Match Report  |  Anstey Nomads vs Gresley FC

What a difference 12 months can make! We'd already lost two friendlies to the torrential downpours and a year ago today the third one bit the dust or rather bit the mud as the dreadful start to the summer continued.

This afternoon was in stark contrast because instead of sheltering from the rain it was sheltering from the blistering sunshine as temperatures nudged thirty centigrade at Cropston Road.

Both sides made many changes in the second half after a closely fought first half in which the honours were even with goals from Dean Oliver for Gresley and Shane Gibbs for Nomads. However a penalty from Sam Surridge and a goal from Levi Knight saw the hosts come out on top at the end.

Gresley could have been two goals to the good after ten minutes but Anstey's first half keeper made save worthy of any match. The first a Rob Spencer header from a free kick which he turned away for a corner and then a well struck shot by Jordan Nadat which he also pushed away.

The visitors took the lead when Danny Holmes picked out Nadat who then made a good run before sending in a ball into the area where Oliver did well to knock the ball home.

Anstey levelled six minutes later when Gibbs hit a sweetly struck shot from distance which beat the young Gresley keeper at his near post.

Gresley went close to taking a halftime lead but once more the keeper denied them tipping Dean Rathbone's rasping shot over the bar.

One of the many changes of personnel for Gresley Richard Hanslow saw his effort crash off the cross bar within a minute or so of the second half starting.

Then after some good work off Ben Minhull a shot from Hanslow was blocked as it looked to heading for the back of the net.

The unlucky Hanslow was thwarted again by the woodwork as his header smacked against the back post.

Anstey took the lead on the hour mark when a tussle in the Gresley area was deemed to have been the Gresley players fault by the referee and she pointed to the spot. Two or three of the visiting players protested and many in the crowd also thought the wrong decision had been made but nevertheless San Surridge stayed calm and sent Townsend the wrong way from the spot.

Whereas that goal could have been hotly disputed (pardon the pun) there was no argument about Nomads' third goal. A good run down the left by Karim Ibrahim ended with an inviting cross into the Gresley box which was accepted by Levi Knight who slammed the ball home from close in.

Gresley could have reduced the deficit when Tom Betteridge made a run down the right before picking out a team-mate in the middle but the final shot was disappointing going straight into the keeper's midriff.

The hosts had one more chance when Ibraim skimmed the top of the Gresley late on in the game. There was no denying that Anstey deserved the win especially on their second half showing but both sides must have benefited from a good work out as they prepare for their respective season starts.

But the biggest winner was the money raised for the Bodie Hodges Foundation a charity founded by the parents of Bodie Hodges who tragically died at the age of just 10 months.