Evo-Stik NPL Division One South
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Saturday, 6th April 2013, 3.00pm
A Royal Win At The Moat
Sutton Coldfield Town kept their play-off hopes alive with a win at the Moat Ground but it was a close run thing.
On a lovely sunny mild afternoon this game seemed to have a tinge of end of season about it as neither side took the match by the scruff of the neck and it was settled only by two moments of slack defending which has been the Achilles heel for the Moatmen for most of the season.
Gresley started with the same eleven that drew at Coalville Town on Easter Monday after Michael Nottingham knee injury scare recovered sufficiently for him to make the game. Mickey Lyons took a place on the bench after recovering from a dead leg which saw him miss the Owen Street game. Matt Roome was also recalled to the squad.
The home side made most of the first half chances but couldn't find the killer touch that was so sorely needed.
Jordan Nadat did well before laying the ball on for Nottingham but his shot on the turn took a deflection going out for a corner. Marc Goodfellow then tested the Royals' keeper Lee Evans with a low shot which he did well to hang on to.
The first meaningful attempt for Town came with five minutes of the first half remaining when Luke Chapman drilled a powerful low strike which Gresley keeper Gary Hateley saved well.
Dean Rathbone then hit a free kick which took a big deflection almost catching Evans out but the ball skimmed the outside of the near post with the keeper rooted to the spot.
Gresley had a golden chance to take the lead when Jamie Barrett was sent down the left but with Evans to beat he fired a shot which was blocked by the outstretched leg of the keeper.
They were to rue that miss as a couple of minutes later Town took the lead. A quick free kick caught the Gresley defence napping and the ball came to Luke Chapman who turned in the area before firing past Hateley.
In the early moments of the second half Nadat tried to hook the ball into the goal but a deflection took it out for a corner.
Goodfield then slung over a cross that was a fraction too high for Royce Turville whose header flew wide of the far post.
Gresley were caught again for the second Royals goal. A long throw-in was eventually looped over to the far post where Mark Danks was waiting to nod the ball into the net.
The final six or so minutes were a tense affair as Gresley managed to get themselves onto the score sheet. A free kick on the edge of the area was awarded and Danny Holmes took responsibility and his kick took a deflection and beat Evans but despite some pressure on the Town defence they held firm to deny Gresley a share of the points and to keep their season's ending an exciting one.
Manager's View
"It was another frustrating afternoon and it's starting to sound like a broken record. We last week that we owed our home supporters because we've struggled a little bit at home this year. We've had a few good seasons but it's not about the past it's about the future.
"We struggled to get going again today. We were after building on the performance on Monday when we were bright and we did really well to come back from the league leaders with a point.
"We just lacked that bit of creativity, cutting edge or desire today. The first goal was awful. The ball came a long way and we allowed it to bounce and Danks got on the end of it and he played it out to Chapman and we allowed him to turn in the box and score - it was a poor goal to give away.
"There were a few harsh words at half time and to be fair to the lads they made a good fist of it at the start of the second half and a bti like last week we were getting more into the game and we threatened a lot more and even their own players were questioning whether anything had changed with their tactics or how things were going for them because we were applying the pressure and then all that pressure goes to waste when we concede a silly goal like that.
"We know they had a strength with long throws from Kristian Ramsey-Dickson. We lost the header, which sometimes you do, and Danks peeled off round the back and I bet he couldn't believe his luck as he's there in acres of space to tap it in and all our hard work has gone to waste.
"Similarly to last week we dragged ourselves back with five minutes to go. We then had a big chance but Jordan could get his foot wrapped round the ball when the ball dropped in the box in injury time but if I'm honest I don't think we deserved anything out of that game this afternoon on that performance. Neither keeper had a great deal to do and it had a typical end-of-season feel about it but they have something to play for and we haven't.
"We've only ourselves to blame for that so there are no excuses because we are not producing it on a consistent basis and we know that. I feel we are only three or four players short of having a real tilt of getting into the play-offs, obviously not this season. We've got to make sure we are at it week in week out and the last couple of home performances have not been acceptable.
"Our players are a honest bunch and there's a desire in there to go and put things right after we've messed up so Tuesday can't come quick enough for those of us on the management side. There will be a couple of availability issues for Tuesday. Marc Goodfellow has had to come off with an ankle problem today so he'll be an extreme doubt looking at his ankle but we've got a great opportunity to put things right at home on Tuesday.
"It's been a long time since we've gone into the lead at home. We were discussing it on the bench. When we go into the lead away from home whether it does things to us mentality and gives us something to hang on to. We do not do ourselves any favours when we do go behind at home. In fairness the crowd kept with is today and we've got to hand it to them because they kept us going and kept willing us on but it just didn't happen for us.
"We had an awful day away in Lincoln and I remember it vividly. They fully deserved it on the day and from our point of view there is no motivation needed but that will be another added scenario we'll add in the mix trying to get a positive result on Tuesday night. I'm desperate personally not to let this season peter out having had such a positive start. We were in and around the play-off mix until the New Year and then we had an awful January and February and now it just seems to be slipping away and dropping down the table. It's a real shame after all the positivity of getting back into this league and having a good first half and we are in a real danger of it turning into a disappointing season.
"Some would argue that we are already there but we'll keep the lads motivated and keep believing and as I've said its only fine lines. Credit to Sutton, there is not a lot of difference between the two sides but they defend very, very well and make few mistakes. As I said in my programme notes one of the things we've got to learn is how to adapt to the style of football in this league, cut out the mistakes and be a bit more economical at the back instead of giving chances away and be a bit more ruthless at the top of the pitch putting our chances away and we won't be too far away.
"We know what it takes to win leagues and do well in leagues having had that experience over the last three seasons but at the minute we haven't got it right so we've a lot of work to do."
