Evo-Stik Division One South
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Monday, 6th April 2015, 3.00pm
Gresley Grab The Points
Gresley again had to dig deep to get anything out of this game as the table standings were thrown out of the window in the local derby game.
Always a testing fixture whether at the Moat Ground or Owen Street and this proved to be no different with Coalville hoping to avenge the defeat they suffered at home on Boxing Day and for their supporters the hope of derailing Gresley's promotion push as the Moatmen had done to The Ravens at the end of last season.
Manager Wayne Thornhill was wanting a big response from the insipid display at Carlton on Saturday and for 70 minutes or so it looked as if his wishes were not to come true as Gresley were once more out battled and out thought with the only chance of note coming at the end of the first half when referee Mr Dadley awarded a penalty which was squandered.
With Mitch Hanson unavailable Thornhill brought John Guy onto central defence and gave Chris Richards a start at the expense of Karl Ashton who took a place on the bench.
The visitors started well with Alex Dean having his shot across the goalmouth being deflected for a corner. An early yellow card for Jack Langston gave Ben Minshull an opportunity but his shot went straight at home keeper Liam Roberts.
Town had Gresley on the rack with Nathan Watson fizzing a shot across the face of Roberts' goal. Gresley did create a half chance when a good run down the left ended with him firing a low cross across the box eluding two Gresley players racing into the box at the far post. A free kick from Langston created another half chance but Guy headed wide.
As the first half drew to a close Gresley had a good opportunity to take a lead into the break when Kieran O'Connell was brought down in the area. The normally reliable Alex Steadman, from the spot, saw his kick saved by Sean Bowles and Martin Smyth blasting the rebound over the bar when heading it into the empty net may have been a better option. Where Gresley to rue that missed chance to go ahead?
Gresley were still looking well out of sorts and were fortunate not to have fallen behind when Lucas Harrison missed a long clearance allowing Luke Smithson to run forward on his own but with only Roberts to beat the occasion got the better of him and he fire wide.
Dean also fluffed his lines by firing wide at the near post. This was followed by him then receiving a yellow card for diving in the area.
Coalville got the goal their play had deserved just after the hour mark. A free kick by Watson eventually came to Jake Woolley who drilled his shot past Roberts.
The goal didn't seem to spark Gresley into life and indeed they could have fallen further behind when Guy was caught in possession on the edge of the area but Woolley's shot went straight at Roberts.
The introduction of Karl Ashton replacing Richards seemed to give Gresley a bit more presence up front and a corner from Langston was narrowly headed over by Guy as the Moatmen at last began to awake from their lethargy and look like the side we all know they can be.
On 72 minutes Gresley got the breakthrough they were looking for. A quick move down the left from O'Connell who picked out Steadman who in turn slipped the ball through to Langston who struck an unstoppable low shot which left Bowles a mere spectator as the ball flashed by him and into the back of the net.
Rob Mulonga was brought into action with 13 minutes remaining and he immediately began to get behind a Coalville defence which had been largely untroubled until now and Gresley looked as if they may snatch a winner and it duly arrived with Mulonga taking the initiative.
A free kick from Langston appeared to be juggled by Bowles at his far post and Mulonga quickly took advantage of the keeper not having the ball in his hands knocking the ball home from a couple of feet out.
It's a measure of the strength and depth of this season's Gresley side who dig in and get results despite not being in top form at the moment.
