East Midlands Counties League
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Tuesday, 5th April 2011, 7.45pm
Turville Turns The Game For Gresley
Royce Turville's predatory strike early in the second half set Gresley on course for a vital win that keeps them in touch with the league leaders but they had to come from behind to do it.
Gresley manager Gary Norton was forced into making two changes to the side that claimed a point at Heanor Town on Saturday.
Jordi Gough succumbed to an ankle injury picked up at Heanor and then during the warm-up the unfortunate Matt Hill, who had been out of the side since October until a week ago, pulled a thigh muscle ruling him out of the side. Tom Betteridge took the full back slot with Rob Spencer playing on the left.
Former Moatman Liam Hebberd was soon trying to impress and was extremely fortunate not to have given away a penalty as he clearly pushed Brian Woodall in the Bardon area. The referee unbelievably ignored all the appeals and the winger set off down the right flank but fired over the bar when he got within shooting range.
The visitors took the lead on 11 minutes when a slip from Lee Barrow let Carl Benson in on goal and he duly slipped the ball past the helpless Gary Hatley.
Woodall tested the Bardon keeper Aaron Harris with a stinging free kick and minutes later another free kick taken this time by Danny Holmes was met by the diving Barrow who saw his header fly just over the bar.
Except for their goal the closest Bardon came in the first half hour came when Hebberd made a run down the right but his cross was wildly shot over the bar by Robert Mulonga when well placed.
The referee Mr Snodden was making a rod for his own back allowing some, let's say, dubious tackles from the visitors to go unpunished. One he did award was again a good shout for a penalty but the referee insisted it was on the edge of the area by the bye-line when many watching on that side of the ground saw it a yard inside.
Holmes took the kick and eventually the ball came to Woodall who made headway down the right before hitting a vicious low drive that Harris did well to hold on to. The action swung to the other end where Mark Shultz got the better of Barrow but put his shot wide.
Just on the half time whistle another bizarre piece of officiating occurred. Woodall was sliced down by two Bardon players coming in from each side. Instead of awarding a Gresley free kick he raised many an eyebrow by awarding a dropped ball.
Gresley were desperately looking for a goal and it duly arrived on 51 minutes. A long kick down field saw Turville get the better of both defender and keeper and pushed the ball towards the empty net and despite a Bardon player racing to cut the danger out the ball beat him and rolled into the back of the net.
Some hefty tackles where now being punished by the referee as things started to get a little fiery and Gresley went close to taking advantage of the visitors' indiscipline when Mickey Lyons put over a cross from the right that Turville met but the header was well held by Harris.
Just after the hour mark Norton made a change bringing on Gareth Langford for Holmes but it was the visitors who went close to regaining the lead when a cross found Mulonga in acres of space and his header looked to be heading into the top corner but a superb save from Hateley clawed the ball away for a flag kick.
Seven minutes later Norton's change of personnel paid dividends. A ball from the right found Langford inside the area and he smashed it past Harris and into the roof of the net to give Gresley the lead.
A minute later Langford went close to extending the lead when he met Tom Betteridge's free kick but his header flew wide of the upright.
The hard working Turville then almost scored another. Although being on the floor he still managed to get a shot on target much to the surprise of Harris.
Bardon's final chance came when a long free kick almost caught Hateley out but he managed to push the ball over his bar for a corner.
When the final whistle blew there was much relief from Gresley players, management and supporters alike as the home side kept up the pressure on the two teams above them in the league.
Manager's View
"I expected a physical game. I spoke to Kev Ward their manager before the game and he's a top bloke and he says they are rebuilding bringing some young lads in with a look for next season and when you saw the look of the side you could see the pace they have. The energy and work rate, they close you down and didn't give you an inch on the ball.
"We knew it was going to be a tough night. We thought they'd tire and in the end it was a very difficult game for us and we are perhaps a bit fortunate to take all three points but we'll take it all the same.
"Gary Hateley made a couple of good save. The second one in particular was worth the entrance fee alone. The young lad Mulonga was given the freedom of the box and Gary made a very good save which was a pivotal point in the game and we made sure that we told him how important that save was because without it we wouldn't have got the three points.
"Every game is going to be like this almost a cup final. To be honest I think most Gresley supporters would take us not playing particularly well if we grind out results out. Two weeks ago we played really well against Hinckley away and got lots of chances but didn't take them and then we were undone deep in injury time. The same happened at Gedling Miners Welfare going back six or seven weeks. We played really well, didn't take our chances had a slender lead and got pegged back late on.
"I'm not bothered about playing well now. We've seven games to go and it's all about trying to get three points because I think we need to win all our games.
"What we've got to do now is to give our all. We've only been criticised by supporters when it has appeared that we haven't given our all. Royce Turville, who is not one hundred percent fit, really bust a gut tonight and got a goal and that's the sort of performance the supporters love.
"On Saturday we have Barrow who are a good side. They've put some decent results together and they are fifth so they are no mugs but everyone is looking forward to the game.
"Matt Hill was really unfortunate tonight because I think since he's come back and done really well for us at full back and has given us good options there. However, right at the end of the warm-up he came off with a bit of a tight thigh so we had to make a late change dropping Tom Betteridge into full back and Rob Spencer on the left.
"Barry Woolley went to see a former physio of ours, Sam McGregor, for some treatment and he's rung me to say he's feeling a lot better although it's still a bit sore. He's got half a chance for Saturday but in all honesty it's a little bit too soon but we'll continue to monitor that.
"Unfortunately, we lose a couple of players out of tonight's starting line-up. Tom and Adam Betteridge are away on a stag weekend in Poland. Tom is best man at the wedding so it's a difficult situation for him but that's what we've got a squad for. Adam, who has been really patient waiting for his turn, has come in and faced a difficult task tonight to face Liam Hebberd and given the fact that Adam hasn't played too many games I thought he acquitted himself really well and done a good shift for us.
"Tom has been playing really well for us and showed his versatility by switching from left wing where he's played for the last few games to right back in where he's played in Matt's absence but we've got enough players and should be able to cover."
