Doodson Sports League Cup Preliminary Round
Coles Lane, Sutton Coldfield
Monday, 5th November 2012, 7.45pm
Gresley Slip Out Of League Cup
Gresley made six changes for this preliminary round of the Doodson Sports League Cup game from Saturday's starting line-up. Reserve team players George Woodward, Brad Metcalf and Ben Minshull came into the side along with Danny Holmes, Kyle Bryant and Gareth Langford.
Regular keeper Gary Hateley suffering a slight groin strain was on the bench with Royce Turville, Richard Butler, Jordi Gough and another reserve player Sam Grice.
Gresley were without Richard Hanslow who was injured, Lavell White through a family concern, Michael Nottingham (dead leg), Mickey Lyons (ankle), Marc Strzyzewski (work commitments) and Marc Goodfellow who was rested.
Woodward was soon in action holding a well struck shot but the visitors took the lead on 17 minutes. A well placed pass down the left by Holmes to Jordan Nadat was controlled and seeing the keeper well off his line placed a superb lob from distance over his head and into the net for what was to be Gresley's only attempt on goal throughout the whole game.
Romulus almost levelled two minutes later when Nicky Campbell caught the Gresley back line napping but Woodward came to the rescue pulling off another good save.
Nadat went close to adding to his tally when he was sent through but Romulus keeper Mark Bowen did well to get a touch on the ball to send it for a corner.
Romulus drew level early in the second half when Campbell again beat the Gresley back line and after rounding the exposed Woodward slotted the ball coolly into the empty net.
It was nothing more than the home side deserved as Gresley seemed quite subdued in the second half and it was no surprise when Romulus took the lead from a set piece. A free kick was punted into the Gresley area and a slight mix-up at the back allowed Liam Francis to stab the ball home from close-in.
Romulus were having most of the ball but could not add to their score but Gresley were failing to create anything and didn't look like finding the back of the net again.
The visitors made three second half changes with Turville replacing Phil Massingham for a welcome return to action after a lengthy injury lay off and later in the half Richard Butler and Sam Grice replaced James Jepson and Ben Minshull but the equaliser would not materialise.
Indeed it was Romulus who looked the more likely to score but Woodward denied them a third goal saving well from a close range header.
Manager's View
Martin Rowe
"Once more we've been done by a set piece. Jamie Barrett and Gareth Langford didn't really deal with it but we didn't deserve to win.
"I thought in the first half we were the better team, we wanted it more and scored a good goal by Jordan Nadat - excellent goal. But we didn't continue that in the second half and we just didn't get going.
"They got a bit of momentum which won them the game. We are very disappointed with our second half performance because we did it in the first.
"The thing I am pleased with was the lads we brought out of the reserves tonight. George Woodward has had another excellent game in goal, Brad Metcalf who played left back had another good game and when Sam Grice came on in midfield he did well and Ben Minshull up front also did well in the first half. He tired a little in the second half but we've given the reserve team lads a chance and they've proved they can do it at this level.
"I don't think those lads were to blame for the defeat because as a team we should have done a lot better but we couldn't get going in the second half.
"We scored from the only real chance we created. We've been very busy in midfield but we didn't really get round them. What we wanted to do tonight was to have a look at Jordan at wide left. Some will say 'why didn't we play him up front?' but we wanted to have a look at what he could do on the left because sometimes we may have to play him there so it was an opportunity for us to have a look.
"Marc Strzyzewski was unavailable due to work commitments, Michael Nottingham was injured, Mickey Lyons was injured, Lavell White had a crisis at home so he couldn't make the game, Richard Hanslow was injured as well so it's been a bit of a headache for me and Steve Titterton but we've managed to get a team out tonight and I thought we did alright in the first half but didn't quite do it in the second.
"We decided to play the young players tonight and Marc Goodfellow's been asking for a rest so we thought we'd give him the weekend and Tuesday rest so he's fully available and raring to go on Saturday."
