Doodson Sport Cup 1st Round
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Tuesday, 11th November 2014, 7.45pm
Cup Win For Gresley
The game was preceded by an immaculately observed minutes silence as everyone in the Moat Ground remembered those who had lost their lives during wars and conflicts.
Both sides made changes to their sides and with Gresley facing Goole at the weekend in the FA Trophy manager Wayne Thornhill gave valuable pitch time to several of his squad with goalkeeper Tom Turner, Hayden Johns, Sam Grice and Russ Peel all given a start.
As well as including young striker Ryan King, Thornhill added two more youngsters to his squad Callum Riddell and Aaron Kendrick.
On a wet surface the game got off to a stuttering start with the visitors going closest to opening the score with Lee Attenborough firing his shot into the side netting.
A minute later however, Loughborough found the target. Ashley Way was allowed far too much space to charge through the Gresley defence before hitting an unstoppable shot past Turner.
Gresley struggled to get into any sort of rhythm with passes going astray and that combined with some stubborn defending by the visitors they were finding it hard to break through.
With just two minutes of the first half remaining Gresley got on terms. A cross from Rob Mulonga found Peel over on the left. He took a couple of strides towards the area before curling a superb curling shot into the far top corner of Ryan Thackers' net leaving the keeper a mere spectator.
Gresley should have had a chance of going in at the break with a lead. Luke Edwards was sent through on goal and was hauled back by Jack Green who, being the last man, was shown a straight red card by referee Oliver Bickle. What was surprising was Mr Bickle's decision to award a free kick just outside the area despite the offence occurring at least a yard inside. Harrison took the kick but blasted his shot against the defensive wall.
The Moatmen were in front with only four second half minutes on the clock. They were awarded a free kick over on the left. Jack Langston powered in a low shot and Harrison got the final touch steering the ball into the net.
It looked as if Gresley would make the extra man count with Mulonga firing a shot straight at Thacker following a good run down the right.
Dynamo went close to levelling the game when Mason Holwell met a corner from the right but could only plant his header over the bar from a good position.
Edwards then fired a low cross from the right across the face of goal but unfortunately there was no team mate on hand to get the vital touch.
Gresley extended their lead just after the hour mark when Langston's good run ended with him finding King who scored his first goal for the first team.
The game looked pretty safe now for Gresley but an unfortunate goal gave Dynamo a glimmer of hope and the prospect of taking the tie into penalties. A cross from Way into Gresley's box, if left, would have ran away to safety over on the right but Harrison inexplicably hammered the ball into the roof of his own net.
King went close to adding another goal but his effort from Harrison's corner was cleared off the line. A free kick from Peel was half cleared and the ball came to Langston whose blistering shot was well blocked by Thacker.
Substitute Kieran O'Connell launched a free kick from the left into the box and King somehow managed to spoon his shot over the bar from close in.
Seconds later Langston threaded the perfect ball through the Dynamo backline for King to run onto and it took a very good block from Thacker to deny the youngster from doubling his tally for the night.
Gresley substitute Callum Riddell was prevented from getting on the score sheet by the width of a post as his shot cannoned back off the frame of the goal.
Richard Jimoh should have bagged at least one goal when he raced through the Gresley defence but it ended with a poor finish firing into the side netting.
Martin Smyth, who had replaced Jack Langston five minutes earlier, tested Thackers' resolve smashing a vicious low shot which the keeper couldn't hold on to but the rebound fell kindly for Dynamo and the ball was cleared.
Jimoh wasn't having the best of games as once more he found himself racing in on goal after getting the better of Johns but, with only Turner to beat, could only fire wide once more.
The game ended with Gresley adding one more goal. A short corner on the right saw O'Connell pick out King who fired in a low cross which was knocked home by Riddell.
