FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round
Moorlands Sports Ground, Newark Road, Lincoln
Saturday, 11th September 2010, 3.00pm
It's All To Do Again
A 92nd minute goal from Carl Slater made sure that Gresley got the replay they deserved and their name in the hat for the next round of the FA Cup.
The first half was easily forgettable as neither side got a grip on the match and had few clear-cut chances but of those that did arrive the visitors had them all. On 11 minutes Richard Hanslow fired a shot straight at Moorland's keeper.
Just before the half hour mark the home side's only attempt on goal came from Sean Cann who tried a long range lob that cleared the bar by a distance.
Two minutes later a free kick taken by Mickey Lyons picked Gareth Langford over on the far post but the header was planted just the wrong side of the upright and from the goal kick Adam Betteridge picked up the loose ball and hit a stinger of a shot for 40 yards that beat keeper Mario Ziccardi but again flew the wrong side of the post.
The second half was much improved and saw Gresley take the lead on 52 minutes when Jordi Gough won the ball in the middle of the pitch and then he ran through the defence before slotting the ball past Ziccardi.
Slater almost doubled his side's advantage on 68 minutes when he hit a trade mark shot from 30 yards that Ziccardi acrobatically tipped over the bar and from the resultant corner taken Mickey Lyons Jack Coulson's goal bound header was deflected for another corner.
Again it was Lyons who provided the flag kick and it was Coulson once more who was unlucky as this time his shot was cleared off the line.
On 67 minutes Royce Turville replaced Richard Hanslow and again the popular striker was soon in the thick of things five minutes later as he was put through down the left but Zarccardi was on hand to block the attempt.
The action then swept up to the other end and Moorlands levelled. A good break down the left ended with Cann hitting a shot that Richard Butler cleared off the line at the far post but Ben Good was quick to react smashing the ball past Gary Hateley.
Gresley hit back with Lyons having his free kicked tipped away by Ziccardi and the unlucky Coulson seeing yet another of his attempts cleared off the line by a defender.
On 81 minutes Gresley had a blatant penalty appeal waved away. Gough once more broke away into the area and with only the keeper to beat a home defender pushed the Gresley player squarely in the back with both hands and amazingly the linesman and referee waved away what was a dead certain spot kick.
With the Gresley players, management and supporters still incensed by that woeful decision Moorlands rubbed salt in the wound by taking the lead with only seven minutes remaining. Gresley were slow to defend a run down the left and the cross was knocked in from close in by Good for his second of the game and what looked like a match winner.
Hateley then saved his side with a top draw save from a terrific free kick by Luke Forbes but to their credit Gresley didn't give up and they got their just rewards deep into time added on.
A ball through the middle was latched on by Slater and it took two attempts to control the ball but the Gresley skipper recovered his composure and rifled the ball past Ziccardi and into the roof of the net to give his side a very well deserved second bite of the cherry on Tuesday night.
Manager's View
"It was a cracking game and on the overall balance of play perhaps a draw was a fair result but having got into the position we did one-nil up just past midway in the second half we created two really good chances. Jack Coulson had a header cleared off the line - fantastic clearance, the guy didn't have much time a split second to head it up and over and then Royce Turville has gone through and yes the angle was tight, but he's gone through and it's ironic that from their goalkeeper's save they've gone and scored the equaliser from it which is frustrating.
"It was even more frustrating because Gary Hateley made a cracking save and we still had chance to clear it and we just hesitated that split second which sometimes is all that's needed and to fair to their big fellow he's fastened on to it and buried it for the equaliser.
"At one-one we had the most incredible penalty shout and both the linesman and the referee chose not to give it and it was astounding, absolutely astounding but you've got to hope that those things balance themselves out over the course of the season.
"I've not met anybody including their management team and supporters behind their dug out all in agreement that it was a nailed on penalty yet the referee and the linesman chose not to see it. I questioned the referee at the end and said if he (Jordi Gough) was looking for a penalty why didn't you book him and the referee said I didn't think he dived but he was looking for a penalty. I asked if there was contact and the referee said yes. Anywhere else on the pitch that would be a free kick. Jordi has slowed down and guy has hit him in the back with two hands and he's gone down and that's a penalty if it's in the box or a free kick anywhere else on the pitch but they didn't give it.
"We showed character because they scored late on but in the ninety second minute we managed to grab it. It's never dull is it and now we've got to do it again at our place.
"I was pleased with how the lads played on a different level to Tuesday night because there wasn't a lot of football played today. It's a big old pitch and they are a hardworking side and it was difficult to get the ball down and play our normal football. We weren't picking the second ball up and if we could pick them up we could try and play. It was a difficult afternoon for us because we didn't get the ball down and pass it and move it as well as we can do and we hope we can get that right on our home pitch.
"We've got to come away from home and be a little more resolute and we showed that for big patches today and fortunately we've come away with another bite of the cherry on Tuesday.
"I'm hoping some of the players missing today will be back on Tuesday because we had a right old dilemma especially on the right wing. I think we had five options on the right wing that we haven't been able to use today. Brian Woodall is away on holiday, Rob Spencer should be back for Tuesday providing he's not working and we are hoping to have Liam Hebberd back. I spoke to Liam this morning. He picked a dead leg up on Tuesday and still couldn't quite bend it so hopefully those extra few days might help get Liam back in the fold. We've also got Tom Betteridge who we were going to play on the right but he was only fit enough to make the bench because he's feeling a calf problem that he picked up in training on Thursday.
"Oliver Hancock who we drafted into the squad late last night due to Liam's problem we wanted to put cotton wool around him and weren't willing to give him more than ten or fifteen minutes maybe and obviously he's got on near the end. So there are five options that we couldn't play on the right wing. Adam Betteridge has done a cracking job up there. We found out today that he play's in that position for his University and I thought he put a good shift in today and we are hoping both Liam and Rob will be in contention for Tuesday."
