Friendly
The Dovecote, Shepshed
Wednesday, 13th October 2010, 7.30pm
Friendly Win For Gresley
Gresley travelled to The Dovecote to take on Shepshed Dynamo of the Evo-Stik Division One South in a friendly and avenged a pre-season defeat by winning by two goals to nil through late goals from Jordi Gough and Royce Turville.
Manager Gary Norton rested David Blenkinsopp, Richard Hanslow and Brian Woodall but gave starts to new signings Danny Holmes and goalkeeper Darren Keeling. Gough returned after his holiday and Richard Butler after his suspension. Dynamo fielded two different sides for the first and seconds halves.
Gresley started brightly with Danny Holmes forcing a good save, the first of many, from former Moatman Gavin Saxby after 13 minutes.
Two minutes later a superb cross from the left by Adam Betteridge flew a yard in front of the onrushing Rob Spencer.
However, it was the home side who should have taken the lead when a cross from the right picked out Jean Biansumba who should have done much better putting his effort wide of the far post.
Gresley hit back almost immediately when Mickey Lyons cleverly back heeled the ball into the path of Spencer but his first time shot flew wide.
On 24 minutes a cross from the right was met by Lyons whose scissor kick needed to be tipped over by Saxby.
Saxby saved his side again five minutes when a good move between Gough and Holmes ended with Gough's shot again being acrobatically tipped of the bar.
Dynamo's keeper was in action again moments later when Spencer ran onto a superb through ball but with a defender in close attendance and the big keeper rushing towards him Spencer hurried his shot putting it wide of the mark.
With the first half almost complete Tom Betteridge made a fine run down the right and fired in a low cross into the area that Lyons intentionally stepped over but Spencer closing in behind was taken a little by surprise and ballooned his shot over the bar.
The second period started with Gresley piling pressure on the home defence and with the wholesale changes made by their manager Dave Frecklington they looked decidedly shaky as they failed to gel as a unit and the visitors took full advantage.
The hardworking Spencer charged down a defensive clearance but Saxby once more pulled out a top drawer save to push the effort over for corner. Matt Hill swung over the flag kick from the right and Barry Woolley rose head and shoulders over his marker and was unlucky to see his header cleared off the line.
Danny Holmes, who was having an impressive game, sent Spencer racing down the right. Spencer then beat the defender and slipped a pass to Lyons who in turn found Adam Betteridge wide on the left who smashed a shot towards goal that took a deflection and out for a corner. From the corner the ball came to Tom Betteridge who sent over a cross that Woolley met perfectly but his header crashed back off the bar with Saxby beaten.
In the final 15 minutes of the game Dynamo seemed to wake up and for the first time in the game got the upper hand. A header was put narrowly over the bar after a good move down the right but it was the visitors who took the lead on 85 minutes.
A quick free kick from Lyons was put into the box for Gough racing in at far post to slip past Saxby and into the net.
Almost on the final whistle Gresley added to their score when Adam Betteridge threaded a superb ball through a static defence and substitute Royce Turville raced though on goal and coolly lifted the ball over the on-rushing Saxby and into the net to complete a thoroughly deserved victory.
Manager's View
Martyn Rowntree
"The result didn't really matter today; the main thing was we got what we wanted to get out of the game. Players getting ninety minutes and pitch time for the lads who haven't been playing and they've all got a decent work out which was the aim tonight.
"We did well attack wise tonight. Royce Turville came on and popped one in from the subs bench and for the first goal Jordi Gough has put it in from a free kick out wide and to be fair we played well.
"Rob Spencer put a great shift in. He played up front and worked their back four quite well on his own with Mickey Lyons helping in support. He then came out to right side of midfield and put another good shift in and came off for the last ten minutes ready for Saturday.
"There was a bit of a joke in the dressing room before the game because we'd gone for little and large as centre halves (Richard Butler and Barry Woolley) but Richard has gone in there and done a good job. Obviously Barry as usual won everything in the air and the back four did well and it proves that the back four can keep a clean sheet.
"The clean sheet has been elusive this season - it has been a clean sheet tonight but it's in the league that matters.
"We were pleased with the new goal keeper Darren Keeling's performance. He's come in and done well tonight. Gary is feeling a bit of a groin from all the games we've been playing recently and it was just a case of giving Gaz a rest and obviously giving Darren a chance.
"Darren's kicking was good, his distribution was good. He's a little bit quite on the communication for my liking but he's done well for his first game.
"It's a concern for the management team that we're giving silly goals away. On the way over here tonight both me and Gary made the comment that it's not our shape, people are not pulling us apart and scoring goals it's down to individual errors and it's just those individuals who have got to tighten up and concentrate for ninety minutes.
"I'm enjoying my new role in the club. I'd always wanted to have a go with the first team. I was Reserve Team manager last season and thoroughly enjoyed that but this is where I want to be with first team football passing on experience and knowledge that hopefully the lads might improve from.
"We have been a bit concerned over the lads' fitness but you could see tonight playing a team who are two leagues higher that we were still going ninety five minutes later. So, it's now up to us to take that tempo, fitness and commitment into league games."
