have kept him on.
"We'd have liked to have had Jordi Gough in for a fitness test before the game but unfortunately he had a slight accident in his car on the way here so he didn't make it until halftime. Richard Butler went in there and did okay against Ade Adelukan who can trouble defences. Richard's not the quickest but he's done really well to be honest. There was a little ten minute spell in the first half where I was a bit concerned.
"Barry Woolley also had a fitness test but he still not quite there. He was fit enough for an emergency ten minutes if we'd have needed him so we had him on the bench. Tom and Adam Betteridge are aboard so it was a real squad effort today.
"To be honest I just wanted a win today. Barrow are a good side, they'd won four on the bounce coming into today but clearly we wanted to get a bit of revenge for their deserved victory when we played them and didn't get going that night apart for the last ten minutes when we got it back to two-two but then gave a soft goal away, but they deserved it on the night. In fairness to Barrow they'd got a few missing today as well.
"I thought we controlled the game fairly well. I was a bit concerned at half time although we were two nil up because we missed a couple of gilt edged chances with Brian Woodall screwing one wide and Carl Slater really in a good position blazing his shot over so knowing how well Barrow had done just recently I was very concerned but obviously when we got the third goal it seemed to knock the stuffing out of them a little bit although they did battle until the end.
"We are very much hoping that having a clear week will be of help to us with the number of lads not quite one hundred percent fit yet. We had to put Jordi Gough on although we wanted another week for him to recover from an ankle injury but then Matt Hill's thigh had gone so we'll have to see how Matt is during the week but we will have Tom Betteridge back who can slot in at right back but the week does give us an opportunity to let them have a bit of rest and recuperation and then we'll see them on Thursday for a light session and plan for Saturday from there.
"The clean sheet was a bonus but I felt we rode our luck a bit in the first half and we may have conceded a goal or two but I thought in the second half we defended very, very well and looked assured and we've not been doing too bad in that department of late.
"Just looking at the stats before today's game, Barrow are one of the few sides that had conceded less than us this year, thirty one goals, so to score five against them was the last thing I was thinking of when we came into the game.
"We'd agreed that Danny Holmes would be on the bench but obviously we had to bring him on and he did a decent job and got a tidy goal."
