Evo-Stik NPL Division One South
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Saturday, 20th April 2013, 3.00pm
Gresley End Home Fixtures With A Win
Gresley signed off their home fixtures with a win at the Moat Ground which was the first since the beginning of March giving manager Gary Norton a victory. Norton will be stepping down at the end of the season but will not be leaving Gresley as he's accepted a place on the club's board.
Second half goals from Dean Rathbone and Jordi Gough gave Gresley a comfortable lead but a penalty scored by Alan Nagington led to a nervy final fifteen minutes but the Moatmen held on.
Gresley were forced into changes with Jamie Barrett suffering a fractured had he'd picked up at Loughborough last week, Marc Goodfellow suspended for two games due to collecting ten yellow cards throughout the season and George Woodward replacing Gary Hateley who has work commitments. Rob Spencer made a surprise, but welcome, appearance on the bench.
The first half was a cagey affair but it was Gresley who carved out the better changes which unfortunately were not taken. Richard Hanslow had a shot blocked followed by Gough who also had a shot blocked by visiting keeper Danny Read at his near post.
Read was called into action again when Jordan Nadat picked out Royce Turville but the keeper managed to grab the ball at the striker's feet.
Kidsgrove's first chance came towards the end of the first half when Kevin Street robbed Marc Strzyzewski but after racing forwards could only fire wide of the mark. Strzyzewski almost gave his side the lead but his header from Rathbone's corner was cleared off the line.
With seconds of the half remaining Kidsgrove went close to stealing the lead. A cross from the left found James Curley who somehow managed to put the golden chance over the bar from close in.
Gresley started the half well and took the lead with just two minutes on the clock. A good cross from the right by Nadat was met at the far post by Rathbone who rammed the ball into the net.
The home side had barely got back into the own half when Kidsgrove had two chances to level things. The first came from the right but George Woodward made a fine block at his near post. The ball looped back into the area and a well executed overhead kick from Curley needed to be headed off the line.
Gough made a good run down the right and sent over a great cross which Turville headed over the bar. However, Gresley didn't have long to wait before they increased their lead. A throw from the left to Turville came back to Gough who hit an unstoppable shot which left Read flapping at thin air as it arrowed into the far top corner of the net.
Kidsgrove managed to reduce the arrears with fifteen minute remaining when referee Gareth Hubbard spotted a hand ball in the Gresley area and awarded the penalty. Nagington took the spot kick send Woodard the wrong way.
One of the biggest cheers of the day came when the popular Spencer made his first appearance for Gresley since fracturing his jaw in two places against Coalville Town on New Year's Day.
The visitors should have levelled the game ten minutes later but substitute Ashley Hill, totally unmarked at the near post, could only head Paul Taylor's corner wide of the far post.
Despite the scare Gresley managed to hold on for a very welcome win and three points. They now have two away trips beginning with Sheffield next Saturday and Rainworth Miners Welfare to round off their first season in the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League.
Manager's View
"For me personally the last game of the season having been here ten years and announcing last week that I was standing down it was very important for me to win the game but more importantly for the supporters and the players to finish to go home on a positive.
"It was a battle and Kidsgrove played their part in it. Jordi Gough's goal was a cracker and one I'll remember for a long time. I think the reason I was desperate to win it was because the last game of last season when we won the Midland Alliance on the last day of the season it was a little bit flat at the end picking the league trophy up after you'd just been beaten.
"So, for me personally today I wanted to remember the game and to try and take as much in as possible but I wouldn't have been able to do that if we lost because I'm the world's worst loser. It was great to have won the game but what a special day and one I'll remember for a long time.
"I must admit I was surprised to see Rob Spencer in the squad. I've had a week or so holiday and Martin Rowe has been looking after the squad this week and when we sat down to discuss the team before the game, which we normally do on a Friday night, I was very surprised to see Rob's name on the squad list.
"We spoke long and hard to him and he's as ready now as he will ever be. The doctors have said his jaw is as strong as it could be. From Rob's point of view psychologically having got those few minutes out of the way was important. Within minutes of being on the pitch he's running around going for headers in between people so he's shown real bravery today and gone and got that little bit of action out of the way.
"He stole my thunder a little bit and I'm delighted. It was a pleasure to have Rob on the pitch and the supporters really appreciated that.
"For the next two games we have had to have a bit of a body count. Danny Holmes picked his tenth booking up at Loughborough and has a two match ban now. Mickey Lyons' suspension for his sending off now kicks in. Marc Goodfellow's got another game suspension to go after also picking up ten bookings. The one thing we haven't been good at this season is our discipline which is disappointing because we put a lot of focus on it at the start of the season.
"We are also missing Royce Turville who is away and Jamie Barrett has a hand problem at the moment so we'll have to have a look at who the reserves have got or one or two of the lads we've got signed on for those last two games to make sure we give it our best shot and get a couple of results."
