Match Report  |  Gresley FC vs Goole AFC

Gresley took another step forward in the FA trophy with a 2nd round win at the Moat Ground against league rivals Goole but they were made to work hard for it.

On a murky, dreary afternoon with a pitch battered by the recent downpours making the surface very soft the two sides, who had already met each other twice in the league, tried to make the game as entertaining as possible for the Moat Ground's biggest gate of the season so far.

Gresley were missing two regulars with Luke Edwards due to family commitments and Matt Roome also unavailable. Hayden Johns came in to the right back slot with Alex Steadman partnering Kieran O'Connell up front. Martin Smyth was given a start with young strikers Ryan King and Callum Riddell on the bench.

The game took on a similar style to that when the two sides met in the league three weeks ago with Gresley creating enough chances to have had a comfortable lead at the half time break. Even the two goals came at a similar time.

Jack Langston showed the first glimpse of a chance with a shot that flew just over the bar. Alex Steadman then provided Eric Graves with a half chance but the midfielder headed the cross wide of the mark.

Gresley had a glorious chance to take the lead on 21 minutes. O'Connell had threaded a ball through for Steadman to run onto but he was brought down by Cecil Nyomi a couple of strides in the area and referee Sean Richardson pointed to the spot. Mitch Hanson, who up until this point had converted all six penalty kicks he had taken, was denied on this occasion when visiting keeper Peter Fotko chose the correct way to dive to push the shot to his left. The follow up by O'Connell was also blocked.

As the first half drew to an end a fine Gresley move ended in Smyth firing straight at Fotko.

Gresley took the lead with just six second half minutes on the clock. Graves worked hard in the bottom left corner and managed to come away with the ball. He passed to Luke Harrison who in turn drilled a low shot into the area. Smyth collected the ball and after a couple of touches turned and smashed the ball past Fotko.

The home side went close to adding another goal five minutes later. A free kick from Harrison on the left was deflected over to the right and the ball looked to be heading for a throw-in but Hanson chased the ball down turned and sent over a cross which Steadman narrowly headed wide of the near post.

Goole were awarded a free kick centrally 22 yards out which was taken by Andy Gascoigne. The shot was stuck sweetly but Gresley keeper Ross Atkins had positioned himself well and as the ball came over the Gresley wall he was able to palm the shot away to safety.

O'Connell then found Steadman with a pass but the final shot rocketed into the side netting. Steadman went close again this time heading Harrison's corner from the left wide.

Goole were fortunate to still have eleven players on the pitch when Jack Langston was felled just outside the area. Visiting skipper Muhammed Sabo, who was on a yellow card, raced towards the prostrate Langston in an aggressive manner but after consulting both of his assistants decided not to book the number five again much to the anger of supporters and players alike.

Gresley closed the game out on the 90th minute when substitute Ryan King slid the ball to O'Connell who then found Graves with his pass and Graves continued the move by picking out Steadman who then raced through on goal. He avoided a defender and skipped around the advancing Fotko before slipping the ball home at his second attempt.

Goole should have had at least a consolation goal to take back on the long journey home. Substitute Chris Adam was in acres of space over on the right when the ball came to him but he wildly fired his effort well over the bar.

They had an even better chance to reduce the deficit deep into time added on when Hanson fouled Andy Gascoigne in the area. Gascoigne took the spot kick but Atkins emulated Fotko by guessing the right way to dive pushing the ball away to his left for a corner.