Midland Football Alliance
Nanpantan Sports Ground, Loughborough
Tuesday, 14th February 2012, 7.45pm
St Valentine's Day Massacre
Gresley gave their travelling support much to worry about early on as they found themselves two goals down with barely three minutes on the clock.
But to their credit they fought back through goals from Royce Turville, Dean Oliver and Tom Betteridge to take all three points and keep on the coat tails of the leading two sides in the league.
Gresley had not played a competitive game for nearly three weeks with the wintry weather taking its toll on games at Alvechurch and St Ives Town and with the thaw only arriving in the last couple of days there were doubts about this game going ahead. But, surprisingly the pitch at Loughborough Dynamo, University's shared home, was in decent condition albeit a bit soft on top but nowhere near as bad as what had been feared.
Whether it was the enforced layoff or maybe they had one eye on Saturday's important FA Vase game but Gresley were caught absolutely cold as The Students hammered in two very quick goals. Both of which would have been a huge disappointment to visiting management, players and supporters as the Gresley defence opened up wide to give the home side every encouragement to run at them.
They took the invitation gladly by scoring within two minutes of the start. Some poor defending allowed Jack Beckett far too much time and space as he ran forward before slamming the ball past the exposed Gary Hateley.
Before anyone could take a breath, The Students doubled their lead when more poor defending allowed Beckett to measure his shot before beating Hateley again.
Gresley began to slowly find their feet and Mickey Lyons hit a good shot which was block followed by Marc Goodfellow hitting a low shot at Loughborough's keeper Dan Lowton.
Oliver then went close with a shot that went close and then after a good passing move between Lyons and Turville, Lyons hit a shot wide of the far post.
Gresley were given a lifeline when Loughborough defender Seb Baxter bundled Danny Holmes to the floor in the area with referee Mr Parker pointing to the spot. Turville took the kick sending Lowton the wrong way.
The home side almost regained a two goal lead when Daniel Nti hit a well struck low shot that Hateley did well to block at his near post. Perhaps they should have done better a couple of minutes later when Raul Alexis was given the space to run through the middle but he conspired to hit his shot well wide of the target with the goal at his mercy.
Tom Betteridge's good run down the right ended with a cross that was blocked in the area by Callum Williams with the aid of his arm which the assistant referee spotted indicating to the referee that another spot kick was in order. Turville again took the spot kick smashing the ball past the helpless keeper. Gresley were a little fortunate to be going in for the break all square after a poor first half display.
Whatever Gary Norton and his staff said to his players seemed to have worked as his side came storming back in the second half although almost getting caught in the first minute when Hateley was forced into making another fine block at his near post this time from substitute Michael Emmerson.
The visitors took the lead on 50 minutes. A free kick just outside the area was taken by James Jepson and his low shot was blocked by Lowton but Tom Betteridge was quick to respond blasting the loose ball into the net at the near post.
The Students almost levelled when Hateley's attempted clearance cannoned back off Nti but the ball flew wide of the empty goal.
On the hour Gresley extended their lead when Michael Nottingham managed to get one of his long legs to poke the ball forward to Oliver who beat the offside trap before slipping the ball past the advancing Lowton.
Lowton then unfortunately gifted Oliver his second goal of the evening when he fumbled an easy catch which enabled the Gresley striker to nip in and take the ball and finish by slotting the ball into the far corner of the net.
Oliver had two more chances to add to his tally but both were thwarted by Lowton firstly holding on to his low shot and then making a fine save to push away the striker's shot for a corner as Gresley threatened to add further goals.
Manager's View
"I wasn't sure what happened in the first three minutes as I'd just settled in my seat! I was hoping we'd start the game off as that had been a concern with the enforced break but it was the same for all sides as I can't think of any who have had too much football.
"We conceded a goal on their first attack and they in the third minute concede a second - wow we were wondering what was going on. We were well off the pace in the first twenty minutes.
"Loughborough University are very fit and well organised and well drilled side who move the ball about superbly and they are a credit to the league as they try and play football at all times right from the back and they pulled us around and if there were any neutrals watching Gresley as a top third side and the University a midfield side they'd have thought it was the other way round the way they were moving the ball around.
"We gradually got into the game in the first half and we obviously had the penalty for the pull down in the box which Royce Turville took very well and I'd have taken two-one at half time to be honest but we were fortunate to get a second penalty for hand ball and Royce also put that away.
"We made an adjustment in the second half and went four-three-three and we were more compact in midfield and all of a sudden the space and movement Loughborough enjoyed in the first half wasn't there in the second and we went on and got the game won with some good finishes and a good performance. But you can't give good sides a start like that and then expect to get away with it so we were somewhat fortunate to get three points tonight.
"At halftime we were trying to understand where they got the first ten minutes because we couldn't get near them with their passing and movement and then to make sure we didn't repeat the same mistakes. We knew they'd try and continue to move the ball about quickly and exploit us but the changes we made at halftime taking Marc Goodfellow off and bringing Rob Spencer on in a four-three-three saw Rob defending when we went three-two up as we didn't really need to be throwing bodies forward.
"We said we'd come a long way this season and we'd come back from two-nil down time and time again but we can't keep relying on us to do it so it was a case of making sure that when we'd got back in the game we didn't repeat the mistakes and hopefully go on and win the game.
"We had a fairly good start to the second half and got a decent goal from Tom Betteridge who was somehow up there from a free kick and put it away nicely. James Jepson hit a fantastic free kick that the keeper got a hand to and Tom was alert and put it away well. Tom also got forward well for us for the second goal as he got the penalty for hand ball.
"We've brought in some additions to the squad because of all the games we've got to fit in. Me, Martin and Steve have been talking over the last couple of weeks while we've had this little break due to the bad weather. We in a couple of competitions as well but obviously the Coalville Cup is not a priority but it is another first team game and we've got to consider how we approach it and then there is the Vase.
"With that in mind and we know after speaking to some of the lads about the number of midweek games we've got that a couple of them may have availability issues for the odd midweek. As I said previously to Gresley.com we only need a couple of injuries and then all of a sudden what is a healthy squad is a little exposed in key areas. So with three main strikers we've brought Matt Gardner in who had become available and approached us about coming. I tried to sign him in the summer but it didn't quite work out and he went elsewhere for his football and he's ended up coming back true to his word. With him coming on tonight is no reflection on the others it was to get Matt integrated into the squad. Richard Hanslow has done brilliantly for us and remains a big part of the squad.
"Marc Strezyewski has joined us as well. He's someone we've had in mind for a long time. We tried to sign him a couple of seasons ago. He's played at a very good level and helped get Mickelover Sport to the level they are at but he was ready for a move and approached us. Both players have seen what quality we've got and the strength in depth and are happy to wait their chance and the chance will come.
"We've got a big squad now and we believe we've got all positions covered across the pitch including goalkeeper and with all the games we've got coming thick and fast we're going to pick injuries up here and there and it's important that we've got that strength and depth. We've also got a couple of players out on loan keeping fit. We'll see how it goes and take one game at a time and see were that takes us.
"As to Saturday at St Ives obviously both sides were frustrated with the weather last Saturday when the game was called off. Now this game's over everyone is getting excited and focusing on Saturday. The lads were focussed on this game at Loughborough and we've got that out of the way and we can now look forward to training on Thursday and how we're going to approach the game on Saturday.
"It's a big, big challenge for us. Any team that gets to the last sixteen of a national competition is going to be a good side. We've got belief in our own abilities but St Ives are going to be a danger as well so we need to go there and not start like we did tonight, be nice and compact and organised. It's going to be a good occasion and fingers crossed we can come through another tough encounter and still be in the competition. Having said that if we're not we got the opportunity to concentrate on the league so it's a win, win situation for us bit we're going to go hell for leather and try and win the game and get into the last sixteen of the competition."
