FA Carlsberg Vase 4th Round
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Saturday, 21st January 2012, 3.00pm
All To Do Again
This was a typical exciting full blooded end-to-end cup tie in a very blustery wind and on a heavy pitch with both sides going close to winning the tie. Instead, after thirty minutes of extra time and the score still level the game will now be decided down in Crawley next Saturday.
Gresley manager Gary Norton made four changes to the side that won at Atherstone last week with Gary Hateley, recently returned from honeymoon, taking the number one shirt, Rob Spencer coming in to replace Kyle Bryant, Dean Oliver being preferred to Richard Hanslow up front and one that was unexpected when defender Jamie Barrett became ill over night with his place being taken by Gareth Langford in the heart of the defence.
Three Bridges came with a reputation of being a competent and good footballing side and it soon became evident when Abu Touray latched on to a poor pass from Langford but as the quick wide man ran into the box Hateley brought him down and the referee Mr Wootton didn't hesitate in pointing to the spot from where Tim Rivers sent the home keeper the wrong way to put his side ahead after just 5 minutes.
Gresley hit back with Oliver hitting a low shot on the turn just wide but Bridges should have at least hit the target when Scott Faber in space planter his free header wide. Some frantic blocking from the visitors somehow denied both Marc Goodfellow and Oliver from equalising. Goodfellow was denied again by Bridges keeper Simon Lehkyj who made a fine block.
The home supporters must have been thinking that Bridges' goal was leading a charmed life as a low cross from the left by Goodfellow somehow eluded the final touch from Turville and Spencer at the far post.
As the half came to an end Gresley were once more reminded not to slacken off as a cross from Faber was hit into the side netting by Touray.
Bridges thought they'd doubled their lead when Touray ran through and beat Hateley but his celebrations were curtailed by the upraised flag of the assistant referee. Another good move by the visitors again saw them go close but the ball was smashed into the side netting this time by Elliott Romain.
The goal Gresley had been looking for came on 54 minutes and as a result of a good flowing move. Goodfellow picked out Spencer who flew down the right and sent over a good low cross that Turville turned into the net at the far post. Again, the assistant's flag denied Bridges from scoring this time it was Rivers' turn to be disappointed.
Lehkj kept his side in the game with a fine block from substitute Mickey Lyons who had been put into the area by James Jepson.
Gresley had one more chance to finish things in normal time when Gough his a low stinging long-range shot that Lehkj did well to hold on to.
The first period of extra time saw both sides go close. Firstly, Goodfellow curled a good shot that was a little too close to the keeper and then Gough sent over a cross from the left which substitute Hanslow hit with power but somehow the ball was cleared off the line. It was then Bridges turn to go close when Rivers hit a superb shot that beat Hateley but clipped the top of the bar as the ball went over.
Gresley should have gone into the second period of extra time ahead when a bit of a mix-up in the visiting area saw the ball only half cleared as far as Goodfellow who uncharacteristically hit a shot wide of the open goal.
The home side looked stronger in the second period with Jepson heading wide and Goodfellow hitting a shot wide.
Turville was put through but Bridges' keeper made a fine save to block the shot and the follow up fired wide by Goodfellow.
Hateley in the Gresley goal had been largely untroubled for most of the game but he was on his toes to make two very good saves in quick succession and then to superbly tip a vicious shot from Nigel Brake over the bar.
The referee ended the game and both sides start again next Saturday at Jubilee Walk, Crawley.
Manager's View
"On reflection we had some good chances particularly in extra time and they had one or two half decent chances. They hit the bar with a cracking effort from the guy who has been very strong down the left in the first half of extra time. We've had a one-on-one and they had a one-on-one but then we had some other good chances that saw a bit of wastefulness in front of goal and now we've got to make the long trip down there for the replay next week.
"The conditions today contributed significantly massively. The first half it appears from the side that we were shocking. Everybody in the crowd were giving us some stick in the first half but you had to be out there and as the game unfolded we dominated the second half as they'd dominated the first half. Extra time was fairly even but the wind was still there but I thought against the wind in the extra time we were strong and we created some opportunities and half chances and put some pressure on them but they held strong and must consider themselves maybe favourites for the replay.
"We've just got to keep going and not give up and show the attitude we've shown over the last few months and you never know. I spoke to their manager right at the end and I don't think either of us wanted a replay with our respective league campaigns going fairly well. But, I guess that either one of us had the opportunity to have a replay or be out we'd settle for that.
"It really was a cracking game. Two decent sides and it was tense out there and I thought the referee handled it quite well and there were times once or twice when things could have spilled over and I think the referee and both sides have to take a lot of credit for an entertaining game to keep people warm on a cold afternoon.
"We didn't have the best of starts going behind after four minutes. I wanted to make sure we didn't incur any further damage in the first half so we didn't play particularly well but to go in one-nil down I was fairly happy with that if I'm honest. The Royce Turville got the goal and it's opened it up again.
"Apart from Gary Hateley's save from a one-on-one I think there keeper had more saves to make. It's half time now and we've got to go there, it's a clean sheet and we've got to see what they've got at their home. They are very, very strong just one defeat in twenty six for them and no defeats in twenty for us so a couple of cracking sides there.
"Ideally we wouldn't want the Derbyshire Senior Cup game on Tuesday but we've got a big squad and we've got players who need games. It was a big blow to lose our vice-captain Jamie Barrett this morning. He rang me at ten thirty to say that he'd been ill over night. He'd left it a bit to see if he'd improve a bit in the morning but he hadn't so we've got Jamie to potentially come back into the mix. He's been immense for us, absolutely immense but a word for Gareth Langford. He's gone in there and he didn't have the best of starts shape wise a little bit for the first ten or fifteen minutes but then I thought he was fantastic.
"All the guys for the first ten or fifteen minutes were a little bit out of sorts while we were getting used to the conditions maybe but then Gareth as gone and done a cracking job . We've now got to sit down and have a long hard look at the side and the tactics we pick and the overall squad with Jamie back in the mix and they will have their influential captain, one of their best players suspended today which I think is his last match, back for the game at Three Bridges in a week's time.
"We've got to be confident that we can get a result over there. The lads are going to have a bit of a siege mentality. I remember a couple of seasons ago when we went to Dawlish, a fantastic experience to bring Dawlish back to the Moat Ground but it's the opposite now. We've got to make the long trip and we are optimistic that we can do a good job and play our football and see if that's enough on the day and if it isn't then it's been a cracking little run. I know we've only played two games but to be in the draw for the last sixteen on Monday as we both will be, is always a nice feeling as well. I know we're not there outright but to still be in the competition is a big thing for us. But for me losing a league game next Saturday is a blow as well because we've got some momentum going in the league and with a cup game in the week and another next Saturday we've got to be careful that we don't allow things to get too far behind."
