Pre-Season Friendly
Lees Lane, South Normanton Athletic
Tuesday, 28th July 2015, 7.45pm
Shiners Dimmed By Gresley
This was a much improved performance by Gresley but they were made to work hard for their victory by their East Midlands Counties League opponents South Normanton Athletic.
Gresley's Richard Bailey and Dereece Gardner (2) both scored their debut goals for the club as The Moatmen ran out 3-1 winners.
The visitors went close with just 8 minutes on the clock when John Guy put his free kick from 20 yards just wide of the near post.
They only had two minutes to wait to take the lead. A quick free kick from Gardner sent Bailey striding forward and after getting the better of two defenders slotted the ball across the home keeper and into the far bottom corner.
To their credit The Shiners hit back within minutes as Gresley keeper Ryan Swift appeared to lose the ball in the sunshine and it went over his head and crashed against the bar and the rebound was slammed into the net. Gresley went close again but this time Martin Smyth's free kick from 18 yards sailed over the bar.
Smyth then tested the keeper with a shot from distance but it was dealt with comfortably and a minute later Sam Grice threaded the ball through for Gardner to run onto but his final shot was wide of the upright.
Gardner was given another opportunity just after the half hour mark. This time it was Smyth who found the ball to send the striker through and he successfully completed the task coolly slipping the ball past the advancing keeper.
Five minutes later Gresley went close to extending their lead when Jack Langston got in front of a defended and drove the cross from the left marginally wide.
The Shiners almost pulled the game back level when their striker made a good run down the left be for hitting a fierce shot which Swift did well to block at his near post. Another good quick break almost produced dividends but the substitute's shot was saved by Swift.
On the hour Athletic wasted two good chances when the first shot was skewed by the striker only to find a fellow team mate who then hit the follow up well wide of the mark.
Gresley's third goal came from a good move down the left as substitute Chris Richards picked out fellow substitute Ryan King who in turn found Gardner who beat the keeper for his second goal of the evening.
The visitors finished the game on top and could have added more to their tally. Langston fired a shot which clattered the far post and then King, after being teed up by Bailey, unfortunately could only blaze his shot over the bar.
