Evo-Stik NPL Division One South
The Seddon Stadium, Hollinwood Close, Kidsgrove
Saturday, 10th November 2012, 3.00pm
More Away Day Blues For Gresley
Gresley's defensive soft underbelly was on display this afternoon as despite scoring three goals away from home they suffered a defeat as their hosts scored five.
The visitors were still without the injured defender Michael Nottingham (dead leg) and midfielder Danny Holmes who was unavailable and unfortunately the affect of their absences were soon evident as time after time Athletic tore holes in the fragile backline.
Gresley had to make changes to the starting eleven with Adam Betteridge being recalled into the side at right back, Jordi Gough given a midfield role allowing Jamie Barrett to partner Marc Strezyzewski in the heart of defence.
Rob Spencer was once more asked to fill in the right back slot in place of the injured Sam Woods and Marc Goodfellow and Mickey Lyons both returned to the squad after missing Monday's trip to Romulus.
On a very soft pitch things started brightly for Gresley and they found themselves in front with barely two minutes on the clock when Phil Massingham pushed the ball back for Gough to unleash an unstoppable strike from 25 yards. But, unfortunately it was a false dawn.
Lyons went close but after rounding Athletic's keeper David Dyson could only fire wide of the far post.
The home side slowly worked their way back into the game with Daniel Skelton heading Jack Sherratt's free kick narrowly wide. Minutes later they went close again when Paul Taylor managed to poke John Johnson's corner goalwards but Gary Hateley brought out a good save to deny him.
At the other end Strzyzewski fired a shot agonisingly wide of the upright as Lyons forwarded the ball on to him from Goodfellow's corner.
Athletic levelled the game in controversial circumstances. Liam Shotton, who was to play a big part in the game, was tripped a yard outside the area tight on the left by Barrett but amazingly referee Mr Watson adjudged that it was inside the area and despite Gresley's protestations awarded a penalty which Andrew Kinsey despatched confidently.
Barely a minute later Jordan Nadat brought out a fingertip save from Dyson as Gresley threatened to take the lead once more.
As has been seen a few times this season Gresley didn't seem to take grip of the game allowing Kidsgrove to take control and they should have taken the lead early in the second half but Skelton embarrassingly hit his shot wide when very well placed.
Gresley were forced into a change with Kyle Bryant replacing Lyons who was suffering from a dead leg.
However, two goals in as many minutes saw the hosts race to a two goal lead. Firstly Johnson was allowed to dribble the ball into the area without a tackle before firing past Hateley and then a cross into the middle found Craig Dove in acres of space with no defender anywhere near him and he had the time to pick his spot as he fired past Hateley from just outside the area.
On 55 minutes Gresley pulled a goal back when Phil Massingham was tripped in the area and Goodfellow sent Dyson the wrong way from the spot.
Gresley had a good chance to level the proceedings when Goodfellow picked out Massingham but again the chance went begging as the shot flew wide of the near post.
Spencer was denied the goal of the game when racing into the area he powered his header from substitute Bryant's cross towards goal but Dyson made an acrobatic save to tip the effort over the bar.
Kidsgrove found themselves two goals to the good when the lively Shotton superbly controlled a long punt up field before turning and lashing a shot across Hateley and into the far corner or the net.
Indeed, the effect Shotton was having, giving the Gresley backline a nightmare game, almost resulted in another goal. Shotton was found in space down the left and after getting the better of Barrett for pace cut inside raced along the edge of the area but his shot crashed back off the base of the far post.
Bryant narrowed the gap for Gresley when he made a good run down the right and his cross-cum-shot seemed to catch Dyson out as the ball flew over his head and into the net.
Shotton once more shrugged off his marker but his shot on the turn brought out a good save from Hateley.
Kidsgrove finished what had been a miserable afternoon for Gresley as they once more took advantage of some poor defending from the visitors. Deep in time added on James Jepson's attempt to clear the ball struck an opposition player and the ball ricocheted to Skelton who made no mistake smashing the ball past Hateley to give Kidsgrove a deserved victory and all three points.
Manager's View
"We've just told the lads that we've come away from home, scored three goals but go home with no reward.
"We didn't play the best today but if you score three goals in a game you expect to get something from it but to get nothing is poor.
"But, if you defend like we did in the second half apart from their front man who was a real thorn in the side all afternoon the next thorn in the side were the officials but the officials didn't allow them to score five goals, we contributed to that ourselves. We just got to defend better. We are far too easy to score against and it's been going on for a while now. We'll always get chances to score goals but we've just got to learn how to defend a bit better as a team and individually - so yes, it was disappointing.
"For the penalty, it was almost in Derbyshire, it was so far outside the area. But the officials have seen it the way as they have much to our frustration; they had a shocking first half for both sides. The referee booked Jamie Barrett when their big fellow is going down the side of the area and said he was in on goal outside the penalty area and yet he's allowed one of their players to absolutely smash Jordan Nadat from behind on the halfway line and has just had a word with the lad.
"We just want consistency from the referees but having said that and taking the referee out of things as it's not worth talking about him. We all have off days and he certainly had one today!
"We have to defend better. The buck stops with us, we are not looking for excuses. We've not played well enough defensively today to go home with anything and we have to address that quickly. We are conceding far too many goals and we have to work on that.
"A big miss today was Michael Nottingham. We lost that pace and defended deep because of it and yes we got caught with balls in behind for at least two of the goals. We were very sloppy with our shape and marking for another goal or so but we have to make sure we bounce back on Tuesday night. Hopefully, Michael might be back.
"We've had to play Rob Spencer at full back today as Sam Wood is still suffering a groin injury and we've got Matt Roome who is ill. Jamie Barrett would normally play at full back but because of Michael's absence we've had to slide Jamie across the back. So we'll have to see who we have back on Tuesday and we expect to see a better performance.
"Danny Holmes could possibly be in contention on Tuesday. We are just taking Danny game to game. With the game at home he should be available but we'll have to check on that.
"Mickey Lyons took a bang in the first half giving him a dead leg. He decided to start the second half but he quickly signalled to us to say he needed to come off. So, whether he'll be fit for Tuesday we don't know so we'll check on Danny's available and if he's available he'll certainly be in contention."
