East Midlands Counties League
Shaw Lane, Holbrook
Wednesday, 4th May 2011, 7.45pm
Gresley Are Almost There
Gresley took a massive step to claiming the East Midlands Counties League title with a gutsy victory at Shaw Lane.
With the playing surface in poor condition, rock hard and vey bumpy, Gresley manager Gary Norton chose to play the same staring eleven as in the previous game at Gedling.
Gresley started well with Royce Turville hitting a shot that was blocked and the follow up shot held by Sports keeper Simon Lillie.
Sports hit back with Rob Harrison forcing Gresley keeper Gary Hateley into a smart save at his near post. However, some slack defending saw the hosts take the lead after just 6 minutes when Chris King was allowed too much time and space to pick his spot firing across Hateley and into the far bottom corner.
A ten minute spell of Gresley pressure failed to produce the equaliser they were desperately looking for and against the run of play Holbrook almost added a second when former Moatman Emika Ejiofor met Lee Mitchell's corner from the right with a powerful header that Hateley did well to push away.
Gresley got back on terms on 31 minutes with a goal that was worth the entrance fee alone. The ball was moved about and found Danny Holmes who hit an unstoppable 20 yard screamer that left Lillie a mere spectator as the ball flashed by him and into the net.
With a minute remaining of the first half, Gresley were within a whisker of taking the lead. A good move saw Jordi Gough find Brian Woodall who returned the ball to Gough who'd raced into the area but the final shot ended up in the side netting.
On the stroke of halftime an unmarked Ejiofor headed Mitchell's corner just over the bar.
The second period saw Gresley once more on the offensive with David Blenkinsopp racing goalward only to be blatantly hauled back by a defender but amazingly referee Mr Royston saw no infringement and ignored the protests.
Gresley had Hateley to thank for keeping them on terms when a shot that looked destined to fly wide of the target took a huge deflection and headed towards the visitors' net but Hateley pulled off an amazing save to claw the ball away from the gaping goal.
Woodall picked out Blenkinsopp who was again brought down and the free kick taken by Holmes caused panic in the home goal mouth but somehow the ball was scrambled away from danger before a Gresley player could capitalise.
On 61 minutes a clever free kick by Holmes found Lee Barrow in the area who then headed back across the box where Turville went agonisingly close prodding the ball the wrong side of the upright.
The goal Gresley had been desperately looking for came seven minutes later. A deep cross into the Holbrook box caused an almighty scramble and with bodies flying everywhere somehow Turville, despite lying on the goal line, managed to hook the ball into the net.
A couple of minutes later Turville was denied another goal scoring chance when he raced through he was tripped by a defender just outside the area and his effort went wide. Unbelievably once again the referee was oblivious to the foul.
Holbrook were still looking dangerous going forward and Gresley needed another goal to relive some of the tension, but it was Holbrook who went closest with Hateley having to tip over a header from Mitchell's corner.
The homeside should have been level on 72 minutes from another set piece. A corner from the left by Harrison was headed back across the box to Mitchell who was free at the far post but his header flew across the goal and wide of the opposite post.
Gresley pressed forward knowing that another goal would almost certainly end this game and put one hand on the championship trophy.
Gareth Langford thought he'd got it when he met Woodall's free kick but his downward header bounced up off the concrete hard ground and over the bar.
The vital third goal came with 10 minutes remaining when Blenkinsopp slipped the ball through to Turville who in turn held the ball up before laying it back to Carl Slater who slammed the ball home from just inside the area.
As the referee blew to end the game it was met by a huge cheer from the many travelling Gresley supporters who knew, along with the players and management, that a draw or even better a win at the Moat Ground on Saturday would see the Moatmen crowned champions despite the shenanigans of Hinckley and its subsequent repercussions.
Manager's View
Martin Rowe
"I think we started very slowly and for the first twenty minutes we weren't in the game. We went one-nil down and we settled and started playing and Danny Holmes scored a goal and I think from there we never looked back. Their goal was just one of those things that goes on in football. We've just got to be calm and carry on what we're doing at the moment.
"Royce Turville scored our second goal but David Blenkinsopp has tried to claim it but no it was Royce. Sometimes the referee doesn't allow a goal like from a scramble on the line but if you'd have seen the referee we had on Saturday we deserve a bit of luck and we got it tonight.
"Carl Slater got the third goal and in the last month I think he's done well. He'd admit that he hasn't been the player he should be but when players needed to have been counted he's come up with the goods. Danny Holmes has done well tonight and shown what class he's got.
"What people have got to realise is that we've won nothing yet. Saturday is a massive game and we've just got to be positive, focus on the game and try and win it.
"Tonight was like a home game for us, and for the first twenty minutes we gave the supporters nothing but once we got that goal the supporters got behind us and the players responded to it, We are where we are but we've got to try and get out of this league and I'm sure that if the supporters are behind us on Saturday we will be able to do that.
"When we played Gedling Miners away we really played well but didn't put our chances away. We had a few players off form but now all our players seem to be hitting peak form which is a good thing.
"It would be hard to change the team from tonight but the way Gedling play it will suit Mickey Lyons if he's selected to play and change the formation but I'm sure me and Gary will do the right thing."
