Evo-Stik NPL Division One South
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Saturday, 17th August 2013, 3.00pm
Gresley See Red As Sports Win
This certainly wasn't the start the manager wanted as Gresley got off to a disastrous start to their new season with local visitors Mickleover Sports scoring three goals before Dean Oliver managed to pull one back.
Then to add to Gresley's woes they were down to ten men with twelve minutes of the game remaining as Danny Holmes was shown a second yellow card and then in time added on Marc Strzyzewski was also shown a second yellow ending a dismal day for the Moatmen.
Rob Spencer had managed to shake off a dead-leg but Gresley were still missing Jordan Nadat (back) and Mickey Lyons (suspended) and had recent signing Scott James on the bench.
Gresley should have had this game won by halftime but failed to the chances that came their way. The first came after eight minutes when Spencer ran down the right and sent over a cross which Oliver got to but his effort lacked power and was easily dealt with by Sports keeper Chris Martin.
Sports were extremely fortunate not to have been a man down on eighteen minutes when a swinging arm hit Gresley's Matt Roome hard in the mouth doing what looked like serious damage to the defender. However, neither referee Mr Murphy or his assistant viewed the incident serious enough even to show a yellow card much to the amazement and disappointment of the Gresley players.
Oliver than went close again minutes later when Marc Goodfellow fed a superb ball through to Oliver racing in on goal but Martin stuck out a leg to block the shot. It was then the turn of Goodfellow to go close when Holmes found him with a pass he turned brilliantly before hitting a low shot which whistled the wrong side of the far post.
Gresley had two more good chances as Oliver had another shot blocked and Spencer running through beat the keeper but the shot came back off the base of the far post.
The home side were to rue that run of misses as Sports began to come back into the game and then were denied by a superb one handed save from Gary Hateley to push Simeon Oshoboke's shot wide for a corner.
From the corner the ball was swung into the box and it came off the head of Oshoboke and looped over the helpless Hateley.
Gresley started the second half brightly with substitute Dean Withers having a goal bound shot deflected over the bar. A corner from the left was met by Strzyzewski but his header was blocked on the line.
I proved not to be Gresley's day as Sports scored somewhat against the run of play. Gresley had made good progress down the left but John Guy was robbed of the ball deep into the opposition's half and former Moatman Kyle Bryant took advantage racing down the pitch ending the move with a low ball into the box which Danny Davidson converted easily.
Four minutes later they extended their lead when a miss kick on the left looped into the box where Oshoboke took advantage of the opportunity scoring from close in.
Gresley pulled a goal back a minute later when James Jepson's corner from the left was fumbled by Martin and Oliver reacted quickest to slot the ball home at the far post.
If the Gresley faithful thought that goal might lead to a revival by their team they were sadly mistaken as Holmes who had been warned several times during the game receiving a yellow card earlier, overstepped the mark for a final time and the referee showed a second yellow followed by a red card.
The final score could have been even worse for Gresley but Hateley again made a fine save denying Jordan Hall from a free kick.
Gresley's woes were added to in time added on when Strzyzewski's tackle was adjudged to have been a rash one and the big defender was also shown a second yellow and the home side's second red of the game.
Manager's View
"It was very disappointing. I thought we started quite well and created the better chances but as they say in football 'if you don't take your chances it will always catch you out in the end and that's what happened to us today.
"We must have had six really good chances and didn't put one away and to be fair to them they've had three chances and put all three away.
"I didn't quite see the Matt Roome incident so I can't really comment on it. It was quite a nasty injury. He's lost several teeth and it's not very nice.
"We didn't really recover from that. Then we lost Marc Goodfellow just before halftime and we had to readjust again. We came out for the second half and I thought we looked fine, created chances again but it just didn't seem to go our way.
"I was very disappointed with Danny Holmes and Marc Strzyzewski both getting sent off. They are both very experienced and should know by now what referees are like and they'll look for any excuse these days but they're reffing to the game.
"I thought Danny's first booking was harsh but I can't argue with Strez's two bookable offences and he's got to walk. Near the end of the game the last thing we need is to lose even more players. It means both players will be missing for the FA Cup game which is disappointing.
"Lucas Harrison was very unlucky not to have been in the squad today but being at home we thought we'd go for a more attacking bench. But, he's done well and he'll be back with us on Tuesday. Mickey Lyons who always makes us play will improve us so we'll look at that.
"Gary Hateley is unfortunately got work commitments. He's going to Australia. He was sharing it with his boss, but his boss is in India at the moment that's why Gary has to go. We are just waiting for the paperwork to go through for a goalkeeper from Derby County on a one month loan. He's quite a good player, twenty-one years old and a first year pro at Derby.
"The goal keeper situation does concern us. I had a word with Gaz Hateley when he returned from the recent trip abroad and he assured me that things were going to change with his wife expecting a baby but this latest trip has come up but I'm sure it will be okay after this one."
