Evo-Stik NPL Division One South
Seddon Stadium, Kidsgrove
Saturday, 18th January 2014, 3.00pm
Away Day Woe For Gresley
Gresley were made to pay at both ends of the pitch with a plethora of chances not being converted at one end and two moments of sloppy defending at the other.
Kieran O'Connell had given the visitors the lead on 75 minutes but two goals in 7 minutes at the end of the game from Jordan Johnson and Karl Espley cost Gresley a vital three points which now sees them anxiously looking over their shoulders at the sides just behind them in the league.
Manager Martin Rowe, his first game since returning from holiday, was forced to make a change to the side which lost midweek with goalkeeper Mats Morch picking up an injury in training and having to be replaced by Alex Townsend.
On a very boggy pitch, which must have been border-line playable, Gresley started well with Alex Steadman having his header cleared off the line at the back post from Paolo Piliero's corner.
John Guy then brought a fine save from home keeper Daniel Read who managed to tip over the defender's effort from the bye-line.
Townsend was then called upon at the other end saving well from Paul Taylor whose header from Cohen Bramall's corner threatened to open the scoring.
Just after the half hour mark the Grove were reduced to ten men when skipper Andy Taylor, who had been booked earlier, went through the back of Rob Spencer who was in on goal giving referee Adam Dean no choice but to show a second yellow card followed by a red.
Lucas Harrison cracked a vicious shot which Read managed to block with the follow up forced into the net only for the assistant referee's raised flag to curtail the celebrations.
Piliero had a good shot on the turn saved by Read but the Grove went close to taking a lead into the break when a speculative lob-shot was acrobatically touched over the bar by Townsend to keep things level.
Despite an atrocious surface Gresley were trying to play the ball on the ground and a good move between Piliero and Eric Graves saw the latter strike a low shot that flew just past the far post.
Gresley took the lead with fifteen minutes remaining when substitute Royce Turville, who had replaced Steadman, slipped the ball back to O'Connell who drove a low shot from just outside the area past Read.
Kidsgrove levelled the game six minutes later when a long goal kick down the middle was missed by Liam Guest and Johnson took advantage racing forward before slipping the ball past the onrushing Townsend.
It could have got a whole lot worse just a couple of minutes later when a quick break ended with substitute Thomas Wakefield hitting a powerful shot but the Gresley stopper was up to the task making another fine save.
It was hard to tell which side had ten men as that goal seemed to fire up the home side and they looked the most likely side to snatch all three points as they applied pressure on the Gresley defence.
That pressure told with just two minutes remaining when some slack defending from a corner allowed Espley to score at the far post.
Gresley went within the width of the woodwork from snatching a point whey Guy launched a hopeful high ball towards goal with Read off his line only to see it bounce back off the bar.
Manager's View
"It's not good enough. It's as simple as that. We can't keep coming up with excuses week in week out. Our final ball was not good enough and two sloppy goals. Alright, Liam Guest has put his hand up, he's made a mistake and it's gone through his legs and their lad took the goal really well. Then poor defending from a corner and we conceded.
"When we got into good situations today we've just not delivered. We can keep going on and on about this but if you don't put the ball in the right area you're not going to score and that's what we did today. I'm just as frustrated as every Gresley player in the dressing room because we know we can do it on the day but unfortunately it's not going for us and with me being the manager I've got to take that responsibility and try and turn the team around.
"The lads are very disappointed, the defence are blaming the forwards and the forwards are blaming the defence and you've got the poor lads in midfield in the middle!
"It is hard when you're trying to do the right thing. Perhaps I've been too loyal to the players who have been playing recently and perhaps that's down to mine and Wayne Thornhill's fault perhaps we should have changed it a bit today. But when you see how we play and create chances you just feel we might turn the corner.
"Today's score especially playing against ten men, players weren't working hard enough. If players work hard in a game you get what you deserve but today we didn't quite want it enough when the ball went in the box.
"I know people will be calling for my head but that's their opinion but we'll keep going and do our best. We've got Leek next week and we are likely to beat them that's as daft as this team is an the moment.
"We've got to stick together as a team and keep working but I'm sure the vultures will be hovering out there waiting. We've come a long way this season but recently our results haven't been good enough. We've played well enough but not in front of goal.
"Today, especially in the first half, we wanted too many touches. Kieran O'Connell had a few chances on the edge of the box where he could have taken a shot but tried to play Rob Spencer through and it's not quite made it. Second half the ball was laid off and Kieran has hit it from just outside the box and it's gone in.
"I thought the referee made some strange decisions today but we can't blame the ref. I've got to take it or the players have put their hands up and said yes not good enough. I asked the players is it me or is it Wayne and they said no it's us, we are not delivering for you. I think we need to shake things up a bit and start again and have another look.
"I thought Alex Townsend was excellent today. Every time we've brought him in he's getting better and better with every game. It wasn't Alex's fault we lost today it was the eleven players out there. We've been trying to bring in a striker and we still are.
"It's very disappointing when you've put all the time and effort into a team. I know I've been away but Wayne has been working hard. We try to set players up to go out onto the football pitch to deliver but unfortunately we are not delivering the right balls into the box at the moment.
"We should have won the last five games. It's very close. If we were playing badly I think it would be right that people have a moan. Today losing to ten men is very disappointing and it's just not good enough and I think it's two or three times it's happened this season.
"Our players seem to switch off thinking other players are going to do it but those other players start to switch off and it becomes a bit of a disease in the team. It won't happen again but you just don't know with this team!"
