MFA Polymac Services League Cup Round One
Hillsfield, Rocester
Tuesday, 4th October 2011, 7.45pm
Improved Gresley Slip Out Of Cup
Gresley can consider themselves a little hard done to as they slipped out of the league cup at Rocester after a much improved performance from the one they produced at Ellesmere on Saturday.
Two late goals from Royce Turville ensured that the final few minutes would be a tense time for supporters of both sides.
Gresley went close to taking the lead on 11 minutes when Marc Goodfellow's shot from the left hit the bar and then three minutes later Aaron Dillon brought out a good save from Richard Froggatt with a powerful shot.
Goodfellow raced onto a ball and was beaten to it by the keeper but the ball rebounded to Carl Slater who tried his luck with a lob from 35 yards that went agonisingly wide of the empty goal.
A spell of poor defending gave Rocester a two goal lead somewhat against the run of play. Paul McMahon made a run down the right and crossed the ball into the box where Chris Sterling was allowed to slide in at the near post to poke the ball home.
Gary Hateley was then called upon to make a very good save to deny McMahon as the home side had their best spell of the game and during this spell they doubled their advantage. McMahon got the better of Jack Coulton and raced forward before crossing into the middle where Jack Langston was waiting to drive the ball past Hateley.
Early in the second half McMahon brought out another good save from Hateley but it was the visitors who were having the better of the game. A good move involving Slater and Spencer ended with a goal bound shot being deflected away for a corner and from the resultant flag kick Coulson narrowly headed over the bar.
Another moment of poor defending saw Rocester add a third goal. Coulson got the wrong side of Langston and hit a shot that Hateley blocked with his legs. The ball went over to the right where McMahon was fouled. The low free kick was driven into the box and not dealt with and McMahon was unmarked at the far post and he duly slipped the ball into the net.
To Gresley's credit they didn't let their heads drop and continued to press forward and the introduction of Matt Hill and Jordi Gough and the change of formation seemed to give the visitors a bit more edge and their endeavours were rewarded on 75 minutes. A free kick by Gough came through a ruck of players and Turville was on hand to turn the ball into the net.
A second goal almost came minutes later when Goodfellow's free kick from just outside the area fizzed inches the wrong side of the upright.
Gresley made the final 8 minutes a tense affair when they scored again. Tom Betteridge's cross was deftly flicked on by Goodfellow to Turville who forced the ball home from close in.
A bewildering decision from the referee came with two minutes of normal time remaining. A long punt up field saw Turville break through Rocester's back line defending high up the pitch but as he raced forward he was clearly pushed in the back but disappointingly the referee turned his back on the offence and allowed play to continue.
Two more half chances came for Gresley with Turville laying on the ball for Goodfellow whose snap shot went straight at the keeper and then Spencer hitting a volley that cleared the bar by inches.
Manager's View
"It was a better performance but the same result though. That's what happens at all levels in football when you're on a bit of a run like we are on at the minute.
"It couldn't get any worse from Saturday. It was a marked improvement but we paid the price for just switching off for ten minutes in the first half and then allowing ourselves to concede a ridiculous goal from a free kick that you wouldn't see on a parks pitch on a Sunday morning! It was understandable that we gave away a cheap free kick because that happens sometimes. They then rolled the ball in for a simple goal and a sloppy goal from our point of view.
"In fairness to the lads they kept going and not many heads dropped and we made a few changes. We are starting to see a few people come back from injury and illness now. Matt Hill went on and I was really pleased to see Jordi Gough back. I said on Saturday it was going to be probably two or three weeks before he featured but I had a text last night from him saying he was desperate to be involved tonight.
"He originally was not in the squad but Ash day had to pull out at the last minute due to work commitments so Jordi found himself on the bench and it was a bonus to having out on the pitch for twenty minutes.
"The balance of the game shifted when we made the chances. Admittedly Rocester were three-nil up and possible thought they were comfortably through to the next round but we still had the quality to make it a game at the end and a bit more luck with a bit stronger officiating for the free kicks I thought we should have. I thought the officials had a decent game tonight but towards the end I felt there were one or two decisions that maybe didn't go our way that should have done that we might have put a bit more pressure on the Rocester goal and you never know we may have snatched it at the end.
"We'll have to see who's available for Saturday. We've made a new signing with Alex Britton coming into the squad who is a decent young winger and we'll see what his fitness is like on Thursday. That was a big twenty minutes for Jordi so hopefully it's enough to get him in the squad. Jamie Barrett could be out for a few weeks. I've been told he's got some sort of pelvic injury. He's been in for treatment tonight but he's a few weeks away which is a huge blow for us.
"We rested Lee Barrow. He's done really well for us but he looked a little tired and leggy so we thought he could do with a rest. Richard Hanslow is still away and we have one or two little knocks from tonight which we need to assess.
"Richard Butler has had hardly any football but deserved his ninety minutes and has given us something to think about. Barry Woolley may possibly train on Thursday but he's a week or two away from a return. We've got to assess Mickey Lyons on Thursday. We didn't want to aggravate his hamstring tonight and he makes us play when he's on form.
"From my point of view Saturday was abysmal and there were a lot of soul searching but there were a lot of positives tonight. We've just got to be patient and maybe bring one or two bodies in to freshen the squad up and get one or two of the players back.
"Rocester must want to play us every week because on our last two visits they've beaten us and it's been a while since they've beaten us in a competitive or friendly game. But, looking at the bigger picture assess us when we've got our strongest squad available. At the minute we are heading in the right direction but it may take a few more weeks."
