East Midlands Counties League
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Saturday, 30th October 2010, 3.00pm
Nomads No Match For Gresley
If anyone of the visitors to the Moat Ground were expecting a goal fest as in the two teams previous encounter at the end of August they were soon disappointed as Anstey provided a much sterner test.
Gresley found a Nomads defence hard to break down but Rob Spencer went close with a low stinging shot that was deflected off target. From the resultant corner from Brian Woodall Jamie Barrett fired over the bar from the edge of the area.
Spencer then tested Nomads keeper Stefan Joyce who denied the front man from scoring by producing a stunning save to tip the powerfully struck volley onto the bar.
On 24 minutes Nomads almost took the lead when Darren Taylor's persistence got the better of Barrett but his lob landed over the bar with Gresley's keeper Gary Hateley well off his line.
Minutes later it was Gresley's turn to go close when a free kick by Woodall just to the right of Nomad's penalty area was struck low to Carl Slater who fired his first time shot fractionally wide of the post.
Nomads were defending well and just as it seemed they'd held out until the break Spencer broke into the area but was sliced down by James Edmonds giving referee Mr Pursglove no choice but to point to the spot. Blenkinsopp was on penalty duty and duly dispatched his kick sending Joyce the wrong way.
Gresley increased their lead two minutes into the second half when Woodall made a superb run down the right and fired in a cross that was met by Spencer and with a slight help from a defender the ball beat Joyce and ended in the back of the net.
A good move down the left saw Adam Betteridge set up Blankinsopp but the final shot went wide and minutes later Barrett also fired wide after receiving the ball from a Woodall free kick.
Goal number three came on 76 minutes when a cross from the left was headed on by Blenkinsopp and substitute Liam Hebberd diving full length powered his header into the net at the far post.
With Nomads visibly tiring Gresley added goal number four with three minutes of the game remaining. A good passing move ended with Spencer laying the ball back to Blenkinsopp who curled the sweetest of shot round the diving Joyce and into the bottom corner of the net.
Manager's View
"I was really, really pleased with the clean sheet and the win because I was nervous in the build up that these (Anstey) have really turned around and it was chalk and cheese from when we last played them.
"By my reckoning they have five new players in the starting line-up and seven in the squad from when we played them a few weeks ago.
"Credit to their manager Andy Miller who has got them really organised and working for each other and that's as hard as we've had to work to get the three points in any game this season at home.
"I felt the four-nil score line was a little bit harsh on them because they were well in the game and battled very, very well.
"We really didn't get going but we didn't play well and won the game four-nil so I'd have certainly have took that last week we didn't play well and created enough chances to win the game but we didn't quite do so.
"Before the penalty we had one or two definates in there for me! There were shoves in the back and I don't know if I've missed something in the last couple of weeks and there is a new rule come out where you can shove blatantly two hands in the back and get away with it because we had one last week even more blatant. Sometimes they for us and sometimes they don't but fortunately we got the penalty on the stroke of halftime and we got our noses in front.
"I thought we had a couple of good chances in the opening forty five one of which their keeper made a fantastic save to tip Rob Spencer's shot onto the bar and I thought we just about shaded the first half and just about deserved to be ahead at half time.
"In the second half we were a bit fortuitous in the first minute. Rob Spencer is claiming the goal although there was an element of an own goal but we'll take that and it settled us down a bit and without really dominating the half, we continued to have a lot of the possession and it was pleasing to get the extra two goals.
"When we got the penalty my first thought was 'oh dear' and although me and Brian Woodall have had a talk about it and if he'd have taken it I would have backed him. The two penalties Brian has missed recently were struck with conviction and with purpose and on both occasions there were very good saves from the keepers and David Blenkinsopp's penalty against Radcliffe was very well struck down the middle but he went on to score four that day.
"Today David steps up, wanted it and tucked it away very nicely and it was nice to see it hit the back of the net after missing the last three.
"Richard Butler did a fantastic job for us as centre half against Shepshed for us and I think he played as centre half against Grantham in a friendly last year for fitness reasons that day and he's showed he can do it for us.
"There was a dilemma with our team selection really in terms of Tom Land looking to bounce back from the Holwell game where we had some words after the game. Credit to the lad he had a good game for Stapenhill last week on loan and a game or so for the reserves. His application in training as been good for the last week or so and it was a choice whether we throw Tom straight back into the fire or just drafted him back into the squad and go with Richard.
"We decided to go with that little bit more experience in Richard and I'm pleased we've got that versatility within the squad. It's a great squad to work with and we were missing a few today. Some of them may be available next week and it just gives us great problems to have.
"Tom Land never left the club. I had words with both Jack Coulson and Tom after the Howell game perhaps in the heat of the moment. I've apologised to Tom because I had a bit of a go at him in the dressing room and I forget he's only 20 years old and maybe there are certain players that I need to take to one side privately rather than in the dressing room environment. I'm happy to hold my hands up if I make a mistake like that.
"Tom is big and strong; he's focussed and he's got good people around him and he's well liked. I really hope he can knuckle down and break into the side and get that form he showed last season when he was a regular. That's what he wants and that's what we want. There are no guarantees for anybody and as long has he's working hard and has the right attitude he has a very good chance of doing that."
