Coalville Charity Cup Semi-Final
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Tuesday, 20th March 2012, 7.30pm
It's Good Night Ivanhoe
Gresley eased into the final of the Coalville Charity Cup where they will meet former East Midlands Counties League rivals Ellistown at the home of Bardon Hill on Monday 7th May with a comfortable win over local rivals and current holders Ashby Ivanhoe.
Despite the score line Gresley had to work hard for their win at The Moat Ground and come from behind twice before taking hold of the game.
Gresley were behind after just 9 minutes when Ivanhoe striker Paul Gibson was given far too much space to pick his spot before firing past home keeper Gary Hateley.
Richard Hanslow went close a couple of minutes later but his low shot was well blocked by Ivanhoe keeper John Noon.
Noon was back in action five minutes later when he made a superb save to tip Rob Spencer's 25-yard thunderbolt over the bar.
The Moatmen then applied pressure forcing four corners and from the final one Marc Strzyzewski put a header over the bar. Hanslow was then put through but Noon raced off his line quickly to block the shot for the cost of another corner.
On 32 minutes Gresley levelled when Spencer raced onto a through ball and slotted his shot across the keeper and into the bottom far corner of the net.
To Ivanhoe's full credit they snatched the lead back again five minutes later unfortunately from some more sloppy defending from Gresley. Mitch Jordan was allowed to make a good run down the left and it resulted in a terrific cross into the area where Gibson was waiting unmarked to powerfully head the ball past Hateley.
Hanslow once more raced through but his final shot was straight into Noon's midriff. However, Gresley were back on terms a minute later. Kyle Bryant picked out Danny Holmes to his left who sidestepped his marker before drilling his shot past Noon.
To add to Ivanhoe's misery Gresley took the lead for the first time with just two minutes of the half remaining. Hanslow hit a shot that Noon pushed away but Bryant reacted quickly to hammer the ball into the net.
The visitors went close in the early stages of the second half when George Carlino managed to get near the post but his shot was blocked but that was Ivanhoe's last meaningful attempt on goal as Gresley took control of the game.
The fourth goal came as a result of a good move as Adam Betteridge slipped the ball through to Hanslow who in turn picked out Spencer who finished the move with a low shot across Noon and into the far bottom corner.
That goal was the result of some good football but the fifth goal came from an even better move which started deep in Gresley's half and ended with James Jepson laying the ball back for Hanslow who wrong footed the keeper with his shot.
The hard working Ivanhoe side looked to be tiring and Gresley were beginning to find plenty of space to pile on the pressure and eventually the pressure told again. Adam Betteridge went inches away from adding to the score with a powerful shot that hit the side netting but then Gresley were awarded a corner that paid dividends.
Marc Goodfellow, who had earlier replaced Holmes, played the ball back to Jepson who returned the favour and a snap shot from Goodfellow from just outside the area was helped into the net by fellow substitute Dean Oliver.
Goodfellow went close to adding to the tally with two chances at the end of the game. His tremendous shot was spilled by Noon and the spin on the ball almost turned it in at the foot of the near post and then he danced into the area past a couple of defenders but Noon made a good block on the line to deny him his goal.
