Match Report  |  Stocksbridge Park Steels vs Gresley FC

Gresley could consider themselves fortunate to return to South Derbyshire with a share of the spoils after they found it difficult to break down a stubborn Steels side. Indeed, it took a goal from substitute Rob Mulonga in the first minute of added on time at the end of the game to level the scores.

Gresley manager Wayne Thornhill gave a debut to new signing Karl Ashton who replaced injured Luke Edwards in an otherwise unchanged side.

Too be perfectly honest the first half was totally forgettable as both sides battled against a stiff wind. The surface was in remarkably good condition but Gresley found it hard to find their own men with the passes as they over hit most of them aided by the wind.

The nearest the game came to seeing a goal came on ten minutes when a cross from Steels Jason Paling found Brad Grayson at the far post but his header was weak and it was easy for visiting keeper Liam Roberts. Gresley's only half chance came to Martin Smyth who hit Kieran O'Connell's pass wide of the post.

The second half was a little better with Paling flashing a shot across the face of Robert's goal. However, the home side didn't have long to wait to take the lead. Gresley were given a free kick which was cleared and a quick break caught the visitors napping and a scuffed low shot from Grayson looked certain to be dealt with by the normally sound Roberts but unfortunately the keeper let the ball squirm through his hands and then through his legs and into the net.

Steels went close to doubling their lead when Grayson hit another shot but this time Roberts made a fine save to make up for his earlier error.

Gresley did have the ball in the net when jack Langston slung in a free kick which Jamie Barrett headed back into the box and Ashton poked it into the net. The celebrations were cut short by the up raised flag of the assistant referee.

The visitors again had the ball in the net when Ashton ran through and scored only for the referee to bring the ball back to the edge of the area for a foul on Alex Steadman.

Amazingly, Gresley's first shot on target came with just 10 minutes of the game remaining but it was straight at keeper Peter Denton.

The ball went down the other end and Roberts was needed again to make a good save to deny Stephen Hoyle.

Gresley were hard done to minutes later when O'Connell was clearly hacked down in the area but to everyone's surprise referee Andy Dunne waved away the protests. Jack Langston fired a shot narrowly wide but with time rapidly running out Mulonga, who had earlier replaced Eric Graves, managed to smash home the ball after Steels failed to clear O'Connell's ball into the box from the left.