Pre-Season Friendly
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Wednesday, 1st July 2015, 7.30pm
Brewers Ease To Friendly Win
On a sweltering summer evening at the Moat Ground local rivals Gresley FC and Burton Albion faced each other for the first time since their last pre-season friendly back in 2012.
Gresley's Alex Steadman gave the Moatmen a halftime lead but a much changed Brewers side took control of the second half rattling in five unanswered goal with a hat-trick from Dominic Knowles and two from new signing Timmy Thiele.
As to be expected the newly promoted League One side had most of the ball but Gresley did well with their defending to deny the Brewers as the visitors poor passing allowed Sam Wood, Jack Langston and Sam Grice snuff out any danger.
On 9 minutes the Moat faithful were concerned to see Kieran O'Connell limp off the field to be replaced by Ryan King.
The Brewers saw Matty Palmer fire wide and then force three consecutive corner kicks which came to nothing.
Steadman then went close firing wide of the far post after cutting in from the right. Minutes later though his aim was much better as he ran onto a superb through ball from King before stabbing the ball under the onrushing keeper Jon McLaughlin. Sam Wood then stung the palms of McLaughlin with a low shot.
As to be expected in an early pre-season game there were plenty of changes for the second half with Gresley making quite a few and the Albion fielding very nearly a completely different side. And the difference was soon apparent when the levelled just two minutes into the second half.
Knowles caught the Gresley backline napping and strode forward before slipping the ball past Ryan Swift. Liam Slade then hit a tremendous shot which came back off the far post with Swift beaten. Swift then denied Taft making a fine save from his long-range shot.
The Brewers were applying all the pressure and it paid off on 57 minutes when Knowles added his second goal of the game converting Sam Austin's cross from the right. Knowles completed his hat-trick two minutes later finishing another cross from the right this time from Thiele.
Thiele then when close himself firing on the turn but the ball was saved by the keeper. Slade then had a glorious chance to add his name to the list of scorers but somehow managed to loop his effort over the bar from close in.
The Brewers added their fourth goal on 73 minutes when Gresley were caught in possesion on the edge of their own penalty area and Theile accepted the gift and scored past substitute keeper Adam Binks.
Thiele added his second of the evening and the Brewers fifth when he had a simple tap in from Lucas Atkins cross from the left.
