(Pre-Season Friendly)
Bardon Close, Coalville
Saturday, 30th July 2011, 3.00pm
Gresley Win Final Pre-Season Friendly
Gresley won their final pre-season game beating local former East Midlands Counties rivals Bardon Hill at Bardon Close.
Jermaine Gordon's penalty followed by goals from Royce Turville and Jake Duffy gave Gresley the victory with Ephraim Williams and Robert Mulonga on the score sheet for the home side.
Gresley were short of quite a few players due to holidays, injuries and work commitments with manager Gary Norton having to call up some reserve team lads to help fill the bench. Bardon were also short of a few players.
Bardon started brightly with Adam Fletcher heading Ryan Hawker's corner from the right wide but at the other end Richard Hanslow picked up a loose ball but his shot was deflected away for a corner.
The home side went even closer on 15 minutes when Williams managed to get to the ball near the byeline and flashed a shot across the face of the visitors' goalmouth.
On 24 minutes Gresley took the lead. Hanslow had made a good run into the area where he was brought down by Bardon's keeper Aaron Harris. Gordon stepped up and sent the keeper the wrong way from the spot.
Four minutes later Harris was at fault again with another piece of poor keeping. This time he lost possession to Hanslow on the edge of his area and the ball rolled back to Gordon who put his shot wide of the gaping net.
Bardon's goal started well in their own half when they picked up a short pass from Carl Slater. A long ball through the middle saw them with four attackers racing forward and with only two defenders Gresley found themselves well outnumbered and Williams went on to slip the ball coolly past the onrushing Darren Keeling.
Gresley hit back almost immediately and Hanslow was denied when he had two attempts blocked on the line.
Keeling then made a good block stopping Mulonga from giving his side the lead and his team mate Ephraim Williams was just inches from scoring as he curled his attempt just wide on the stroke of half time.
A superb through ball from Aaron Dillon sent Gordon through early in the second half but Harris came off his line well to block his run.
Just after the hour mark Gresley regained the lead when substitute Royce Turville turned in the area and smashed a low shot into the far bottom corner of the net.
Williams tried his luck with a snap shot from distance that Keeling did well to push away for a corner as the ball took an awkward bounce just in front of the keeper.
Another Gresley substitute Chris Williams who had only been on the pitch a few minutes was put through but he was blocked by Harris.
On 79 minutes a pass from Mickey Lyons bisected the home defence to set Duffy racing forward and after sidestepping the keeper rolled the ball into the empty net.
Bardon scored two minutes later when Mulonga hit the loose ball home from close in after Keeling had denied him twice with good blocks.
Unfortunately, the game was brought to a premature end five minutes early when Wilson, who had only been on the pitch ten minutes or so, fell awkwardly after a tackle and received what is thought to be a dislocated elbow.
The referee had no choice but to end the game early as Wilson could not be moved as he lay in the middle of the pitch awaiting an ambulance.
