Evo-Stik NPL Division One South
Owen Street, Coalville
Monday, 21st April 2014, 3.00pm
The Ravens Have Their Wings Clipped
If you were a first time visitor to Evo-Stik Division One South football you would be forgiven if you thought the side playing in red & white was the team battling for automatic promotion so much was their domination of the game.
Two goals in the first half could easily have been doubled as Gresley looked dangerous with every run forward and then defended superbly snuffing out Coalville's attack so much so that the home side did not register one shot on target or won one corner for the whole of the game.
Gresley manager Martin Rowe made three changes with Rob Spencer replacing the unavailable Alex Steadman and Liam Guest and Sam Grice for Mitch Hanson and Mickey Lyons.
The Ravens had the first half chance with Gary Hay whipping a shot wide of the far post but the first twenty minutes or so was a cagy affair with neither side threatening.
However, Gresley began to look the stronger of two sides and it was no surprise when they took the lead. John Guy sent over a high cross to the far side of Coalville's goalmouth and Eric Graves headed the ball back across box for Kieran O'Connell to head home past Sean Bowles.
Minutes later Gresley were unlucky not to have doubled their advantage when a corner by Paolo Piliero from the right caused panic in the area and Guy managed to turn and hit a shot which was blocked a yard out.
Coalville couldn't come to terms with a resolute Gresley side and resorted to the high and long ball which the visiting back four dealt with easily.
Gresley did double their lead four minutes before the break. Serge Makofo, who had been causing the home defence problems dashed into the area where Danny Jenno at the third attempt tripped the striker giving referee Mark Perry, who was in the perfect position, no option but to point to the spot. Makofo took the kick himself coolly sending Bowles the wrong way.
The travelling Gresley support were expecting Coalville to come out for the second half with all guns blazing but it didn't materialise as Gresley continued to dominate the rest of the game.
Spencer went close for the visitors but saw his shot fly wide of the near post and then a rare attempt from Coalville's Callum Woodward went well wide of the far post.
O'Connell who was also giving the Coalville back line a headache almost forced Liam Kay into stabbing the ball into his own net. Another shot, this time from Coalville's Jenno from distance went well wide.
On 77 minutes there was a moment of poor sportsmanship. Makofo had been brought down over on the right and lay on the pitch. Gresley keeper Mats Morch saw the problem and threw the ball into touch. The Gresley players were expecting the ball to be thrown back to them but Coalville selfishly took the throw in and continued with the play much to the derision of the Gresley supporters.
Gresley continued to press forward looking to add to their tally and from a corner on the right by Piliero, Barrett connected but his header went over the bar.
With three minutes of normal time remaining Coalville looked a beaten side with Gresley looking the most likely to score again. Graves fired a curling shot and was unlucky to see his effort come back off the base of the near post with Bowles beaten and then following some good interplay on the left between Makofo and O'Connell saw the latter's shot curl the wrong side of the far post.
Manager's View
"I think the lads have always had that performance in them. They were all disappointed after Saturday's game losing to Scarborough but they wanted to put things right today.
"I think we got the team right, bringing Sam Grice in gave us a bit of stability in midfield and the back four have been magnificent today. We had a shaky start but other than that we've held them out to shots from 20 - 40 yards and they just couldn't break us down.
"Our keeper Mats Morch has had a very quiet game but his kicking has been absolutely excellent particularly in the second half driving the ball into the corners for Kieran O'Connell and Serge Makofo. It was a great performance and we looked after the ball better today.
"We knew if we could get the ball to feet and keep it down and the pitch helped today. The lads just love playing on decent pitches and when we do we won games.
"The lads have done well and we've got to pick ourselves again to go in next Saturday and finish on a high. Potentially this team has got it, we just need a few more players and we're not far off a very good team. We've seen that in cup games this season and when we've played the better teams in the league we've usually done pretty well.
"We've slipped up against lesser teams but we'll sort that out for next season and I think things look quite promising. It's taken a bit of time to get the squad we have but what could have been? If we'd have picked up points from the games we lost when we should have won we'd have been well up there. We haven't been consistent enough all season and that's what's cost us.
"To be fair we stuck with the squad and then we knew after a few games into the season that we needed to change things and that's what we slowly been doing. We've got to have a good start next season and we'll be there or thereabouts."
