Redditch United vs Gresley Rovers
FA Cup dream ends
John McGinlay made two changes to the side that drew with Redditch on Saturday
with Lee Westwood replacing the injured Alex Green and Danny Lonergan being
preferred to Matt Moran.
On 3 minutes it was Gresley keeper James Lindley who had to pull off the first
save as he pushed Neil Cartwright's attempt round the post.
Redditch continued to apply pressure with both Ian Bluck and Barry Woolley
having to defend resolutely but on 25 minutes Paul Danks capitalised on an error
by the usually solid Stuart Evans. Danks skipped into the area and slotted the
ball into the corner of Lindley's net.
On 35 minutes Lonergan put a ball into the path of Jon Jenkinson but he could
only hit his shot straight at the grateful Harvey Willetts.
The only other chance for both sides in the first half fell again to Jenkinson
who waited to long and a defender cleared.
At the start of the second half Redditch made a change replacing the injured
Paul West with Scott Colcombe. And it was the home side that again started the
more brightly with Mark Swann putting a shot just wide.
On 48 minutes Woolley should have equalised for Gresley but his header fell
over the bar.
Gresley were now beginning to have the best of the play and were unlucky when
Mark Peters just failed to touch in the cross from Chris Parkins.
McGinlay decided to change thing by pulling off Westwood and Lonergan and replacing
them with Allcock and Allsop.
It was the impressive Woolley again who saved Gresley from going two down when
his superb tackle denied Danks and Gresley keeper then denied Neil Began by
tipping away a cross by Swann.
Gresley started to increase the pressure on the Redditch defence and it resulted
in Parkins unfortunately miss kicking completely a Allcock header which flew
across the box when it looked easier to have scored.
Redditch felt a little hard done by when a penalty appeal was turned down after
Nicky Cross fell over when tackle by Woolley, but the ref would have none of
it.
The Redditch keeper, who was never completely happy with a high ball in the
box, almost gave Gresley a goal when he flapped at a cross from Jenkinson and
just managed to scramble the ball away before it crossed his goal line.
Woolley then thought he had earned Gresley a deserved period of extra time
when in the 80th minute he scored their equaliser but it was left to the home
side's Colcombe who dashed those hopes.
On 89 minutes Colcombe smashed home the winner after the Gresley defence failed
to clear a corner ball.
The Managers view of the match
"We threw away our chance to continue in the Cup. You could not take anything
away from the shot the lad hit from the edge of the box it was a screamer but
I was disappointed that none of our defenders closed him down. He had plenty
of time to pick his spot.
It took us to go a goal down before we started to play. We weren't at the races
until then.
At half-time I gave them a bit of a talking to and they responded, but they
need to be on their game from the start.
By bringing on John and Kev added a bit of beef. John did the same as he did
on Saturday by lifting the side but I did not want to start him as he is just
coming back from injury. I would have only had about 60 minutes from him if
I had have done.
I was really disappointed in their first goal. Stuart gave away possession
in his own half but give him credit he held his hands afterwards and admitted
he just overran the ball.
The worst thing about tonight is that we got ourselves back into it by hard
work and then threw it away."
Redditch United (1) 2
Gresley Rovers (0) 1
Scorers: Danks 25, Colcombe 89 (Redditch), Woolley 80 (Gresley).
Redditch United: Willetts, Mitchell, Bradley, Field, Nibblett, West
(Colcombe 45), Cartwright (Hackett 89), Frost, Danks, Beagan (Cross 62), Swann.
Subs not used: Campbell, Brown.
Gresley Rovers: Lindley, Bluck, Cheetham (Gray 64), Peters, Woolley,
Evans, Lonergan (Allsop 58), Westwood (Alcock 58), Jenkinson, Parkins, Middleton.
Subs not used: Clarke, Moran.
Rovers
Star Man: Barry Woolley - solid in defence and scored.
Referee: A Lindsey (Mansfield).
Attendance: 220
