Match Report  |  Gresley FC vs Romulus

This was more of a scrap rather than an entertaining cup game and it didn't wake up until the final twenty minutes.

All four goals came in the final quarter of the game which up until then had been a matter of who could kick the ball longest and highest.

A fortunate goal gave the visitors the lead but Gresley fought back with three goals of their own to go into the hat for Monday's draw.

Gresley manager Wayne Thornhill was forced to make a change to his side as Luke Edwards succumbed to his thigh injury which saw him substituted just before the break against Sheffield in midweek and it seemed that his team mates were missing his physicality up front as they struggled to break down a stubborn Romulus defence which seemed to have come looking for a draw.

The Roms opened the game with a shot which went wide but Gresley soon had half chances of their own. Alex Steadman ran through only to fire a low shot which keeper Maxime Fondop dealt with comfortably.

Gresley then forced three consecutive corners and the final one almost paid dividends. Lucas Harrison curled a high flag kick into the box which had Fondop scrambling to touch it over the bar at the far post.

Romulus were on target with their first corner. Scott Meer took the kick and Courtney Baker-Richardson got his head to the ball and looped a header which Gresley keeper Ross Atkins claimed.

As time began to run out Gresley had two more chances to take a first half lead into the dressing room. Eric Graves back heeled the ball to Steadman but the final low shot was held by Fondop. Martin Smyth then provided Graves with a lovely ball and the midfielder flicked his header goalwards causing Fondop to juggle the ball before holding on to it. The final kick of the half belonged to Gresley but the effort was blocked at the near post.

The second half was much better as a game and Gresley went close twice. Kieran O'Connell had a shot at the near post saved and the ball came out to the right and Matt Roome was unlucky to see his shot hit the bar.

More pressure from Gresley saw a corner from the right by Harrison which was met by the head of Steadman and again Fondop flapped at the ball before securing it safely. Steadman picked out O'Connell who drove in to the box but his shot hit the side netting.

Romulus took the lead in a rather fortunate manner. Lee Smith skewed his shot so much it headed towards the far corner flag but it was retrieved and sent back into the box. Ashley Jackson took a shot which was not hit cleanly and that wrong footed Atkins as it flew past him.

The hosts hit back almost immediately and were awarded a free kick just outside the area. Harrison took the kick and hit a superb shot which was clearly heading into the top corner only for Fondop to make a top class save pushing the ball away for a corner.

Romulus should have doubled their advantage minutes later when Baker-Richardson was sent through but with only Atkins to beat put his shot wide of the far post.

They were to rue that miss because Gresley hit them with three goals in the final 15 minutes. The first came from a corner. Harrison launched the ball into the box and Jamie Barrett rose to powerfully head home.

Ryan King, who had replaced Rob Mulonga ten minutes or so earlier, had a hand in Gresley taking the lead. He superbly turned his marker and threaded the ball to Steadman who also wrong footed a defender before slotting the ball home at the near post.

King was having a good game and was constantly chasing the ball down and from another piece of hard work he harried a defender and robbed him of the ball and he then found O'Connell who hit a shot which beat Fondop but Cameron Lee was well placed to clear the effort off the line.

The game was ended in time added on when Lee brought down O'Connell in the area and referee Liam Jones pointed to the spot. Mitch Hanson took the kick sending Fondop the wrong way to claim his sixth penalty of the season.

Gresley now await the draw on Monday to see who they will be playing in the 2nd Qualifying Round scheduled to be played on the 15th November meaning that the home game against Stocksbridge Park Steels will need to be rescheduled.