FA Cup Preliminary Round
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Saturday, 30th August 2014, 3.00pm
All Still To Play For
If this had been a boxing match the referee would have surely stopped it as Gresley dominated the first 45 minutes but once again the goal shy Moatmen failed to take advantage of the umpteen number of chances they made against their Northern Counties East League visitors Cleethorpes Town to apply that vital knock-out punch.
Time after time chances were squandered and add to that the two or three superb saves from The Owls keeper Brad Beattie made it a very frustrating afternoon for the Gresley faithful who could have seen their side go out of the completion at the first hurdle if Cleethorpes had converted their two chances late in the game.
Gresley manager Martin Rowe made two changes to the side who lost at Mickleover on Bank Holiday Monday but not as many as was expected with Brad Wells and Alex Steadman swapping places and keeper Alex Townsend replacing the injured Tom Turner.
The home side started well with Martin Smyth shooting over the bar early on followed by John Guy's flick into the box which Wells couldn't connect with at the far post.
Jack Langston made a fine run down left and Kieran O'Connell got a touch on the ball but somehow Beattie managed to get a hand to it as it headed into the net.
Lucas Harrison was next to provide a chance which came to Eric Graves who saw his header clip the junction of bar and far upright. A corner from the left by Harrison picked out Mitch Hanson who could only put his header over the bar.
Langston was next to try and break the deadlock but his shot from O'Connell's pass from the right went just wide of the far post.
More chances went begging with Wells having a shot pushed away by Beattie and Smyth having a shot blocked by a defender. Smyth then struck a low shot but it lacked any power which would trouble Beattie.
A rare attempt on goal by The Owls fell to Marc Cooper who could only fire his shot well over the bar but the pressure was soon back at the other end where O'Connell's goal bound low shot was again pushed away for a corner by Beattie. Jamie Barrett headed over the bar from the resultant corner kick.
With Gresley pushing for a goal Cleethorpes could have snatched an unlikely lead on the stroke of half time but again Cooper missed the mark heading a good chance wide.
It looked as if Gresley would begin the second half as they'd finished the second well on top with Langston having his free kick from just outside the area blocked and Harrison's follow up shot also blocked as Cleethorpes goal led a charmed life.
To the visitors' credit they began to come back into the game and it took a good save from Townsend to deny Alex Flett from giving his side the lead. They went close again just minutes later as a shot from the right flashed across the goal mouth.
O'Connell manufactured another chance for Gresley as he picked out Langston who in turn fed the ball to Graves but it arrived to him a little quickly and he lifted his shot over the bar.
Louis Grant then went close for the visitors putting his header from Brody Robertson's cross wide and O'Connell put his shot into the side netting at the other end.
Owls substitute Jack Debnam fired over the bar as the game began to open up. Steadman's cross to Graves produced the best chance of the second half but he skewed his shot just wide of the far post.
With Gresley pushing forward looking for that elusive goal they almost got caught by a couple of sucker punches. Cooper was put through on goal but the onrushing Townsend blocked the shot and in time added on Robertson made a good run down the right and his cross was met by Richardson but his header was brilliantly saved by Townsend pushing the ball away.
Gresley will now have to make the long journey to North East Lincolnshire on Wednesday evening.
