Match Report  |  Barwell FC vs Gresley FC

At first glance the score may look as if this was a comfortable victory for the home side but that was not the case. Gresley matched their high-flying opponents and if they'd have taken their chances could easily have made it into the next round of the Doodson Cup.

Eddie Nisevic gave Barwell a first half lead which was wiped out by Martin Smyth's free kick in the second. Against the run of play Barwell added two late goals to give the game a flattering scoreline for the home side.

Both sides made changes to their starting line-ups. Gresley manager Wayne Thornhill was without Alex Steadman (work commitments), Matt Roome (leg), Mitch Hanson (illness) and Eric Graves.

The game started with Gresley having the first half chance when Jamie Barrett fired Lucas Harrison's corner just wide of the far post. Barwell's Jon Stevenson then fired his free kick over the bar.

The first goal arrived with 12 minutes remaining of the first half. Nisevic collected the ball just inside the Gresley half and was allowed to run forward to just outside the penalty area without a challenge coming in and he completed the move with a low shot across goalkeeper Alex Townsend and into the far bottom corner of the net.

As the first half was drawing to an end there was a controversial decision from the referee Mr Pratt which in all honesty spoilt the rest of the game. Rob Mulonga was put through on goal and he rounded home keeper Liam Castle but instead of slotting the ball home he dwelt just a bit too long allowing a defender to block the effort. The ball became loose in the box and during the ensuing mêlée Kieran O'Connor tried to kick the ball into the net which appeared to be near the keeper but the keeper took exception to him and retaliated.

Mr Pratt then amazingly showed both O'Connell and Castle a straight red card for offences which were difficult to see and yet a defender clearly handling the ball was missed by both referee and his assistant!

The two harshly dealt with players trudged off the pitch bemused at the decision which also surprised the few supporters at that end of the ground.

Barwell's Guy Hadland donned the keeper's jersey for the remainder of the game.

Gresley didn't let the sending off unsettle them and they went close to levelling on the hour mark when substitute Ryan King, on for Luke Edwards who had a slightly tight hamstring, hit a low shot at Hadland which the stand-in keeper had to grab at the second attempt as Gresley players raced in.

The visitors didn't have long to wait for their goal when 10 minutes they were awarded a free kick just outside the area. Smyth took the kick and it appeared that Barwell were still arranging their defensive wall when the ball fizzed past them, also past the static Hadland and into the net.

Gresley went close to taking the lead minutes later. A good move down the right involving fellow substitute Chris Richards and King ended with King hitting a shot which was blocked by the keeper at the near post.

However, it was Barwell who took the lead a minute later as a result of some poor defending. A cross from the right should have been cut out but was allowed to pick out the unmarked Nisevic who managed to head the ball into the net despite Townsend getting a hand to the ball.

With 90 minutes up Smyth chose to fire wide of the far post when he had team-mates in better positions either side of him.

Barwell's third goal came from a swift move down the right a cross which came to Alex Tomkinson who hit a sweetly struck shot which beat Townsend.