Midland Football Alliance
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Tuesday, 17th April 2012, 7.45pm
Seven Up!
Gresley hit Heath Hayes for seven as they closed in on the league leading pair of Coventry Sphinx and Westfields with an emphatic victory at The Moat Ground.
Man-of-the-match Phil Massingham made it an incredible six goals in five games with his second goal against Hayes an absolute corker.
Gresley made a couple of changes with Jamie Barrett given a place on the bench alongside Dean Oliver.
The first fifteen minutes or so were fairly cagey with the visitors having the first attempt on goal when Ben Porter found David Waple but Gresley keeper Gary Hateley dealt with the threat comfortably.
Seconds later Richard Hanslow made a good run down the right and fired a low ball across the face of goal which Massingham couldn't quite get on the end of.
However, he didn't have to wait long because on 17 minutes Massingham fired Gresley into the lead following a good footballing move.
Rob Spencer then found Marc Goodfellow with his cross and the winger's header was cleared off the line. Massingham was then brought down as he burst into the area but the appeals were waved away by the referee.
Gresley's second goal came on 27 minutes and what a goal it was. Hayes keeper Scott Mullett wide over on the right of his area cleared the ball only as far as Massingham a couple of strides into the vistors' half and a yard or two in from the left touch line. The striker didn't hesitate and volleyed the ball first time back into the far corner of the empty net with Scott Mullett nowhere near his goal let alone the ball!
From that moment on Gresley began to dominate the game and on 32 minutes added a third goal when Hanslow knocked the ball home after two or three other attempts had been cleared off the line.
Seconds later Hanslow almost grabbed another goal when he robbed the keeper near the right bye line but the angle was far too tight to get the ball into the empty net.
The home side were still creating plenty of chances with Massingham going close with a header. As the first half drew to a close Goodfellow was hacked down in the area and this time Mr Johnson had no hesitation as he pointed to the spot. Massingham completed his hat trick blasting the ball past Scott Mullett.
Gresley's fifth goal came on 53 minutes when James Jepson's pin-point cross from the left found Massingham who powered home his header from 6 yards.
Goodfellow was denied a goal moments later after a clever back heel from Hanslow allowed him to hit a cracking shot which clattered the underneath of the bar and out to safety with Scott Mullett a mere spectator.
The woodwork came to Hayes rescue again when the keeper fumbled a cross and Spencer was quickest to react but his shot hit the post.
Substitute Dean Oliver who'd replaced Massingham a couple of minutes earlier, thought he'd scored but an upraised flag denied him.
Hanslow had a shot well held by the keeper but the unfortunate Scott Mullett couldn't do anything to prevent Oliver from adding the sixth goal as he raced onto Spencer's pass before blasting the ball home.
Oliver went close to scoring a second goal in time added on but his shot was helped into the net by Hanslow from close in.
Manager's View
Martin Rowe
"I thought we really played well tonight. We learnt our lessons from Saturday especially in the last forty five. Everyone was focused tonight and it was a really good night and enjoyable for the fans as well.
"Phil Massingham's second goal was unbelievable. I've seen some good goals on the Moat Ground and Brian Woodall scored quite a few, but I think that one beats the lot. He meant it as well, he saw the keeper off his line, outside of the foot absolutely brilliant. I also think Phil played well on Saturday and was unlucky not to get man-of-the match. He's on fire!
"We rotated things a bit tonight as we thought both Jamie Barrett and Dean Oliver looked a bit leggy on Saturday so we just game them a rest. It's all about winning games. We've got three games left and Saturday is just another big game for us. It's like having a cup final every time we play now but the lads are in good heart and good form as well. We're confident for Saturday but you can't take anything for granted it's going to be a real tough game because Coventry are a good side.
"One thing that has helped us all season is the crowds. I think our average gate is around three hundred and fifty every game and sometimes when it's a bit quiet they start singing and it ups the tempo of the game for the players as well."
