Pre-Season Friendly
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Tuesday, 23rd July 2013, 7.30pm
Robins Rule The Roost
Gresley found the going tough at the Moat Ground against a good Ilkeston side. The visitors included five first team players and two trialists one of whom was the former Derby County Medi Abalimba who cost the Rams £1.2 million.
The homeside took the lead on 19 minutes when Dean Oliver controlling the ball was brought down by Ilkeston keeper Scott Low in the area giving referee Roy Faunch no choice but to point to the spot.
Low could count himself fortunate because in a league or cup game he could easily have been taking an early shower but the referee showed correct leniency allowing him to remain in the game. Marc Goodfellow elected to take the kick and sent Low the wrong way to put Gresley one up.
Gresley could have doubled their advantage minutes later when they were awarded a free kick on the edge of the area. Again Goodfellow took the kick which Low palmed into the air and caught at the second attempt.
Ilkeston began to apply pressure on the Gresley defence with Ricketts and Jamie Stokes causing problems. A tremendous strike from James Reid was well tipped over by Gary Hateley but the pressure told just before the half hour mark. A cross from the left by Abalimba found Laurie Wilson who in turn headed the ball back across the box where Ricketts was on hand to powerfully head the ball past Hateley.
Hateley made another fine save early in the second half from Mitch Hanson but he couldn't prevent the Robins from taking the lead when Stokes his a superb shot that flew into the top far corner of the net.
More chances fell to the visitors with Hateley again saving his side by tipping over a header from close in but he was beaten minutes later. After making a fine block from a shot he could do nothing to prevent Ben Wallace from firing the rebound back into the net.
Hateley was by far the busier of the two keepers and once more he did well to push a shot over the bar.
The final goal came almost on the final whistle when a corner from the right found Trevor Grimsby who headed the ball home.
Manager's View
"Dean Oliver had ninety minutes this evening and a lot of the players are starting to get pitch time now.
"I felt that in the first half for thirty five minutes we really did well. Sam Grice came in for his first start and did really well in midfield and I thought Jon Guy looked comfortable on the left as well.
"Up front both Dean and Richard Hanslow did well. We need to work with the pair of them in training and I thought at the back we did alright. It was just one long ball that beat us but for forty five minutes we were well in the game.
"In the second half I felt we whimpered a way a bit and once we made the changes we lost the edge and they took control.
"I think we missed a bit of pace in the team tonight with Jordan Nadat and Rob Spencer both injured. If we'd have had their bit of pace today it may have been a different game, but they deserved to win.
"We are looking at all our options moving players about because you never know during the season we may be short of players and having to move people about so I'd rather do it during a friendly game and know what the player can do rather than in a league game and getting caught out.
"We tried playing Danny Holmes at the back last season and we were having another look against a better side tonight.
"I thought Jamie Barrett and Marc Strzyzewski both looked tired tonight and a few days rest will do them the world of good.
"We are still chatting to Marc Goodfellow like we do every week and as soon as we know anything the supporters will be the first to know.
"We have three friendlies in ten days and the more games we play there are players who will be playing themselves out the team if the don't perform and if they don't perform they will not be getting a shirt on the 17th August.
"We keep telling them that they are getting as much pitch time as possible but know we are beginning to home in look at who we are going to play at the start of the season."
