Evo-Stik Division One South
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Tuesday, 28th October 2014, 7.45pm
Steadman Hat-Trick Helps Blunt Sheffield's Steel
Gresley climbed to their highest league position of the season as they continued their excellent home form with a good win over Sheffield.
The visitors had won the fixture at Dronfield where Gresley put in a lacklustre performance and they wanted to put that right and they certainly did as Alex Steadman claimed a hat-trick and his strike partner Kieran O'Connell two goals.
Manager Wayne Thornhill, who had been confirmed as manager earlier in the day, kept faith with the side which beat Goole on Saturday but their opponents made six changes to the starting line-up which faced the Moatmen in September.
Gresley took a three nil lead into the break but the game had not been as one sided as the score line might suggest. The second half was also a close fought affair with Gresley managing to hold onto all three points.
The home side were the first to go close with Lucas Harrison firing wide of the neat post from a short corner played to him.
Sheffield had a half chance themselves when a corner from Matt Roney was hit on the turn by Jamie Hadfield but his effort flew wide.
Gresley took the lead when Sheffield were caught napping in midfield and O'Connell robbed them of the ball before slipping the ball through for Luke Edwards who in turn returned the ball to O'Connell who charged forwards taking one touch to wrong foot the keeper Joseph Green before slipping the ball into an empty net.
The lead was doubled ten minutes later. Rhema Obed gave the ball away and a good ball through the middle found O'Connell who then picked out Steadman who finished the move off with a shot which beat Green.
Sheffield hit back and went close when Tim Whittaker fired just wide from a free kick on the edge of the area. Moments later it took a superbly time tackle from Jamie Barrett to keep his side in front. An unfortunate slip from Harrison allowed the dangerous Roney to race forward but just as he was about to unleash his shot from inside the area Barrett put in a possible goal preventing block.
The visitors were having a good spell and had two more chances to level the score with Roney firing his free kick wide and then Ashley Longstaff planting his header, from James Gregory's cross, wide when totally unmarked.
Gresley extended their lead just after the half hour mark when Eric Graves found O'Connell on the right with a delightful pass and O'Connell then coolly chipped the advancing keeper.
O'Connell went close to adding another a minute later but this time he put his shot wide of the near post.
Hadfield had a golden chance to at least chalk one goal off for the visitors but could only fire wide when in acres of space and unmarked.
O'Connell found Edwards who's low shot was held by Green, but a minute or so later Edwards was receiving treatment on a thigh injury. He continued but stretching for a ball two minutes before the break saw him having to be replaced by Martin Smyth.
Sheffield started the second half strongly and were soon pressing Gresley back in their own half and creating chances which they failed to convert.
Gresley then had a half chance to add to their tally when Jack Langston worked hard to win the ball on the edge of the Sheffield area but hit his shot straight into Green's midriff.
Roney then brought out a fine stop from Gresley keeper Ross Atkins followed by Longstaff hitting a weak shot on the turn which Atkins held comfortably.
The supporters were then treated to three goals in as many minutes. Gresley scored goal number four against the run of play. O'Connell put a fine ball through for Steadman who then fired a shot from distance which beat Green and ended in the far bottom corner of the net.
Almost immediately Sheffield drove into the Gresley area and Matt Roome was adjudged to have held substitute Joel Purkiss and the referee Lisa Rashid pointed to the spot. Roney scored the penalty kick despite Atkins choosing the right way to dive and getting a touch on the ball.
Gresley went straight from the kick off into the Sheffield half forcing a corner. Harrison put the ball into the box and there was chaos as Sheffield failed to clear the ball and Steadman managed to stab the ball home from close in.
Purkiss, who had given Sheffield a new lease of life, flashed a shot from distance narrowly over the bar but then had a hand in the visitors' second goal. There was suspicions of a foul in the build up which should have gone Gresley's way but was allowed to continue and a cross from the left seemed to be heading out at the far post but Purkiss got his head to the ball putting it back into the box and Longstaff was on hand to smash the ball into the net.
