Evo-Stik NPL Division One South
Kirklington Road. Rainworth
Saturday, 4th May 2013, 3.00pm
Gresley Beaten By The Wrens
Gary Norton's fairy tale ending didn't materialise as he saw his side slip to a narrow defeat at Kirklington Road in his final game as manager of Gresley.
With players still missing Norton and Martin Rowe had to make changes to the side that grabbed all three points at Sheffield last weekend.
Marc Goodfellow returned to the side after serving a two game ban and with Matt Roome unavailable reserve team player Ben Minshull kept his place. Richard Butler was brought into the side and both Royce Turville and Kristian Cox also returned.
Young keeper George Woodward, who was needed by title chasing reserve side, was replaced by Gary Hateley who had missed the last two games due to work commitments.
Unfortunately for Hateley his participation in the game lasted just a few minutes as he had to be replaced by defender Marc Strzyzewski after just eleven minutes due to a thigh injury.
That seemed to unsettle Gresley and the home side almost took advantage minutes later when a low cross from Kieran Wells was put wide by Ryan Goward at the far post.
The Wrens took the lead just after the half hour mark when a low cross from the left by Damian McGee was met by Wells in the centre of goal where he slotted the ball past Strzyzewski.
The home side almost doubled their advantage two minutes later but a good block by Strzyzewski and another on the line denied them.
In a fairly uneventful first half with both sides looking as if the end of the season couldn't come quick enough Strzyzewski had one more save to make when he was forced to tip a long range effort over the bar.
Gresley looked far more businesslike in the second half and almost got back on level terms two minutes in when Goodfellow tried one of his trade mark shots from distance which sailed over the head of keeper Adam Somes but was unfortunate to see it come back off the bar.
It was then the turn of Richard Hanslow to go close but after racing through on goal his attempt was well blocked by the legs of Somes.
However, the Gresley striker had another chance after a superb through ball from Goodfellow sent him racing forward once more. This time he made no mistake slipping the ball past the onrushing keeper.
Strzyzewski showed his keeping skills again this time to expertly block an effort from Wells. Down at the other end Jordan Nadat got the better of a defender in the area and was unlucky when his hooked shot flew the wrong side of the near post.
With ten minutes remaining Cox suffered an elbow in the face which saw the young winger laid out on the pitch with what proved to be serious head injury which required the services of both a paramedic and ambulance before being taken to hospital.
With their team mate stretchered off the pitch Gresley took time to settle back into the game and during that time the Wrens grabbed the lead again when a looped header from Wells found its way into the far corner.
Gresley went close to grabbing what would have been a fully deserved share of the points with Nadat firing a low shot across the face of the goal and minutes later Dean Rathbone duplicating the effort.
Manager's View
"The game didn't start off very well with Gary Hateley coming off injured after only four or five minutes. He pulled up and I'm not quite sure what he's done, but we had to reshuffle things at the back and put Marc Strzyzewski in goal so that wasn't the best start for us and that followed on with a first half that was a little none descript from our perspective.
"We just seemed to be going through the motions and Rainworth seemed to want it a little bit more than us. They were in a similar position to us with only pride to play for and yet they were snapping around the park as though everything depended on the result.
"I had my little rant at half time, my last rant. From a personal point of view I asked them to go out there and not let the season peter out as a damp squib and in fairness to them they went out there and put in a good performance in the second half.
"I thought having got back into the game; we hit the bar and had another one-on-one saved and the better of the play came from ourselves. Marc was rarely troubled but the turning point that took the wind out of our sails was the injury to Kristian Cox which looked quite significant. It stopped our momentum and they grabbed the winner so disappointing for the last game."
