Evo-Stik NPL Division One South
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Saturday, 8th March 2014, 3.00pm
Gresley At The Double
A goal didn't look like arriving after a fairly even though dour first half with chances at a premium for either side. However, the second was lit up with goals from Rob Spencer and Zibusiso Nyatito netting his first goal for the first team and a fabulous penalty save from Gresley keeper Mats Morch at the end of the game.
Kieran O'Connell and midfielder Jack Langston are both still on the injured list so Mickey Lyons came back into midfield after missing the trip to Lincoln giving Alex Steadman the striker's role in place of Royce Turville who tweaked a calf in training in midweek and who is also nursing a cut head.
There were no real chances to speak of in the first half hour as both sides largely cancelled each other out but there were a couple of half chances as Gresley's Paulo Piliero headed Steadman's cross straight at keeper Liam Mitchell with Lucas Harrison following up a minute later with a shot also at Mitchell.
Sheffield had a golden opportunity to take the lead just after the half-hour mark. A quick break down the right by Matt Roney ended with a great cross into the box that was missed by Joel Purkiss with the goal at his mercy.
The home side forced three consecutive corner kicks but all were repelled by a resolute Sheffield defence. Spencer had the last chance of the half when he burst through the back line only to launch his effort well over the bar.
Sheffield made a change for the start of the second half with Andrew Gascoigne replacing James Gregory.
On the hour Spencer was once more sent through but this time Mitchell rushing out of his box quickly managed to block the final shot with his legs.
Ten minutes later there was another good chance for Gresley. Once more Spencer was put through but instead of firing straight at goal he chose to square a pass for Piliero which didn't quite come off and the chance was gone.
Gresley took the lead with fifteen minutes remaining. Steadman flew down the right and picked Spencer out in the middle of the box who gleefully slipped the ball home.
They doubled their lead six minutes later and Spencer was provider this time. His run down the right was finished when his cross was slotted home by substitute Nyatito who had replaced Lyons just ten minutes previous.
The final few minutes could have been a tense affair as Sheffield were awarded a very soft penalty in time added on. Jamie Barrett got the merest of brushes on the leg of Zeph Thomas who made a spectacular dive and scream in the area which appeared to persuade referee Richard Price to give the penalty to a silent Moat Ground who the majority were thinking the free kick was to the home side for simulation.
Sheffield Gascoigne chose to take the kick but justice was seen to be done as Morch chose the correct way diving to his left to superbly push the ball away for a corner.
Manager's View
"It was a difficult game today with a bobbly pitch but we stuck at it. Sheffield obviously came to play but unfortunately the pitch wasn't quite was it should be so it was a battle today.
"We stuck at it and got defenders behind the ball. First half we didn't create much at all. Rob Spencer had one real good chance in the first half to put it away but unfortunately he missed. I've told him he's got to close his eyes now when he shoots and it might go in the back of the net for him but that's how it's going for Rob.
"We defended well in the first half and limited them to very few shots. I think the game opened up going downhill.
"We didn't get off to the best of starts but once the game started to settle down we started to come into the game. We brought Zibussio Nyatito on and went four-four-two and it changed the game. He's a player who has no fear and he goes for everything even if he's not going to get to the ball but he gets there and it makes all the difference. I thought Rob's goal was a good one as was Zib's. Rob went down the right peeled the ball across for Zib to score.
"Rob had three chances before his goal, but that's Rob bless him! He's not one of those players who it comes natural to. He works hard at his game to get there. There are not many players that will do the work Rob does for a side like us. Rob gives us something else. He's a good player but it doesn't always go for him. You stick with Rob and nine times out of ten he'll get a goal for you.
"Jon Guy hasn't played well for a few games and I felt it was right to bring Lucas Harrison in today and he's had a real good game today. Every time he got the ball he looked to attack them, he was strong in the air and he won his fifty-fifties but John has had a good season, take nothing away from him. We've used him at left back and centre back - he's had an excellent season and he's not finished yet. We know he's got a suspension coming up but he might be playing on Monday as his suspension does not start until next Saturday.
"Jack Langston is at least another week to ten days away which is a bit unfortunate because we could have done with someone like Jack. He creates a bit more. Kieran O'Connell is at least another fortnight away. His Achilles is not healing very well. He's been to the doctors and he needs a scan. With the NHS he's just got to wait in the queue until he gets there but I can't see having him back for next week.
"Royce Turville had a bang on the head last week and he slightly pulled his calf in training on Wednesday and thought nothing of it and then when he went for his normal session at the gym on Thursday he could feel it. He let us know immediately so we felt it best not to take the chance hoping he'll be fully fit for Monday's game.
"It was a massive disappointment to lose Danny Holmes. Danny comes in and helps us out when players are struggling but on the other side Danny is not always available. He can be available for one week and then miss three games. It's a bit difficult and also he cannot make training and I've got players turning up for training week in and week out. Danny has gone to help Mickleover get promotion. There's nothing wrong with that. It was Danny's decision to leave the club, I didn't push Danny out. If he'd have been available today he'd have been in the squad. Unfortunately he wants to try another club and there's nothing we can do about it I'm afraid.
"Matt Roome is in his final year at University. He's got a couple of weeks left to finish his dissertation and then he'll be available. He's available on Saturday's but struggles midweek but if I'm just bringing him in for one game it's not fair on those who are here all the time.
"Mats Morch is improving a lot more now. Previously Matt had always got a mistake or two in his game but over the last three games or so he's really done well. He's also had some bad news regarding his aunty this week which he told us about so it was great for him to win today and also to make the penalty save.
"We have had a few seven days notices come in to the club for some of our players. Those players are going to be offered a lot of money to leave Gresley. I'll be very disappointed if any of them leave but I've spoken to two new players this week - one at Belper and one at Solihull Moors and it was just our luck that both players were involved for their teams today where they've been out for quite some time.
"We are still trying. The player at Solihull Moors is a familiar face. He hasn't played for a number of weeks but I still speak to him because he's a good friend of mine and I thought I'd just put seven days in for him and low and behold he plays Tuesday and gets injured!
"We've still got to keep looking. There was another lad from Belper who we spoke to this week but he's been picked to play for them today. Belper don't want to lose their players.
"A lot of people think we are not trying to bring new players in but we are. We are still knocking on doors but we are still coming to the end of the season and to bring better players in would cost us money. The argument is do you go out and spend that money now or do you wait until the end of the season? The view is that we wait until the end of the season now.
"I think we will be safe this season. Our away form has not been good enough and we've conceded too many sloppy goals and we've made too many mistakes on our away games. Sometimes it has been down to the officials as well but we take that on board and we've got to start planning now.
"Zibusiso Nyatito will get an extended run in the team. I've said he will be included in the first team squad. I was down on Tuesday to watch the reserve team and he did very well in that game. He scored two goals. The best thing about him is that he's raw, he has no fear in him and he'll go for anything. It's nice to see that a player will come in. He's a good talker and he hasn't come into the dressing room and been quiet he quite vocal as well which is good because we are a quiet, quiet team anyway."
